| US District Judge Thomas Hogan approved an offer of immunity Friday for former Department of Justice aide Monica Goodling, clearing the way for Goodling's testimony before Congress on the firings of eight US Attorneys. Under Hogan's order, Goodling may not refuse to testify. The House Judiciary Committee voted in April to grant Goodling immunity from prosecution. Goodling told the committee in March that she would not testify about her role in the firings, and stated through her lawyer that she would seek protection under her Fifth Amendment right against self-incrimination if the committee issued her a subpoena. The DOJ said earlier this month that although officials preferred that Goodling not receive immunity, the department would not try to block immunity for Goodling. Goodling resigned from her position as White House liaison at the DOJ in April and the DOJ has since opened an investigation into whether she considered the political affiliations of candidates for career prosecutor positions in the DOJ, contrary to federal law and longstanding departmental practice. |
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