Justice Dept. Attorney Fired for Sexuality Gets Job Back

Attorney Leslie Hagen, whose firing from the Justice Department fueled an investigation into anti-gay bias within the department, has been re-hired, NPR reports.

In April 2008, NPR reported, "The Justice Department's inspector general is looking into whether Hagen was dismissed after a rumor reached Goodling that Hagen is a lesbian. As one Republican source put it, 'To some people, that's even worse than being a Democrat.' Several people interviewed by the inspector general's staff said investigators asked whether people drew a connection between the rumors and Hagen's dismissal. The witnesses, who spoke to NPR on the condition of anonymity, said they felt that the rumors led to the decision not to renew Hagen's contract."

A later report concluded that the Justice Dept. did indeed engage in anti-gay bias: "The investigation has found that Goodling used a LexisNexis search string used to conduct opposition research for the RNC in order to screen possible candidates for career department positions."

Now, NPR reports: "Last year, the Justice Department posted Hagen's old job again. The department conducted a national search. Applications came in from around the country. After several rounds of interviews, Hagen eventually won the job. The paperwork makes it official as of Monday, Feb. 2. Hagen now has her old position back, but this time it's a little different. Her contract no longer comes up for renewal every year. Now, the job is permanent. It is not a perfectly happy ending for Hagen. Nobody official from the department ever apologized to her for what happened. She still owes thousands of dollars in attorney fees, and the Justice Department has refused to pay those bills. That was the department's position under the Bush administration, anyway. Hagen's attorney says her client hopes the new attorney general will take a different view."

Report Concludes Department of Justice Engaged in Anti-Gay Bias

Back in April I reported that the Department of Justice was looking into the possible firing of an employee for her sexual orientation as part of a larger investigation into the firings of U.S. attorneys under Alberto Gonzalez. At the center of the investigation was Gonzalez' senior counsel Monica Goodling.

The investigation has found that Goodling used a LexisNexis search string used to conduct opposition research for the RNC in order to screen possible candidates for career department positions.

This is the search string:

"[First name of a candidate]! and pre/2 [last name of a candidate] w/7 bush or gore or republican! or democrat! or charg! or accus! or criticiz! or blam! or defend! or iran contra or clinton or spotted owl or florida recount or sex! or controvers! or racis! or fraud! or investigat! or bankrupt! or layoff! or downsiz! or PNTR or NAFTA or outsourc! or indict! or enron or kerry or iraq or wmd! or arrest! or intox! or fired or sex! or racis! or intox! or slur! or arrest! or fired or controvers! or abortion! or gay! or homosexual! or gun! or firearm!"

According to the report, "[Goodling] exercised what amounted to veto power over a wide range of critical jobs, asking candidates for their views on abortion and same-sex marriage, and maneuvering around senior officials who outranked her, including the department's second-in-command....Thirty-four candidates told investigators that Goodling or one of her deputies raised the topic of abortion in job interviews and 21 said they discussed same-sex marriage, the report said. Another job applicant said he admired Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, only to watch Goodling 'frown' and respond, 'But she's prochoice.'"

Justice Dept. report concludes aides broke law [boston globe]
Goodling Screened DOJ Career Candidates For Affiliations With ‘Abortion, Homosexuality, Iraq and WMD’ [think progress]
An Investigation of Allegations of Politicized Hiring by Monica Goodling and Other Staff in the Office of the Attorney General [pdf]

DOJ Looking into Possible Firing of Atty Over Sexual Orientation

NPR reports on a probe into the possible firing of an attorney at the Justice Department for her sexual orientation. It's an investigation which grew out of the larger Alberto Gonzalez U.S. Attorney firings there.

Attorney Leslie Hagen, who received "outstanding" job evaluations, was let go under Gonzales's senior counsel Monica Goodling.

According to NPR, "The Justice Department's inspector general is looking into whether Hagen was dismissed after a rumor reached Goodling that Hagen is a lesbian. As one Republican source put it, 'To some people, that's even worse than being a Democrat.' Several people interviewed by the inspector general's staff said investigators asked whether people drew a connection between the rumors and Hagen's dismissal. The witnesses, who spoke to NPR on the condition of anonymity, said they felt that the rumors led to the decision not to renew Hagen's contract. Someone who worked in Hagen's office says that in a 2006 meeting, senior officials were told that Hagen's contract would not be renewed because someone on the attorney general's staff had a problem with Hagen. The problem, it was suggested during the conversation, was sexual orientation — or what was rumored to be Hagen's sexual orientation. One person at the meeting asked, 'Is that really an issue?' But the decision had been made."

Justice Probes Lawyer's Dismissal Amid Gay Rumor [npr]