The Department of Justice Inspector General is looking into allegations that Monica Goodling, one of the players in last year’s US attorney scandal, fired a member of her staff because of rumors that the staffer, Leslie Hagen, is a lesbian. From NPR:

As one Republican source put it, “To some people, that’s even worse than being a Democrat.”

Several people interviewed by the inspector general’s staff said investigators asked whether people drew a connection between the rumors and Hagen’s dismissal….

Someone who worked in Hagen’s office says that in a 2006 meeting, senior officials were told that Hagen’s contract would not be renewed because someone on the attorney general’s staff had a problem with Hagen. The problem, it was suggested during the conversation, was sexual orientation — or what was rumored to be Hagen’s sexual orientation.

One person at the meeting asked, “Is that really an issue?” But the decision had been made.

The IG is looking into the hiring practices of the DOJ under Alberto Gonzales, specifically asking via a questionnaire if applicants were asked about their sexual orientation.

Okay, all you right-wing defenders of heterosexuality and traditional family values, tell me again how gay people have all the same rights and privileges that you do and just because we’re gay we’re not entitled to the same civil rights protections against discrimination and arbitrary firings as someone who is black, Jewish, Muslim, or a woman. Go on; I’m waiting for you to make sense of it. So is Leslie Hagen.