Breaking News: Immunity for Lat's Girl Monica Goodling
I'm sure Lat will have more to say about this, but I just wanted to report the facts. The vote was 32-6 (2/3 was needed). A separate vote to authorize a subpoena for Goodling passed by voice vote. This from AP via Yahoo!:
The votes instruct a House lawyer to seek an immunity grant from a federal court. The grant would not take effect unless Chairman John Conyers (news, bio, voting record), D-Mich., chooses to issue Goodling a subpoena compelling her to testify, Conyers said.Goodling and her lawyer have invoked her Fifth Amendment right against self-incrimination, saying they believe Democrats have set a perjury trap for her. Conyers said Wednesday he hopes Goodling changes her mind and voluntarily tells the committee her story.
"I do not propose this step lightly," Conyers told the panel. "If we learn something new in the course of our investigation ... we can always stop the process s before the court issues an order."
Take that Bill Maher.
(13) Comments
*yawn*
this non-scandal is ponderous.
12:34, agreed. It has no legs. Gonzo's not resigning, and while the Dems will continue to make noise, the media and the public will lose interest. It will be eclipsed by important news items such as global warming causing an increase in shark attacks, or other equally tenuous non-stories.
Bill, since it seems you're covering Lat's pets, anything new on Charneygate?
I don't get the Bill Maher reference.
stupid jesus freak
Bill Maher slammed Goodling and Regent (and the Bush admin) in a lengthy screed.
Maher's diatribe on Goodling was hilarious and merely highlighted the fact that there are a lot of grossly unqualified foolios in the Bush Administration (starting at the top).
"You're doing a heck of a job, Brownie."
3:39 - don't revive that topic, please. can't we all just ackowledge that this so-called "scandal" is a non-issue and just partisan ass-play?
Yes, this so-called scandal that has been going on for weeks and weeks and now has even republicans calling for Gonzales to resign has no "legs." Is it a relatively stupid issue that should have gone away? Yes, but the administration's flabergasting incompetence just keeps it going and going. Who knows, maybe Bush is purposefully keeping everyone distracted from his ongoing miserable failure in Iraq.
Goodling's position is mind-boggling. Her fifth amendment claim seems to be "if I testify, I will perjure myself, and that will open me to prosecution, so I need to take the fifth." She's claimed to have done nothing wrong other than her plans to perjure herself. So what can the immunity grant be? Are they granting her immunity from prosecution for perjury at the testimony she's being asked to give? This whole thing makes no sense.
12:34, 12:51, 4:03, 4:16: "Pay no attention to the man behind the curtain! Nothing to see here! Move along!"
Y'all so cute.....but that mess ain't working no more.
The only reason this hasn't gone away is because Bush is in denial that DOJ is populated by a bunch of idiot hacks from God Law School who have no clue what they're doing, and is run by another hack (yes, I know, former White House Counsel, Texas Supreme, etc.) who botched what should have been an incredibly simple Congressional appearance.
Gonzalez = EPIC FAIL.
I'm guessing 4:19 is tier three ("flabergasting")
I'm guessing 6:56 is tier three too ("4:19")