Wed
Jul 25 2007
05:27 pm
House Judiciary committee issues contempt citations
By: R. Neal

The House Judiciary Committee has issued Contempt of Congress citations against White House Chief of Staff Josh Bolten and President Bush's former legal counselor, Harriet Miers. The measure will now move to the House for a full vote.

The White House responds:

"Now we have a situation where there is an attempt to do something that's never been done in American history, which is to assail the concept of executive privilege which hails back to the administration of George Washington and in particular to use criminal contempt charges against the White House chief of staff and the White House legal counsel," said White House Spokesman Tony Snow.

What's never been done in American history is for the executive branch to defy Congress and ignore the Constitution to the extent this administration has.

Topics:
Bbeanster's picture

Nixon, err, Bush has

Submitted by Bbeanster on Wed, 2007/07/25 - 7:23pm.

Nixon, err, Bush has stretched executive privilege way past the breaking point. Didn't I read that he's even tried to obstruct the Pat Tillman investigation with EP claims?
Ridiculous!

Rachel's picture

Worst. President. Ever. And

Submitted by Rachel on Wed, 2007/07/25 - 9:30pm.

Worst. President. Ever.

And if you told me in 1974 I'd be saying that about anybody but Nixon I would have thought you were crazy.

Rachel's picture

Here's my thing on the

Submitted by Rachel on Thu, 2007/07/26 - 10:48am.

Here's my thing on the contempt. (Well, two things actually). One is that these folks didn't even come to the hearings and invoke executive privilege. They just didn't show up. If you or I did that you'd be damn sure we'd be held in contempt.

This is of a piece with Gonzales yesterday refusing to answer questions and refusing to state his reasons. He didn't claim privilege, he just refused to answer the question. Again, this is just NOT DONE. You or I would never get away with it, and neither should the nation's lead law enforcement officer.

On top of that, Bush announces that he's going to tell the U.S. Attorney not to prosecute the contempt charge before the damn thing is even filed. If that's not political interfence with the Justice Dept., I don't know what is.

Ok, so that's three things. I could come up with a bunch more, but why bother? The bottom line is that Bushco has totally contempt for Congress, separation of powers, and the Constitution itself.

Like I said - Worst. President. Ever.

rikki's picture

Czechs and balances

Submitted by rikki on Thu, 2007/07/26 - 1:12pm.

And the articles of impeachment against Cheney that are in front of the House of Representatives are going nowhere largely because the Democrats feel having a raging facist asshole in power is good for their electoral prospects.

"Peace in our time," says craven Frau Pelosi.

Carole Borges's picture

This is an important move

Submitted by Carole Borges on Thu, 2007/07/26 - 6:23am.

For these two to invoke "executive privilege" and to ignore Congress' right to know the details of their actions regarding the firing of the attorneys general, can't be allowed. Thank god some people in Congress are finally beginning to revive the old fashioned idea of checks and balances. This was a good and necessary move.

redmondkr's picture

Just think, not so long ago

Submitted by redmondkr on Thu, 2007/07/26 - 10:36am.

Just think, not so long ago this scofflaw Harriet Miers was being put forward by Bushco as the ideal person to have her bottom on the bench of a Supreme Court justice.

Vito Corleone would have killed for such an opportunity.

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