NYT: Justice Official Won’t Testify on Prosecutor Firings (Monica Goodling invoking 5th Amendment)

[Hepburn]

WASHINGTON, March 26 — A lawyer for a Justice Department official involved in the controversial firings of eight United States attorneys said today that his client would not testify on Capitol Hill because she is convinced she would not be treated fairly.

The official, Monica Goodling, the Justice Department’s liaison to the White House, is invoking her Fifth Amendment right against self-incrimination and so will decline to answer “any and all questions regarding the firings,” her lawyer, John M. Dowd, said.

But Ms. Goodling’s refusal does not signal that she has anything to hide, Mr. Dowd told the Senate Judiciary Committee’s chairman, Senator Patrick J. Leahy. Rather, Mr. Dowd said, it is a recognition of the “hostile and questionable environment” that has been spawned by the controversy.

“For example, you, Mr. Chairman, have concluded that the attorney general and deputy attorney general ‘failed to tell Congress the whole truth about this matter under oath,’ ” Mr. Dowd told Mr. Leahy, Democrat of Vermont.

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/03/26/washington/26cnd-attorneys.html?_r=1&oref=slogin

WOW ~~ looks like the first one who is afraid of telling what he/she knows. Maybe the could offer her immunity? I frankly do not believe the reason why she says she is invoking the 5th Amendment ~~ the ONLY reason alloweable is to avoid self-incrimination.

Popcorn, anyone? :popcorn:

[Skink]

1. One of these days Leahy is going to get some respect.

[Hepburn]

2. Respect???

LOL, I am just glad they seem to FEAR him!!!!

[ThoughtCriminal]

3. Is John M Dowd a bit "High End" for this client?

Unless I'm confusing him with someone else, it's a pretty heavy gun for someone in her position. Or maybe somebody else is picking up the tab.

Anybody have the scoop on him? Has he defended high ranking Republicans accused of corruption?

[Hepburn]

4. He would be considered, IMO, a VERY heavy hitter.

We are not talking someone who does DUI defenses ~~ not by a long shot. I have heard his name and I know of him. A lot of white collar crime defense. IIRC, he was involved in one of the first RICO cases ~~ but as a prosecutor. He is mid 60s or thereabouts and tons of experience.

I have no clue what his fees are or if Monica G can afford them. But...some lawyers do cases for the publicity when they are high profile even if the fees are not there.