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]