Justice Department Won't Oppose Immunity For Goodling

Monday, May 7th 2007, 1:40 pm

By: News On 6

WASHINGTON (AP) _ The Justice Department will not try to prevent Congress from granting immunity to a former department official to testify about the firing of eight federal prosecutors.

In a letter to House Judiciary Committee Chairman John Conyers, D-Mich., officials from two Justice Department offices investigating whether the department played politics when hiring prosecutors said they would prefer not to see the department's former White House liaison, Monica Goodling, given immunity.

``However, we understand the committee's interest in obtaining Ms. Goodling's testimony,'' the letter said. ``Therefore after balancing the significant public interest against the impact of the committee's actions on our ongoing investigation, we will not raise an objection or seek a deferral.''

The letter was signed by Inspector General Glenn Fine and H. Marshall Jarrett, counsel to the Office of Professional Responsibility.

Both offices are investigating whether Goodling used political affiliations in deciding whom to hire as prosecutors. Such consideration would be a violation of federal law.

The Judiciary Committee wants to know whether eight U.S. attorneys were fired last year for political reasons.

``I believe obtaining her testimony will be a critical step in our efforts to get to the truth about the circumstances surrounding the U.S. attorney firings and possible politicization in the department's prosecutorial function,'' Conyers said. ``The committee will be moving expeditiously to apply for the court order so that we can schedule a hearing promptly.''