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What kind of conservative are you?

Aug. 31, 2007 | As we noted Thursday, the Justice Department's inspector general is investigating allegations that Alberto Gonzales lied to the Senate Judiciary Committee about everything from warrantless wiretapping to whether he tried to synchronize his stories with his aides.

What else is the inspector general examining? We're getting some clues from a 12-page questionnaire, obtained by the Washington Post, that the I.G. has sent to hundreds of Justice Department job applicants who may have had contact with Monica Goodling, Kyle Sampson or Justice Department aides Jan Williams and Angela Williamson over the past three years.

Among the questions the I.G. is asking:

1. If you were interviewed [for a job at Justice], were you asked to fill out any forms prior to, during, or after your interview ... that sought information about political party affiliation, voting history (candidates and parties), political campaign activities, financial or other forms of contributions made to political parties, or any other information about your political affiliations, activities or beliefs?"

2. Please indicate whether you were asked about the following topics during your interview (either directly or by implication), identify the person who asked the question, and to the best of your recollection state the specific question asked.

• your political party affiliation;
• your political activities, including for whom you voted and why;
• whether you made financial or other kinds of contributions to political parties;
• what kind of conservative you were (law and order; social; fiscal);
• your favorite president, legislator, public figure, or Supreme Court justice;
• your position on the death penalty;
• your position on the war on terror.

3. Please indicate whether you were asked about the following topics during your interview (either directly or by implication), identify the person who asked the question, and to the best of your recollection state the specific question asked.

• your religious beliefs;
• your sexual orientation;
• whether you had committed adultery;
• your position on abortion;
• your position on same-sex marriage.

4. Please state whether you were asked any question (orally or in writing) that you believed was inappropriate or unusual. If yes, please describe the question(s) and the discussion as a result of the question, including what you thought was inappropriate or unusual, why you thought it was inappropriate or unusual, whether you objected to answering the question, and what the interviewers' response was.

-- Tim Grieve