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Goodling on the Hill Really Making Her SweatBy Rick Horowitz Click. " -- thank my colleague. The chair now recognizes the distinguished ranking member of the Subcommittee on Something That Sounds Important for five minutes of intensive questioning." "Thank you, Mr. Chairman, and thank you, Ms. Goodling, for your appearance here today. I must tell you, Ms. Goodling, how impressed I am with your poise and your composure -- and I know I speak for all my colleagues on this side as well -- under what I'm sure are difficult circumstances. You've been most generous with your time, as have your attorneys." "Thank you, congressman." "Now, let me just say first of all that I've now sat here in this hearing room literally for hours, and I still don't know what you're doing here, or for that matter, why any of the rest of us are here either. Did you break the law, Ms. Goodling?" "Congressman, I --
"That's right, congressman." "I think that's pretty obvious, Ms. Goodling, and by all accounts, you've done a fine job of it. But this committee has already spent $250,000 looking for wrongdoing that just isn't there -- I could have told them that before they ever got started! Every one of us on this side could have told them that." "Congressman, I -- " "I know you can't comment on that. But let me ask you this, and I want your honest answer: There isn't anything wrong, is there, Ms. Goodling, with wanting to find the best people to fill the important job of United States attorney when vacancies occur?" "Those are very important jobs, congressman, and I always -- " "You bet they are! And President Bush has as much right as Bill Clinton had to have the right kind of people in those jobs, doesn't he?" "The U.S. attorneys serve at the pleasure of the president, congressman." "See? She understands it! You don't have to go to Harvard or Yale to understand it: They serve at the pleasure of the president! And what pleases this president is to have people in those positions who see things the same way he does. Anything wrong with that, Ms. Goodling?" "No, sir." "And if you once or twice 'crossed the line,' as you put it, in trying to make absolutely sure that the president had the right people in those positions -- well, let me put it to you as a question: Ms. Goodling, did you ever intend to do anything wrong?" "I certainly didn't, congressman." "Or illegal?" "I certainly didn't, congressman." "Of course not! And you've even kept your poise throughout this whole ordeal, which is remarkable. So why are we spending $250,000 for this fishing expedition to bring you in here, and all the others? Do you like fishing, Ms. Goodling?" "Well, I -- " "There's nothing wrong with fishing, Ms. Goodling -- but you have to go fishing where the fish are! Otherwise, it's just a waste of time, which is exactly what this is. And money -- we've already spent $250,000, which if you ask me, is really the crime here." "Congressman, I -- " "Excuse me, Ms. Goodling, but my time is short, so let me just make one or two more points. Bill Clinton. Bill Clinton." "Congressman, I -- " "And you've got great poise." "Thank you, congressman." "And did I mention that we've already spent -- " Click. Posted 5/24/07. Get
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Rick Horowitz
