White House Eyeballs Critics

In recent weeks, the Bush administration has launched a series of investigations into critics and potentially damning witnesses against the administration. It's raising outright claims of "retribution and intimidation."

Most recently, the Department of Justice has launched an internal investigation of Monica Goodling.

It's an internal investigation into whether Attorney General Alberto R. Gonzales's former White House liaison illegally took party affiliation into account in hiring career federal prosecutors.

She recently resigned and has been granted immunity to testify before Congress on the US Attorney firings. Her attorneys call the timing indications of "retribution and intimidation."

And the White House has launched an investigation into the Inspector General who recently embarrassed the administration by uncovering waste, fraud and abuse in the Iraq reconstruction effort. From the Washington Post:

"Stuart W. Bowen Jr., the special inspector general for Iraq reconstruction, is under investigation after complaints were made by former employees about his work habits and work he required employees to perform. The investigation is headed by the integrity committee of the President's Council on Integrity and Efficiency, which is made up of inspectors general appointed by the president."

The White House is also investigating Scott Bloch, head of the Office of Special Counsel -- who just happens to be looking into two possible cases of the administration breaking the law. From the LA Times:

"The first was a preliminary interview with the fired U.S. attorney from New Mexico, David C. Iglesias, who said, among other things, that his termination might have resulted from his failure to swiftly pursue a corruption case against Democrats.

The second involved a PowerPoint presentation highlighting upcoming battleground election races that a Rove aide, J. Scott Jennings, made at the General Services Administration this year."

Now, if I could just subpoena that meter maid who left a ticket on my car the other day.....