DOJ refuses to testify in hearing on destruction of CIA tapes.

[Marie26]

The House Judiciary Committee is holding a hearing today on the interrogation of torture detainees & the destruction of CIA interrogation tapes. Conyers repeatedly requested the DOJ to send a representative to testify on the issue - but no one showed up for the hearing today. When the hearing began, Conyers said that he "regrets" that the DOJ decided not to send a representative, and he also said that the DOJ never even responded to his requests. The DOJ couldn't even be bothered to send a letter to the House Judiciary Committee to explain their absence.

House Judiciary Committee press release - "Conyers Demands Testimony From DOJ Officials on CIA Tape Destruction" -

"For Immediate Release

December 17, 2007

(Washington, DC) - Today, House Judiciary Committee Chairman John Conyers, Jr. (D-MI) sent a letter to Attorney General Michael Mukasey reiterating the Chairman's request to have a Department of Justice representative testify at Thursday's hearing on the "Applicability of Federal Criminal Laws to the Interrogation of Detainees."

http://judiciary.house.gov/newscenter.aspx?A=902

This is TPMmuckracker's story from Mon., Dec. 17; back when people thought that the DOJ would actually comply w/Rep. Conyer's request.

"Who'll be the lucky Justice Department official?

Today House Judiciary Committee Chair John Conyers (D-MI) wrote Attorney General Michael Mukasey to request that a Department official show up for a hearing he's scheduled this Thursday on the interrogation of detainees. You see, he doesn't think too much of the Department's decision to rebuff all Congressional investigation of the CIA's destruction of the torture tapes. "Parallel congressional and executive investigations occur frequently, and therefore should not be used as a shield against proper and necessary oversight," is the way he puts it."

And he wants "a high level official to testify on this subject matter, specifically including the Department’s attempts to forestall legislative or judicial inquiry."

So which DoJ official will get to explain to dozens of lawmakers why Congressional probes should shut down until the DoJ reaches its conclusion? Probably whoever has bad luck with Rock, Paper, Scissors...

http://www.tpmmuckraker.com/archives/004929.php


As of Dec. 19, a DOJ representative was listed on the Jud. Com. schedule as an expected witness for the hearing. Now, it's Thursday, Dec. 20, they're holding the hearing, and there's no DOJ official to be seen. The DOJ has been taken off of the "expected witness" list. This comes one day after the DOJ also refused to testify in a House Jud. Com. hearing about allegations that KBR/Halliburton employees had sexually assaulted female employees while in Iraq. Today, Rep. Conyers said that he would have a "long talk" with Att. General McClusky about the DOJ's absolute refusal to comply with Congressional committees.

House Judiciary Comm. hearing - http://judiciary.house.gov/oversight.aspx?ID=402

Live stream of hearing - http://judiciary.house.gov/default.aspx