Pelosi Makes Criminal Referral for Contempt Citations of White House Officials

[babylonsister]

http://tpmmuckraker.talkingpointsmemo.com/2008/02/pelosi_makes_criminal_referral.php

Pelosi Makes Criminal Referral for Contempt Citations of White House Officials
By Paul Kiel - February 28, 2008, 4:40PM


Two weeks ago, the House passed a contempt resolution against White House chief of staff Josh Bolten and former counsel Harriet Miers. The two refused to comply with subpoenas issued by the House Judiciary Committee as part of the investigation of the U.S. attorney firings.

Today, after House lawyers dotted their i's and crossed their t's, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) finally followed up by referring the contempt resolution to the U.S. attorney for D.C.

What will happen next is not much of a mystery. Attorney General Michael Mukasey has already said that the Justice Department would not enforce such a referral, as required by federal law. That's because Miers and Bolten didn't comply with the subpoenas because the President said they couldn't -- it would violate executive privilege.

In a letter to Mukasey, Pelosi anticipated that answer, but argued that "there is no authority by which persons may wholly ignore a subpoena and fail to appear as directed because a President unilaterally instructs them to do so."

She concluded: "I strongly urge you to reconsider your position and to ensure that our nation is operating under the rule of law and not at presidential whim."

If Mukasey, through D.C.'s U.S. attorney, rebuffs the referral as expected, the House has a backup plan. The House also passed a resolution that would allow the House Judiciary Committee to pursue a lawsuit against the White House over the subpoena. If a judge agreed to hear the case, it might lead to a decision as to whether the President's sweeping invocation of privilege is Constitutional.

[bluestateguy]

1. Great. Now it goes to the US Attorney's desk

[babylonsister]

3. Bwhahaha!

:spray:

[Submariner]

5. I work with a guy with a desk just like that,

and when someone needs a certain document, he knows what pile and just about how deep in the pile it is. It's amazing to watch. If a high-wind blows it all off the desk, he's screwed.

[ChairmanAgnostic]

2. F I N A L L Y. How does one spell, "at long last"?

without thinking about writing, WHAT THE FUCK TOOK SO EFFIN LONG?

[ixion]

4. if only they'd taken the time to confirm an AG that actually believed in the Rule of Law

rather than another Bush puppet.

[truebrit71]

8. No kidding....

...

[laconicsax]

6. Wow! I didn't expect her to do anything with this.

[babylonsister]

7. I know! Great, isn't it, I hope?! nt