Before Democrats make a "deal", they remind the American People that

[Norquist Nemesis]

in November, the #1 issue that voters had was...

CORRUPTION!!!

With every answer from every reporter about "playing politics" and with every response from the Bushetals claiming "partisan fishing expeditions", Democrats need to forcefully reply that they were elected into the Majority to bring accountability!

/rant off

[MoonRiver]

1. There better be subpoenas issued tomorrow.

I will not give another cent to the Democratic Party if they spinelessly back down on this.

[Norquist Nemesis]

2. They need to fight this HARD!

The President says he wasn't involved, Gonzo says he didn't know, and yet there is testimony from the USA hearing that the word came from 'the highest levels' (the White House). Some body is lying!

It's the WH who's playing politics. Gonzo met with Republican only Judical Committee members. Probably passed around the Talking Points and political strategy.

[bigtree]

3. before we start attacking Democrats . . .

who the fuck issued the subpoenas today in the Conyers committee?

There are better ways to get what we want from our Democratic legislators than threatening them.

There are plenty of forceful responses from Democrats to highlight. No need to start with the 'blame Democrats first' strategy.

[Norquist Nemesis]

4. I wasn't blaming them

What I'm saying is that's the strategy that they should use. Hold up that "Culture of Corruption" banner and let people know that they are trying to get to the bottom of things but the WH is desperately stonewalling to hide something.

[sendero]

5. I agree with you in that..

... the comments I'm hearing from Leahy and Schumer are pretty mild. Perhaps they are afraid of overplaying their hand.

[bigtree]

6. you haven't been listening closely enough if you think Schumer and Leahy have been mild

btw, Schumer is on Keith's news show tonight

[Norquist Nemesis]

7. They are 'afraid' of overplaying, thanks to the MSN

That's why (I think) they need to bring out what they were elected on--Culture of Corruption...which also, BTW, links to US attorneys. :D

--darn! Gotta run till tomorrow

Pass it on! "Remember the Culture of Corruption?"

[MoonRiver]

8. I am hopeful that they will stick to their promise to issue subpoenas.

They MUST do it though. There's absolutely no reason not to. If it doesn't happen tomorrow, I for one, will just despair about their ability to stand up to the * criminals.

[bigtree]

10. I must be thinking of some other subpoenas

House OKs Subpeonas For Top Bush Aides

2007-03-21 15:20:51


A House subcommittee Wednesday authorized the issuance of subpoenas for top presidential adviser Karl Rove and other White House and Justice Department aides as it investigates the firing of eight U.S. attorneys, potentially setting up a constitutional confrontation with President Bush.

The House Judiciary Committee's subcommittee on commercial and administrative law passed by voice vote a motion giving the committee chairman, Rep. John Conyers, Jr., (D-Michigan), the power to issue subpoenas for five current and former officials, as well as for "unredacted documents" from the White House and Justice Department. Among the five are Rove, the deputy White House chief of staff, and Harriet E. Miers, the former White House counsel.

In authorizing the subpoena power over the objections of Republican members, the subcommittee implicitly spurned an offer by Bush Tuesday to allow the officials to testify under strict conditions. The White House is demanding limits on the kinds of questions they would answer, opposes having them testify under oath and does not want their testimony to be recorded or transcribed.


The Senate Judiciary Committee last week authorized its chairman, Sen. Patrick J. Leahy (D-Vermont), to issue subpoenas for 11 current and former Justice Department officials, including six of the fired U.S. attorneys. But it put off until Thursday a vote on subpoena power to compel the testimony of top White House aides.

In addition to Rove and Miers, the House committee is seeking the testimony of D. Kyle Sampson, the former chief of staff of Attorney General Alberto R. Gonzales; William K. Kelley, the deputy White House counsel; and J. Scott Jennings, a special assistant to the president and deputy director of political affairs. Sampson resigned March 12 after acknowledging that he did not tell key Justice Department officials about the extent of his communications with the White House about the dismissals, leading the officials to provide incomplete information to Congress.

http://freeinternetpress.com/story.php?sid=10986

[MoonRiver]

12. So when will these subpoenas be served to the aforementioned parties?

Hopefully tomorrow.

[bigtree]

13. google

http://news.google.com/news?hl=en&newwindow=1&client=firefox-a&rls=org.mozilla%3Aen-US%3Aofficial&hs=O&ct=title&ie=ISO-8859-1&ncl=1114423852

[MoonRiver]

14. That doesn't tell me if the subpoenas will be SERVED tomorrow.

I know that the House and Senate approved issuing subpoenas. I'm waiting with baited breath until the moment they are SERVED.

[Norquist Nemesis]

18. I expect that we won't see any issuing before Friday at the earliest

Dems need to take control of the message and go back on the offensive though. Pooh-pooh the insincere "careful, careful! Don't overreach!" warnings from the GOP: these warnings are a signal of their strategy.

Put the umbrella that corruption has been surrounding the President. "Democrats are trying to make sure the President is successful for the sake of the country." *wink*

[senseandsensibility]

9. Deal?

Who said anything about a deal?

[MoonRiver]

11. I don't know what the OP meant, but all day I've been hearing about

Dems "compromising" with WH. This talk makes me very nervous.

[senseandsensibility]

15. Who have you been hearing it from?

Dems or repugs?

[Norquist Nemesis]

17. Yes, that they wanted them as "leverage" and that they're sending

the clear signal that they're open to talking. Culture of Corruption. Who in the USA offices of Loyal Bushies will indict those who are corrupt? (rhetorical question)

As far as the WH goes, it's Congress' Constitutional obligation to be looking into things.

[Norquist Nemesis]

16. Well, starting with Conyers saying he wants to use them as leverage

Then, later, watching Schumer on with KO. It sounds like they're still 'talking'.

Also, even if Gonzo were to resign, I still feel strongly that they need to do the investigation. Their "agenda" has been to set a permanent majority. They may have modified it a bit or be willing to cede Congress on the first go round, given the concentration of power they've grabbed into the WH.

There are still 93 US Attorneys that they are quite content with, to say nothing of the Judiciaries they've been seating throughout the nation.