Alberto Gonzales may be gone from the Justice Department in a couple of weeks, but that doesn't mean his troubles are over. According to a letter DoJ Inspector General Glenn Fine sent to Senate Judiciary Chairman Pat Leahy, Gonzales is under active investigation for a number of different things, including whether or not he lied to Congress in his testimony about the US Attorney firings.
The disclosure by Inspector General Glenn A. Fine in a letter to Congress signals an expansion of the department's internal investigations into Gonzales's troubled tenure, probes that were not previously known to be focused so sharply on the attorney general and his testimony.
Fine's office has also separately expanded a probe into whether senior Gonzales aides improperly considered partisan affiliations when reviewing applicants for nonpolitical career positions. As part of that inquiry, Fine sent hundreds of questionnaires in the past week to former Justice Department job applicants.
The questionnaires are to find out if applicants for non-political positions were asked questions about party affiliation, voting histories, campaign contributions, issue opinions, etc. Take a look at the questionnaire and accompanying cover letter.
Sen. Leahy welcomed the investigation, saying "The current Attorney General is leaving, but these questions remain." Inspector General Fine is authorized to refer cases for criminal prosecution if he determines Gonzales or other officials have committed perjury or obstructed justice.
So, yeah...it ain't over.
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