New Gonzales investigation

last updated 8 January 2015

Washington, D.C.

The Justice Department said last week it was investigating possible witness tampering by Attorney General Alberto Gonzales. In a letter to the Senate Judiciary Committee, two senior Justice officials said they were seeking to determine whether Gonzales tried to coach the testimony of his former aide Monica Goodling, a participant in the controversial firing of nine U.S. attorneys last year. In a meeting in March, before Goodling was to testify to Congress about the firings, Gonzales recounted his recollection of the events leading to the dismissals and asked for her reaction. Goodling later told congressional investigators that the conversation made her feel “a little uncomfortable.” Justice Department spokesman Brian Roehrkasse said “the statements made by the attorney general during this meeting were intended only to comfort her in a very difficult period of her life.”