WASHINGTON, March 26 (UPI) -- A top aide to Attorney General Alberto Gonzales intends to invoke the Fifth Amendment rather than testify to Congress about the firing of eight U.S. attorneys.
Monica Goodling's attorney made the announcement Monday. The Fifth Amendment guarantees the right against self-incrimination.
The Senate Judiciary Committee is conducting hearings into whether the U.S. attorneys were fired for political reasons. Four reportedly were conducting investigations of Republicans, and a fifth reportedly refused to investigate a Democrat. The Washington Post said documents show the firings were closely coordinated with the White House.
Goodling is the attorney general's senior counsel and White House liaison, but is on indefinite leave.
The Washington Post said Goodling has said that "at least one senior Justice Department official" -- Deputy Attorney General Paul J. McNulty --blames her for a faulty briefing before his Senate appearance.
Meanwhile, the Justice Department released a transcript of Gonzales' interview with NBC News in which he says he did not ask for the U.S. attorney resignations for "improper reasons."
But Gonzales threatened to fire any department officials if they are found to have recommended the firings for such "improper reasons."
