Can't Get Me Enough Of This Froomkin

Here's some stuff on Bu$hCo's Monicagate.

In my column yesterday, I wrote that Attorney General Alberto Gonzales is almost certainly still getting his marching orders directly from the West Wing. I speculated about which Justice and/or White House aides were charged with delivering those orders. It's widely known that the White House has in many cases turned over the micromanagement of Cabinet officials to untested youngsters whose paramount qualification is that they follow orders.



Now it looks like the 33-year-old Goodling's terrified, whining refusal to own up to what she did may end up exposing one of the weaknesses of relying on such people. When the going gets tough, they can't necessarily be trusted to either stand up to pressure -- or take the fall. Instead, they panic.

....

Charlie Gibson reported for ABC News last night that "her refusal to answer questions would raise questions in itself." Pierre Thomas then explained: "It's extremely rare, if not unheard of, for a senior Justice Department official to invoke the Fifth Amendment against self-incrimination. Now Monica Goodling is a very senior official. She is the liaison to the White House, counsel to the Attorney General. And that puts her right in the center of this controversy over the firing of those U.S. Attorneys."

....

"Goodling, 33, is a 1995 graduate Messiah College in Grantham, Pa., an institution that describes itself as 'committed to embracing an evangelical spirit.'



"She received her law degree at Regent University in Virginia Beach, Va. Regent, founded by Christian broadcaster Pat Robertson, says its mission is 'to produce Christian leaders who will make a difference, who will change the world.' (Now there's a world class education, ed.)

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