Although Goodling sought to portray herself as a little fish in the Justice Department, she was the agency’s liason to the White House. Testifying Wednesday under a grant of immunity from prosecution because she feared incriminating herself, Goodling admitted she “crossed the line” by using political criteria to judge applicants for career jobs in the department. Which is against the law.

Among other things, Goodling said, she routinely checked to see whether applicants were contributors to Republican candidates and causes. She asked about political views. She made “mistakes” she now regrets.

This sort of partisan favoritism was obviously the political culture that flourished at the top echelons of the department under Attorney General Gonzales. It is now impossible to believe that Gonzales, so attuned to the wishes of his masters in the White House, was unaware of the political machinations that resulted in the controversial firings of nine U.S. attorneys last year.

If he was, he was so clueless he should not be running the Justice Department. If he wasn’t, he lacks the integrity for the job.

Goodling further damaged Gonzales’ credibilty by recounting how she had a talk with him in her final days at the department, before she resigned with investigators bearing down on her. “‘Let me tell you what I can remember,’” Goodling recalled the attorney general saying, “and he laid out for me his general recollection” of circumstances surrounding the firings.

The conversation made her “a little uncomfortable,” Goodling testified. As well it should have. The scene gave all the appearance of the nation’s top law-enforcement official trying to coach witness testimony.

Gonzales has twice had the opportunity to defend himself in congressional hearings. His testimony was marked by dozens of “I don’t knows” and “I don’t recalls.” He has not succeeded in dispelling the impression that he works primarily for the White House rather than for the American people as an impartial and ethical administrator of justice.

That perception was heightened last week by former deputy attorney general James Comey’s testimony. Comey recounted Gonzales’ role in trying to get then-attorney general John Ashcroft, lying an intensive care unit, to approve a domestic surveillance plan the Justice Departmenthad already declared illegal.

Gonzales and the president seem determined to ride out the storm. After each blow to Gonzales, the president stands by his man.

Loyalty is admirable, but both the president and the attorney have a greater obligation to the Justice Department and the American people. They are doing great harm to the agency.

Gonzales can no longer lead it effectively or inspire public confidence. It is past time for him to go.