In sum, we concluded that the evidence showed that Goodling violated (...) federal law

Or, in this Brave New World, I guess we could just ship her ass off to Gitmo for a little Enhanced Interrogation.

In my view, the most damaging conclusion is this one from p. 136:

Goodling’s use of political considerations in connection with these details was particularly damaging to the Department because it resulted in high-quality candidates for important details being rejected in favor of less-qualified candidates. For example, an experienced career terrorism prosecutor was rejected by Goodling for a detail to EOUSA to work on counterterrorism issues because of his wife’s political affiliations. Instead, EOUSA had to select a much more junior attorney who lacked any experience in counterterrorism issues and who EOUSA officials believed was not qualified for the position.

There's the money quote, folks. Bush official endangers national security for political purposes.

Monica "I-know-I-stepped-over-the-line" Goodling got a limited grant of immunity for her testimony before Congress. I wonder what 'limited' means in the legal sense of the word, maybe whatever she said before Congress is exempt from prosecution??

And the punishment?

Why, a Medal of Freedom award, of course.

Just the Reagan Administration "proved that deficits don't matter" the Bush Administration has proved that the law doesn't matter ... and neither does Congress or the Constitution.

Shoving a stick in the spokes of the wheel of Democracy, being found guilty of misconduct, and loosing one license to practice law may seem to be a stiff penalty to some. However, just the fact that they were able to conduct such actions for so long a period and suffer on minor penalties for such gross conduct sends out a message ... the system can be manipulated in favor of the self-serving with little or no penalty if caught.

Sounds like the Congress needs to enact some serious legislation on this issue to make the AG accountable and require stiff penalties, including prison time, for those found guilty of violating the public trust. A mere slap on the wrist and loosing one's license to practice law is hardly justifiable.

Ian't Monica engaged to the guy that runs RedState?

No, Mukasey has show himself to be quite slippery and open to political posturing in an effort to stall and watch the clock run out.

Again, I fail to see how Republicans and Democrats can not unite to the gross misconduct of these employees! They broke the law, not only did they break the law but in many cases right out in the open with no fear of punishment or corrective action. We should be applauding the report and see it as the first step that we can take in restoring the DOJ and its reputation as a non-political entity! The next step needs to be prosecution and the dis-barrment of these folks from practicing law. After that, they need to be barred from having holding any public or government job for the rest of their lives. Can they work in the private sector, sure but their actions while holding public office can never restore the trust they violated between the American people and themselves!

Go to jail. Do not pass go and do not collect $200. With all these criminals in the king's administration, the feds may have to build a new prison to house them, or as pointed out above, they could always be shipped off to gitmo.

"
Federal crime? Why isn't he talking about Prosecution"

Because with the current and future regimes... important people are... well.. just too important for paying the penalties us commoners are subject to.

Remember folks, Republicans AND Democrat folk are accepting this. It is NOT just the bad republicans carrying on as usual. It is BOTH parties carrying on as usual.

Of course there will be a break in the action shortly as the politicians take their next month long vacation...

So.....flip them. Get them to testify against Rove and Gonzales in exchange for reduced prison sentences.

I'm going to step way out on a limb here and speculate that nothing will ever come of this and no one will ever be held even the least bit accountable for the criminal activity that has occurred at the DoJ.

Let's look at the bottom line: For the current band of elected Republicans, loyalty trumps all and so they will never hold their own accountable. Sadly, the Democrats have been MIA for years now. Ergo, there is no one left to enforce the law. Just who are ya gonna call?

Recent events clearly demonstrate that the most that will happen - and only after months or years of careful and considered analysis - is a strongly worded letter from a few ineffectual committee chairs and an feeble acknowledgement that "mistakes were made".

Of course Mukasey is upset about OIG report.
He may actually be expected to bring charges
against loyal Bushies, something he is not wont to do.

This piece of work was clearly guilty of criminal behavior long ago. It was obvious when she first testified that she was a little "overzealous" and "didn't know" she was breaking the law.
Shoot, Congress just codified the Nuremburg defense ("I was following orders.")for the telcoms; maybe "I didn't know" can become a legal defense, too, in this nation of "laws".
Who cares? Only those who aren't in power.
Those who are pulling strings MAY toss Sampson and Goodling to the wolves, but it ain't likely. Pardon, anyone?

the questions sound like they were taken from Regent's entrance essays

They'll explain it away as "just a few bad apples." That whole administration gives me the runs.

Oh... the pleasure of seeing "Squeeky Sampson" on trial sends a thrill up my leg.
The court reporter will have to have a helium tank on hand to read back any of the testimony with any conviction.

Can we forward this all onto Larry Flint...
it seems the most that will come of this is a Goodling spread in Hustler. I can't imagine anything short of that really making a difference to the American people

Red State's true colors.

Is it just me, or does Sampson look like the bastard son of Karl Rove and Karen Hughes?

Given DOJ's clear willingness to criminally prosecute individuals with actual or perceived Democratic ties - like a Wisconsin state employee - for alleged politicization in gov't - where are they in filing the criminal charges in these cases? If they don't do it, and soon, it makes the double standard even more clear.