Meinero, a Howard University law school graduate who had worked on civil rights cases at the Environmental Protection Agency, was serving as a special assistant prosecutor in Taylor's office. Taylor went around Goodling, and demanded Sampson's approval to make the hire. In another example, Goodling removed an attorney from her job at the Department of Justice because she was rumored to be a lesbian, and, further, blocked the attorney from getting other Justice Department jobs she was qualified for.
Meinero, a Howard University law school graduate who had worked on civil rights cases at the Environmental Protection Agency, was serving as an assistant prosecutor in Taylor's office. Taylor bypassed Goodling and sought Sampson's approval to make the hire. In another case, Goodling dismissed an attorney from her job at the Department of Justice due to rumors she was a lesbian, and also prevented her from obtaining other jobs within the Justice Department.