Quote of the Day

"Not every wrong, or even every violation of the law, is a crime. In this instance, the two joint reports found only violations of the civil service laws."

The words of U.S. Attorney General Michael Mukasey to the American Bar Association, in announcing that there will be no criminal prosecutions of Justice Department officials who politicized the Department by its hiring and firing practices. See, Mukasey: No prosecutions in Justice hiring scandal. As the article noted:

An internal investigation concluded last month that for nearly two years, top advisers to Gonzales discriminated against applicants for career jobs who weren't Republican or conservative loyalists.

The federal government makes a distinction between "career" and "political" appointees, and it's a violation of civil service laws and Justice Department policy to hire career employees on the basis of political affiliation or allegiance.

Yet Monica Goodling, who served as Gonzales' counselor and White House liaison, routinely asked career job applicants about politics, the report concluded.

I can't wait to see the "Mukasey defense" being used in court proceedings by defense counsel, arguing why their client should not be prosecuted. After all, if it's good enough for the Justice crowd, lawyers all, it should be good enough for the petty criminal on the street. Isn't that what equal justice under law is all about?

(Updated with Cartoon via John Sherffius, Creators News Service)