Editorial: More damning testimony

Sunday, May 27, 2007 | 7:14 a.m.

F ormer Justice Department official Monica Goodling's testimony Wednesday to Congress offered even more evidence of how the Bush administration has infected the Justice Department with politics.

Her testimony, provided after she received a grant of immunity from prosecution, showed that the leadership of the Justice Department has continued to cover up the real reasons behind the firing of nine U.S. attorneys. For instance:

"I think he nodded and said, 'OK,' " she said.

Goodling did not provide all of the answers, as it is still not clear who drew up the list of attorneys to fire or the reasons for their firings. Her testimony, however, does provide a clear picture that the department was improperly steeped in politics. It also adds to the knowledge of how deceptive and misleading Gonzales has been about the firings.

All of Nevada's congressional delegation, minus Republican Sen. John Ensign, have rightly called for his resignation. What more information does Ensign need to call for his resignation? Gonzales, with the backing of the president, will not budge. It is President Bush's ardent supporters in Congress, such as Ensign, who are allowing Bush to protect Gonzales, whose presence as attorney general is tarnishing the Justice Department.