Bush claims executive privilege on CIA (Plame) leak

[sabra]

Source: AP

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Bush has asserted executive privilege to protect information that a House panel has subpoenaed on the leak of CIA operative Valerie Plame's identity, the White House said Wednesday.

A House committee chairman, meanwhile, held off on a contempt citation of Attorney General Michael Mukasey, who sought the privilege claim, as a courtesy to lawmakers not present. Rep. Henry Waxman, chairman of the House Oversight Committee, rejected Mukasey's suggestion that Vice President Dick Cheney's FBI interview on the subject should be protected by the privilege claim.

"We'll act in the reasonable and appropriate period of time," Waxman, D-Calif., told the panel. But he made clear that he thinks Mukasey has earned a contempt citation and that he'd schedule a vote on the matter soon.

"This unfounded assertion of executive privilege does not protect a principle; it protects a person," Waxman said. "If the vice president did nothing wrong, what is there to hide?"

...

"I am greatly concerned about the chilling effect that compliance with the committee's subpoena would have on future White House deliberations and White House cooperation with future Justice Department investigations," Mukasey wrote to Bush. "I believe it is legally permissible for you to assert executive privilege with respect to the subpoenaed documents, and I respectfully request that you do so."

Read more: http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5hOVmnMwLkjokxPMSuDKwFkmUNGMgD91V12P00

[bdamomma]

1. mukasey another POS.

covering the king's a$$.

he can take that executive privilege and shove it. Cheney must be gloating ear to ear, all of them need to go.

this comment is chilling and so above the rule of law:

"I am greatly concerned about the chilling effect that compliance with the committee's subpoena would have on future White House deliberations and White House cooperation with future Justice Department investigations," Mukasey wrote to Bush. "I believe it is legally permissible for you to assert executive privilege with respect to the subpoenaed documents, and I respectfully request that you do so."

[Muttocracy]

2. indeed. nt

[Rosa Luxemburg]

68. can an executive priv. cover up a crime?

the leak of a CIA agent is a crime.

[Demeter]

70. Technically, NO

I believe that's what got Nixon in trouble.

But you go to impeach with the Congress you have, not the Congress you wish you had...

[Rosa Luxemburg]

98. what is stopping Congress by moving forward on this?

[FedUp_Queer]

102. Lack of balls.

[rambler_american]

104. The Speaker of the House

eom

[truebrit71]

12. Thanks Sen Schumer...Mukasey sure is great ain't he?

:eyes::sarcasm:

[bbgrunt]

36. ...and don't forget DiFi!

[defendandprotect]

60. Yeah . . . Schumer is a big help . . . keep that in mind . . .

[global1]

15. You Know You Mentioned The Thing That Gripes Me The Most About All Of This.......

'Cheney must be gloating ear to ear....'

I can envision all of these criminals sitting around the oval office and just laughing at Congress and the American people for letting them get away with all of this and gloating that they did. I hate being made a fool of - and that's exactly what they have done to us - made fools of all of us.

I can't get that picture out of my mind and it just upsets me to no end. If the NEW YORKER wants to do satire - they should get some artist to draw up that image and put that out all over the newstands and cable news networks. Maybe that will be the straw that would break the camel's back and get Congress and the American People incited enough to go through with impeachment.

NO ONE IS ABOVE THE LAW

[redqueen]

17. Laughing WITH Congress - AT us. (nt)

[Megahurtz]

88. I'm beginning to think that

they really are.

[awoke_in_2003]

90. Ding ding ding. We have a winner. nt

[bdamomma]

30. one thing for us clear thinking people we know how they

are playing us for fools, this is what gets me so enraged, we get responses like "so what" from Cheney, this disgusting man who has no regard for the three branches of government, he hates both the House and Senate and has wanted executive privilege for so long, pissed off because Nixon was ousted, or voluntarily resigned. Cheney has a vendetta against the US government, this POS who shot his friend in the face for being so juiced up. Can be please rid of this vermin.

[awoke_in_2003]

91. He claims he does not have to keep documents

for the pres archive because, as vice pres he is not part of the executive but the senate :crazy:. But he can claim executive privilege whenever he wants it. And NO ONE calls him on it.

[Baby Snooks]

32. Sure they are...

"NO ONE IS ABOVE THE LAW"

All around this country quite a few are above the law. Because of the Republican Party's position that the law does not apply to Republicans.

As Kay Bailey Hutchison would put it, Democrats commit crimes, Republicans commit technicalities.

Hope all the Democratic ladies in Texas remember that the next time they are tempted to vote for her which some consistently have. I have yet to find anything about her votes in Congress that would even suggest she is "pro-women's rights" or has any real concern for "children's rights."

[peacetalksforall]

52. You know how I see it - the Communists arrived just as they were

threatened to do. Invoking their own rules on us - making us work in slavery - with cameras everywhere and street and block snitches with recruiting for their military. Except they don't call themselves Communists. They are an amalgam of 'isms, kings, dictators, pirates, barbarians, and invader-plunderers. A community of terror just the same.

Yes, and Schumer, Feinstein and the Republican faithful gave us Mukasey.

[FREEWILL56]

75. Communists?

No, I disagree. More like the Nazis grandpa bush supported. Coincidence? I think not.

[Megahurtz]

89. I think the Nazis AND the Communists

merged or something several years ago. They cut a deal somewhere.

I've been suspecting this for years.

And the heavy-hitters are all here now!

[Indenturedebtor]

78. No I'm no proponent of Communism but there are some severe differences between

Communism and Facism. Communism at least tries to feed, clothe, and house everyone. It is at one end of the spectrum with HEAVY socialist economic policies/system and authoritarian government while Facism is at the other end of the economic spectrum with the rich using the system to hoover up all wealth, people dying in the streets and living in rubbish piles, and an authoritarian government that is by and for the corporations/oligarchy.

Same authoritarian central control, but through different means and each has a different economic model.

[AlbertCat]

93. Communism & Fascism

They are actually opposites.... in their purest forms.

Communism is where everyone "owns" everything. The citizens are supposed to have equal share in all the country's business and works. They belong to the citizens.

Fascism is where corporations and government are co-equal and citizen are "ruled" by both.

In reality of course, neither of these things happen exactly like they're "supposed" to.

[Indenturedebtor]

109. You're describing the economic model of communism

The govenment was always designed to be heavily centralized, and with very strict controls and strong authority from that central government. By neccessity the individual's rights and desires must be brushed aside by the needs of the community.

I used to think that Communism looked great on paper, but I'm not so sure anymore. It only looks great on paper in small societies I think.

[OwnedByFerrets]

94. You have spoken for ME.....

I get so angry to think of that scenario. I am so farking angry.

[AlbertCat]

73. the chilling effect that compliance with the committee's subpoena would have

That's nothing to the chilling effects ignoring subpoenas is now having.... or the revelations that would come if they were honored. Or is that what you actually mean? The super chilling effect of knowing for a fact your president is a petty political operator with no regard for national security or the law.

[daggahead]

3. Now that is some serious CYA! n/t

[still_one]

4. Full of Sound and Fury, signifying NOTHING!!! /nt

[Clovis Sangrail]

47. ding ding ding ding ding ding /nt

[The Blue Flower]

5. "If the vice president did nothing wrong, what is there to hide?"

Exactly. Claiming executive privilege is an overt admission that the executive office was involved.

[HereSince1628]

6. The Bastille was also made of stonewalls.

The ruling elite would do well to mark the success the French King had in the end...history has a tendency to repeat itself.

[Name removed]

10. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[jeff30997]

34. "The Bastille was also made of stonewalls.".You know what's ironic ?

The French Revolution was in great part inspired by the American Revolution.How things have changed.

[sinkingfeeling]

7. I didn't think executive privilege applied to evidence that might prove criminal activity.

[Gman]

8. Reasonable and appropriate period of time???

there's 6 months left in this congress.

[paparush]

9. "the reasonable and appropriate period of time," was YESTERDAY

or years ago.

C'mon Congress Critters, we're not paying you to sit on the bench!

[The Stranger]

11. Has the Nancy Traitor said anything else about allowing the People to impeach?

This is, ultimately, her fault.

[cascadiance]

14. I'm still wondering how she kept herself off of the voting roll on this resolution...

[Deny and Shred]

13. Shocking. I was sure Cheney would tell them everything willingly.

[electropop]

16. "Chilling effect" - I should hope so! They shouldn't be plotting crimes in the White House.

That's exactly the intended effect.

[Trillo]

18. My how times change.

He said, a long time ago, that he'd fully cooperate in any investigation, if I recall correctly. Additionally, he said that anyone in the White House implicated by such an investigation "would be taken care of" (guess that was a dualistic statement).

[asjr]

19. We are witnessing just another

Washington charade. That is all DC is now--a charade. I expect nothing from anyone in Congress now. We will have to go it alone. If someone can't go to the Justice Dept with contempt citation in hand and handcuffs along with it I give up on it all. I am damn tired of waiting.

[eagertolearn]

20. Next thing you know our kids will start claiming "excecutive privilege"

everytime they get in trouble. Great example this administration has been for our children!

[coalition_unwilling]

55. And asking for 'retroactive immunity' - n/t

[paparush]

96. Invoking the Cheney Doctrine..."SO?"

[sakabatou]

21. And Congress won't act...

Dammit.

[underpants]

24. They are just rubbing our noses in it at this point

This is "mannish" grandstanding by W (not that he really decides any of this) for the right to laugh about and to piss us (you and me) off. It is all empty spectacle.

[sakabatou]

28. Even the public (some, anyway) is better than Congress

:banghead: :banghead: :banghead: :banghead: :banghead: :banghead: :banghead: :banghead:

[Captain Hilts]

22. Don't let him get away with it. It was bald-faced politics. That's all. nt

[elehhhhna]

23. Invoking Exec Priv is their version of pleading the 5th

[CubicleGuy]

25. Didn't Cheney claim he's not part of the Executive Branch once?

I guess he is when it suits him.

[bdf]

56. The Office of Vice President is Not part of the executive branch

The office of Vice President is not part of the executive branch. But, as you say, Cheney only makes that claim when it suits him.

The Constitution describes the role of Vice President. The founding fathers were literate people and used the term "vice" precisely, meaning somebody there to take over from the President if he dies. Later amendments permitted the Veep to take over as President temporarily if the President is unable temporarily to do the job. The founding fathers did not mean the Veep to be an assistant President or a deputy President but a backup President.

According to the Constitution, the only other function of the Veep is as President of the Senate, who gets the casting vote if there's a tie. That minimal role puts the office of Vice President firmly in the legislative branch. The fact that the Veep is expected to take over from the President if the unthinkable happens does not place the Veep in the executive branch: the moment the Veep takes over as President he is no longer the Veep. Even if it's a temporary thing, while acting as President the person who was formerly the Veep is Veep no longer.

Of course, a President can make the Veep a member of the cabinet, either in name or in deed. Gore was effectively part of the executive branch because Clinton asked him to be. Cheney has been more like acting President for the last 7 years at the behest of Poopy Bush.

So Cheney plays it both ways. If he needs to cover something up he claims executive-branch privilege. OTOH, if he's asked to provide information that executive branch people are required to by law then he says he's not part of the executive branch.

[Jefferson23]

26. The Twilight Zone continues. I know January is not that far off

but even so, the continual damage and disregard for the rule of law keeps steam rolling ahead.

[Prefer]

27. The Leak is part and parcel of intended War Crimes against Iran

Valerie's operation was to keep tabs on Irans nuclear proliferation activity.

This looks like a Rico violation.

[mod mom]

31. Silly you-don't you know RICO only applies to Democrats?

:sarcasm:

[baldguy]

29. Executive Privilege can't be used to cover-up criminal activity.

Doing so is itself a crime & an impeachable offense.

[Gman]

33. Nixon did the same thing to cover up the "smoking gun" tape

he lost. The issue was resolved in court within a few days, IIRC.

Don't know what will happen here, but I don't expect much.

[Jack Rabbit]

35. And impeachment is still off the table?

That is pathetic.

[jeff30997]

38. I wonder how big the check was ?

Or maybe it was cash?I wonder if she takes credit cards?



:grr:

[awoke_in_2003]

92. And I would bet dollars to donuts

she is on the list that was leaked about having accounts in that Liechtenstein bank

[jeff30997]

107. Lol!

Yes,that crossed my mind when I learned about this Liechtenstein story. :)

[cstanleytech]

37. I think the democrats might be afraid to push it because

if it goes to court and the court rules against them it will be a major blow especially before an election.
What they are failing to realize though is congress "does" have in its arsenal one real weapon they can use, the power of the purse which they appear to have forgotten about.
They should just have told the whitehouse "Fine, until you do provide the evidence we seek and the witnesses we want to speak to we will no longer fund the daily operations for the whitehouse".

[Jefferson23]

44. I agree, but that would take guts and I don't think that exists in the DLC

[AlbertCat]

74. Guts Schmuts

Gingrich shut down the government. Remember? There is even a precident...from Repugs.

[jeff30997]

39. K&R With RAGE!

I give them all the exclusive privilege to kiss my ass!:puke:

[slay]

40. This is fucking unacceptable!!!!!

What the fuck is it gonna take?!?! SERIOUSLY!! With Bush and pals freely committing crimes and ignoring a congress which they KNOW will not impeach them, how are we EVER supposed to have ANY faith in our government? WHERE ARE THE DEMOCRATS?!?! This is bullshit and is one nail closer to the final nail in the coffin of America. :( :mad: :grr:

[EV_Ares]

46. Hey, I am with what you said completely. You know I don't want to bitch about my party, the one I

remembered stood up for individual's rights, privacy civil rights over corporations who will run rough shod over an individual any time it benefits them. However, this congress and the democratic side of it especially is not the party I know and remember. I would like to know where my party has gone. WTF happened and right before I eyes.

[slay]

64. Yeah - where are the Democrats who stood up for the individual againt corporate domination??

I'd like to know the answer to that myself. Pelosi did such damage when she refused to even CONSIDER impeachment as an option. That was basically telling the Republicans they could, and will, get away with their crimes. I don't blame the Democrats for causing the problem, but I do blame them for letting it go on this long, without doing really anything. Oh, and don't get me started on how they turn a blind eye to RAMPANT ELECTION FRAUD either... Ugh. :(

[bdamomma]

49. like Addington said they will keep on pushing until someone stops them.

and they are pushing, they are pushing us and for some strange reason they better not underestimate us, or am I being to hopeful.

[The Wizard]

41. Guilty

next case please

[Roland99]

42. But I thought he wasn't involved in those conversations? Which is it, Dubya?

[Raster]

43. Treason.

–noun
1. the offense of acting to overthrow one's government or to harm or kill its sovereign.
2. a violation of allegiance to one's sovereign or to one's state.
3. the betrayal of a trust or confidence; breach of faith; treachery.
-----------
n.
1. Violation of allegiance toward one's country or sovereign, especially the betrayal of one's country by waging war against it or by consciously and purposely acting to aid its enemies.
2. A betrayal of trust or confidence.
-----------
noun
1. a crime that undermines the offender's government
2. disloyalty by virtue of subversive behavior
3. an act of deliberate betrayal

Are we there yet?:kick:Wake up America!

[JerseygirlCT]

45. Sunshine. We need sunshine and lots of it

This all, every last little nasty cobwebby corner of iniquity that is the Bush administration, it all needs to be brought out into the light.

[0rganism]

48. Oops, Waxman pulls a no-no

Waxman: "If the vice president did nothing wrong, what is there to hide?"

Umm, no, that's not how justice works -- to the extent that it still works at all. We don't want to make this look too much like a witch hunt, right? Especially if impeachment's "off the table" anyway! As-is, talk like this amounts to passive-agressive bullshit.

The time to get real tough on the administration was January 2007. But the Democratic legislative leadership self-neutered, ignored the reasons the People gave them a majority, sat on its arse "keeping the powder dry" for about 12 months. Now is NOT the time to be starting congressional investigations into the bushistas, it's time to be wrapping them up into concise, airtight and well-publicized impeachment resolutions against Cheneybush and pretty much the entire cabinet for their myriad crimes and general corruption.

Congress missed the boat by a year, and buzzing around like angry bees now won't bring it back to port.

[elias7]

50. how about the chilling effect on future congressional investigations?

i.e. no investigative power...

the precedents set in executive obfuscation cannot be allowed to pass. The justice dept is not a co-equal branch of government. Congress trumps.

[Imagevision]

51. It appears Bush is unstoppable, looks like he'll do Iran before he leaves office,...

there's no stopping this whack-job!

[JohnWxy]

53. PUT THESE MFrs IN GITMO TILL THEY TALK. go to congress.org to email your senators and congressmen:

www.congress.org makes it easy to email anybody in D.C. LEt them know you do want a democracy where everybody, including - especially the leaders of the Government are subject to the rule of law.

[DFW]

54. W. T. F. If this doesn't earn Congressional action, call the morgue!

Bush looked into Putin's eyes and saw his soul.

"Is lie!" says Putin. "Don't have!"

Putin looked into Bush's eyes and saw.......the back of Bush's head.
No wonder he kept his mouth shut.

[George II]

57. So what happened to: "Anyone involved in the White House will be fired"??

[defendandprotect]

61. Bush would have to fire himself and Cheney . . . !!

[LostInAnomie]

58. I wonder if Harry and Nancy will fire up the "strongly worded letter" machine for this one?

[rambler_american]

106. Nah!

They'll just Xerox the one they've been using.

[pleah]

59. Well now, ain't that a big surprise! NOT!

K&R DAMN IT!

[happygoluckytoyou]

62. when these fucks are out of office.... let the trials begin....IN FACT...

i would rather NOT CHARGE ANYONE WITH ANYTHING until the power of a presidential pardon is GONE>....


if NOTHING is charged until we own the gov't again.... they will have to hope for an OBAMA PARDON.....

[tyon517izhere]

63. TIME FOR IMPEACHMNET but what's the hold on congress?

So what's next? This administration are full of criminals and liars. Look at the state of this country. But what steps the congress to speed the process of getting these people far away from the authority of power? Or are they waiting on the American people this Nov? Please Go to Yes to democracy .com A new founded group that is contending with the masses of anti- Obama Anti- Democrat/ pro fox/McCain groups. Join and spread the word. Thanks!

[jaysunb]

65. Chuck ? Di Fi ?

Hello ??????:evilfrown:

[blueknight]

66. nancy is a pos

she is NO BETTER then bush,cheney,and all the rest. just puts a different letter behind her name

[Twist_U_Up]

67. another notch in Cheneys bedpost. 911 was an inside job.

[bushmeister0]

69. W. & Co. are free to roam in US, but they'd better not leave the country

Congress will obviously do nothing about this bunch, Cheney probably has extensive dossiers on all of them, thanks to the NSA and Addington's FISA end-around, so maybe the International Criminal Court?

IHT:

"Red Cross investigators concluded last year in a secret report that the Central Intelligence Agency's interrogation methods for high-level Qaeda prisoners constituted torture and could make the Bush administration officials who approved them guilty of war crimes, according to a new book on counterterrorism efforts since 2001.

The book says that the International Committee for the Red Cross declared in the report, given to the CIA last year, that the methods used on Abu Zubaydah, the first major Qaeda figure the United States captured, were 'categorically' torture, which is illegal under both American and international law."

http://www.iht.com/articles/2008/07/11/america/11detain.php

[Sunnyshine]

71. Disparagement of Reputation is not within the realm of "executive privilege"

Can they use that outside of a civil case? Coercion is okey dokey if it is done from the Oval Office?:mad:

Certainly, this entire thing was done for political motives as backlash for providing opposing evidence for Iraq and AUMF, which was approved of by members who knew Plame's and others had more than enough evidence to stop the pursuit of war in Iraq.

What happened in between then? Wiretaps.

The courts are stacked against us and I think it will take us another 5-10 years to investigate and know all the damage.
Would it help if we had actual press coverage? Prolly not. Legislators tied in double knots and intimidated by something unsavory.

Facts regarding both Plame and Seigelman case, along with 20 other DOJ Attorneys- has been revealed for what it is: Private coercion by the highest office against our own Public servants and Government Departments. Bush Inc. was successful at washing out the reasonable guard in favor of installing his rubber stamp ideologues, in just about every Department we have.:eyes:

Privatized use of military and coercion against our own government and its agents of justice is tyranny.

*edit=spelling

[DFW]

72. Does Mukasey think Bush understands this fancy language? Allow me to translate

To put it into Bushese: "cover my ass and I'll cover yours!"

Bush understands legalese about as much as he understands Czech.
CYA is about as legally intricate as you can get with him before
the DUH light starts blinking.

[bluesmail]

76. Anyone think Waxman was expecting otherwise?

[FREEWILL56]

77. Bush needs to spy on us and yet he is the one with much to hide.

Is it not obvious that we are no longer the U.S.A. that our founding fathers created? The republican party with complicity from many dems have torn up and thrown away all that our founders held dear to them. In spite of some saying otherwise even here on DU, they have subverted the country taking it away from the people and that is treason. Just because it was mostly a bloodless (anthrax) coup does not mean it isn't treason.

[classysassy]

79. Nancy and the dimwits

will be in your neighborhood soon seeking your votes,ask them if they are going to impeach the bush gang,if not tell them to move on?The dims are just ass crooked as bush or akin to the cowardly lion.Get rid of nancy the enabler and elect dennis,he will rid this country of george the terrible and dick the fear monger.Maybe dennis will also rid this country of those fools,the court jesters(not so supreme clowns)

[RoccoR5955]

80. The only executive priviledge that Bush should have...

Is when he goes to the crapper!

[David Zephyr]

81. Waxman for Attorney General. I've said it many times and will continue to do so.

If any single person has the merit to be Attorney General under an Obama Administration, it is Henry Waxman.

Justice is Henry's middle name.

[David Zephyr]

82. Duplicate.

Source: Associated Press

WASHINGTON - President Bush invoked executive privilege to keep Congress from seeing the FBI report of an interview with Vice President Dick Cheney and other records related to the administration's leak of CIA operative Valerie Plame's identity in 2003.

The president's decision drew a sharp protest Wednesday from Rep. Henry Waxman, chairman of House Oversight Committee, which had subpoenaed Attorney General Michael Mukasey to turn over the documents.

"This unfounded assertion of executive privilege does not protect a principle; it protects a person," the California Democrat said. "If the vice president did nothing wrong, what is there to hide?"

Waxman left little doubt he would soon move for a committee vote to hold Mukasey in contempt of Congress.

Read more: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080716/ap_on_go_pr_wh/cia_leak

---

See Sabra's Thread where this was already posted. Sorry. http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=102x3397984

[BridgeTheGap]

83. Yep. They really learned from Nixon...they put their

"loyalists" in all the right places. Fuck Dick Cheney - the creep!

[havocmom]

84. We will get that combined for ya

Thanks for being a good DU citizen :hi:

hm

[graywarrior]

85. He just keeps adding more reasons to despise him and find other ways

to make him accountable.

[Peace Patriot]

86. Throw Diebold, ES&S and all election theft machines into 'Boston Harbor' NOW!

...if we want to produce a real chilling effect on these fuckwads in Washington DC.

[The Backlash Cometh]

87. He promised to punish the leaker. Now he's acting as if he's guilty as sin.

[graegoyle]

95. That's not an act.

[MasonJar]

97. Schumer owes the country an apology. I bet he is embarrassed.

He should be!!!!!!

[BlueJac]

99. Dog shit has no privilege!

I scrap that off my shoe!!! Bush is dog shit!!!

[Octafish]

100. Mukasey's one thing. The Supreme Turds are another.

Oh, well. There's plenty of room at The Hague.

[Maraya1969]

101. Subpoena Mukaey and let bush give him executive privilege for.....

..................that would be the fun of it.

[judasdisney]

103. Waxman said STEROIDS were more important

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mMy3xylXS9k

Don't expect anything from Waxman but more superficial theatrics.

[rambler_american]

105. Democracy

in the United States is lost.



"The tree of liberty must be refreshed from time to time with the blood of patriots and tyrants."
-- Thomas Jefferson

The time is now.

[yellowcanine]

108. United States v Nixon, 1974: Executive privilege does not cover criminal wrongdoing.

The case can certainly be made that a crime may have been committed. So it seems to this non lawyer that Bush is on thin ice here.