Leahy to push for White House subpoenas

[maddezmom]

Leahy to push for White House subpoenas By HOPE YEN, Associated Press Writer
52 minutes ago



WASHINGTON - The Senate Judiciary Committee chairman said Sunday he intends to subpoena White House officials involved in ousting federal prosecutors and is dismissing anything short of their testimony in public.

the Bush White House was expected to announce early this week whether it will let political strategist Karl Rove, former White House counsel Harriet Miers and other officials testify or will seek to assert executive privilege in preventing their appearance.

The chairman, Sen. Patrick Leahy (news, bio, voting record), D-Vt., last week delayed a vote on the subpoenas until Thursday as the president's counsel, Fred Fielding, sought to negotiate terms. But on Sunday, Leahy said he had not met Fielding nor was he particularly open to any compromises, such as a private briefing by the administration officials.

"I want testimony under oath. I am sick and tired of getting half-truths on this," Leahy said. "I do not believe in this, we'll have a private briefing for you where we'll tell you everything, and they don't."

more:http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070318/ap_on_go_co/fired_prosecutors

[thereismore]

1. I hope he doesn't back down. I hope he wipes the floor with that smug rover. nt

[cali]

2. Trust me, Leahy won't back down, but he won't get the chance

to wipe the floor with rove, because rove will defy the subpoena and the whole mess will become a full blown constitutional crisis, and go to the SCOTUS. Can't say I have any faith in them.

[kestrel91316]

4. Let them try that stunt. Their party will go down in flames, and it

will be 50 years before they get any appreciable power back.

ENOUGH people aren't stupid (we don't count the backwash).

If they defy the subpoenas, they can kiss goodbye to a whole lot MORE Congrssional seats AND THE WH in 2008.

[thereismore]

5. The * WH really is a bleeding ulcer on the repug party. I might actually

enjoy the spectacle if they weren't bleeding the country dry in the meantime.

[kestrel91316]

9. They are burning their bridges with every new scandal and stunt.

[tbyg52]

7. I sure hope you are right,

but, my gosh, look what they have gotten away with already....! It boggles the mind.

[UpInArms]

3. hmmm.... executive privilege is reserved for ... drumroll please ...

the "executive"!

I do not believe that can extend to Miers or Rove as they are not "executive" - they are "staff".

If "executive privilege" is employed, it means that this goes (another drumroll please)

to the TOP

[maddezmom]

6. also in this article further down..Schumer says Sampson will testify voluntarily

(March 18, 2007 -- 01:32 PM EST // link)
Looks like the Senate Judiciary Committee has a deal worked out for Kyle Sampson to testify voluntarily, which could be interesting in light of Sampson's claims Friday that others in the Justice Department were aware of the White House's role in the U.S. Attorney purge even before top DOJ officials testified to the contrary before Congress.



http://www.talkingpointsmemo.com/archives/013125.php

[NYC]

8. Related thread:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=102x2771555

"I think it's highly unlikely he survives. I wouldn't be surprised if a week from now he is no longer attorney general," Schumer said. Gonzales is due to return to the committee to testify on the firing of eight U.S. attorneys. Democrats allege the abrupt firings were for political reasons.


"The Justice Department has actually agreed to be cooperative, and this week the staff will take depositions of five Justice Department officials," Schumer said. "Next week we will have them come to hearings. They've also given us all the documents" related to the firings.

[Sydnie]

10. Leahy presses for White House testimony

WASHINGTON - The Senate Judiciary Committee chairman said Sunday he intends to subpoena White House officials involved in ousting federal prosecutors and is dismissing anything short of their testimony in public.

The Bush White House was expected to announce early this week whether it will let political strategist Karl Rove, former White House counsel Harriet Miers and other officials testify or will seek to assert executive privilege in preventing their appearance.

The chairman, Sen. Patrick Leahy (news, bio, voting record), D-Vt., last week delayed a vote on the subpoenas until Thursday as the president's counsel, Fred Fielding, sought to negotiate terms. But on Sunday, Leahy said he had not met Fielding nor was he particularly open to any compromises, such as a private briefing by the administration officials.

"I want testimony under oath. I am sick and tired of getting half-truths on this," Leahy said. "I do not believe in this, we'll have a private briefing for you where we'll tell you everything, and they don't."

:woohoo:

more --> http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070319/ap_on_go_co/fired_prosecutors

[waiting for hope]

11. He's going to nail KKKarl ....

as for Harriet - she'd gladly take a bullet from the "greatest president ever!"....I've been called a feminist from time to time, but hell, if she's representing my gender (and Condi too), I'd gladly see her thrown under the bus for just being dumb.

[Botany]

12. Did I ever tell you that you are my Fav?

Please don't tell the others!

"I want testimony under oath." Pat Leahy

It is only going to get worse for the White House.

Using the NSA, The FBI, Wire taps, the Patriot act, and U.S. Attorneys to keep power and
spy on your political enemies is not going to go over real well.

[jamesinca]

13. Using them will go over real well

Take a history lesson you revisionist. Nixon was the second greatest president behind W :sarcasm: