[JURIST] The US House Judiciary Committee voted 32-6 Wednesday to grant Monica M. Goodling [JURIST news archive], former special counsel to US Attorney General Alberto Gonzales, immunity from prosecution [press release] in exchange for her testimony on the firings of eight US Attorneys [JURIST news archive]. The committee also voted to authorize a subpoena for Goodling's testimony, but committee chairman Rep. John Conyers (D-MI) must still choose whether to issue the subpoena. Conyers has said previously that Goodling's testimony is pivotal in clearing up "the many inconsistencies and gaps surrounding this matter."

Goodling told the committee last month that she would not speak to the committee about her role in the firings [JURIST report], and stated through her lawyer, John Dowd, that she would seek protection under her Fifth Amendment right against self-incrimination if the committee issued her a subpoena. She resigned [JURIST report] from her position at the Justice Department earlier this month. AP has more.