9/11 Panel Threatens to Issue Subpoena for Bush's Briefings

[NewJerseyDem]

http://www.nytimes.com/2004/02/10/politics/10PANE.html?ei=5062&en=1069e1565e9eba62&ex=1076994000&partner=GOOGLE&pagewanted=print&position=

WASHINGTON, Feb. 9 — Members of the independent commission investigating the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks warned the White House on Monday that it could face a politically damaging subpoena this week if it refused to turn over information from the highly classified Oval Office intelligence reports given to President Bush before 9/11.

The panel's chairman, Thomas H. Kean, a Republican and the former governor of New Jersey, said through a spokesman that he was hopeful an agreement would be worked out before the commission's next meeting, on Tuesday. Commission officials said that negotiations continued throughout the day on Monday and into the evening with the office of Alberto R. Gonzales, the White House counsel.

But other members of the commission said that without an immediate resolution, they would call for a vote on Tuesday on issuing a subpoena to the White House for access to information in the documents. The papers are known as the President's Daily Brief, the intelligence summary prepared each morning for Mr. Bush by the Central Intelligence Agency.

Responding to earlier threats of a subpoena, the White House agreed last year to allow three members of the 10-member commission and the panel's Republican staff director to review portions of the daily briefings from before the Sept. 11 attacks that referred to intelligence warnings about Al Qaeda and its plans for terrorist attacks.

[AZCat]

1. Oh c'mon, do it!

<gnashes teeth>
I'm sick of these 'threats' to subpoena. Quit dancing around and just issue the damn thing! They're not going to back down, so you're just giving them more time to shred the documents!
Aaarrrrgh! (can you tell that I'm angry?)

[David Zephyr]

2. But Will They Do It?

Thanks, NewJerseyDem for posting this story.

[aquart]

3. And it still doesn't equal the harassment of the Clintons.

Get off your derrieres, fellas, and issue those subpoenas.

I am so sick of this delicate white glove approach to King George.

Crawl on your bellies eating dust to serve those subpoenas if it makes you feel better, but serve them!

[Leilani]

4. They were dragged kicking & screaming

to have this commission

and they've been trying to run out the clock since then

just subpoena them!