"Leahy to Push for White House Subpoenas"

[GreenPartyVoter]

WASHINGTON (AP) - The Senate Judiciary Committee chairman said Sunday he intends to subpoena White House officials involved in ousting federal prosecutors and is dismissing anything short of their testimony in public.

The Bush White House was expected to announce early this week whether it will let political strategist Karl Rove, former White House counsel Harriet Miers and other officials testify or will seek to assert executive privilege in preventing their appearance.

The chairman, Sen. Patrick Leahy, D-Vt., last week delayed a vote on the subpoenas until Thursday as the president's counsel, Fred Fielding, sought to negotiate terms. But on Sunday, Leahy said he had not met Fielding nor was he particularly open to any compromises, such as a private briefing by the administration officials.

"I want testimony under oath. I am sick and tired of getting half-truths on this," Leahy said. "I do not believe in this, we'll have a private briefing for you where we'll tell you everything, and they don't."

http://apnews1.iwon.com//article/20070318/D8NUME2O0.html


Sweet!

[sutz12]

1. Can they still block a Miers subpoena?

Since she is "no longer employed."

[GreenPartyVoter]

2. Dunno, but good question.

[kestrel91316]

21. She'll just claim she doesn't remember anything.

[GreenPartyVoter]

23. That seems to be par for Admin cronies, eh?

[jazzjunkysue]

28. But the emails should refresh her memory! n/t.

[saltpoint]

3. The Bush administration's No. 2 honcho, Dick Cheney, once told Leahy

to go fuck himself. This remark was made on the floor of the United States Senate.

It set a tone for future negotiations, and it looks like the tone it set hasn't broken in the administration's favor.

Leahy's burning mad and he's going to push this as hard as it can be pushed.

Privately Fielding must surely be telling these fools that Leahy is on solid ground here. Rove can only be protected by "executive privilege," an argument that's not very persuasive when memos are posted on the web proving that the Justice Department has been used as a politicl arm.

The wind's at Leahy's back these days.

[debbierlus]

5. Really? I knew he told someone to do that - but I didn't know it was Leahy

Fuck me Mr. Cheney....???? Oh no. FUCK you.

I am THRILLED to see our democratic chairman investigating this....

[saltpoint]

6. Hi, debbierlus. Yep -- Cheney's words to Patrick Leahy.

I somehow have a hunch that Leahy hasn't forgotten the exchange!

[cali]

10. Yeah, I'm sure he hasn't

but he'd be just as steamed had it not been said. Leahy's anger over this criminal administration has been incandescent for years now.

(I'm also sure he hasn't forgotten the anthrax letter he was sent, or the lack of a vigorous investigation into it)

[saltpoint]

11. Agree. I'll take Leahy in this fight, and then some. If Rove has to

testify under oath, Rove is done for.

Rove knows it.

And so does Leahy.

Go, team.

[cali]

12. Yep. And that's why, alas, Rove will defy the subpoena

setting up a real constitutional crisis. Then it goes to the SC. Sadly, I don't have any faith in that right wing controlled body.

[saltpoint]

13. With the tyrants sitting on the SC now, I agree. But in the meanwhile

there would be the court of public opinion. If BushCo decides to dig in its heels and create a constitutional crisis, it would come at its weakest moment in 6 years. And it would destroy the remaining 2 years of the administration.

It would have to agree to trade all its remaining chances and initiatives for a favorable outcome at SCOTUS.

Given the make-up of the Court, it's not a bad gamble, but it's not a sure thing, and it's still a gamble.

Fielding is advising Bush these days. I think even a distorted hack like Fielding is smart enough to know how to pick your fights.

It's going to be a wild one.

[GreenPartyVoter]

17. May it stay at his back!

[saltpoint]

18. Yes. I think it will. On news interviews this past week, Leahy's

eyes had that laser focus.

Rove will have to step down before facing Leahy's inquiry.

Especially under oath.

[GreenPartyVoter]

19. Can you predict the ways they will try to keep their jobs and block having to testify?

[saltpoint]

24. They're likely spending all this weekend grocery-listing those

strategies, but they may be having trouble feeling very good about them. Leahy has stated forcefully that he will subpoena people, including Karl Rove.

That's going to be problematic for the White House, even if they claim executive privilege.

[GreenPartyVoter]

40. Honestly. I just can't wait for this to happen.

[Beetwasher]

44. I Know, Me Too, I Am Absolutely RELISHING The Idea Of The Inevitable Clash

It's about fucking time. BRING IT ON!

[kestrel91316]

22. Rove will NEVER step down. And even if he did, he would still

spend every day there, doing what he's always done, just not on official payroll. Personal friends of Bush can spend all the time they want there.

[saltpoint]

25. Then you're predicting that Bush will claim executive privilege -- not a

bad guess at all -- and yet it still puts the White House on the defensive.

Very much so.

And as they hunker down behind "executive privilege," the nation realizes they have something to hide. They become fish in a barrel for Congressional Democrats, and the Republicans up for re-election in 08 are going to get restless.

[jazzjunkysue]

29. Exactly. This is how an impeachment is done. Corner them.

And when they keep hiding the truth, everyone gets to guess and speculate about how bad it really is. Hire the pundits, and start the leaks. This will at least be an entertaining 2 years. As long as you're not on the ground in Iraq.

[saltpoint]

33. jazzjunkysue, you're right -- these next 2 years will be contentious and

interesting.

I wish Bush had not run our government into the ground, but since he has, let's make him answer for it.

[caledesi]

48. jjs - very good. I say impeach AFTER we win in 2008....make them

suffer. The Dems have been ignored for how many years? Plenty of time top get their evidence together and they got more angry and angry.

[kestrel91316]

32. He's got something up his sleeve, I suspect. They are stalling for time.

I worry that they KNOW '08 doesn't matter because there won't BE an election then. Bush nukes Iran and declares martial law and cancels the '08 elections. I no longer consider this scenario wildly delusional.

Think PNAC. Another Pearl Harbor to rally us 'round the flag. 9/11's magic has worn off and they need something big again.

[saltpoint]

34. Any delay will frustrate us -- and you're right that Bush is Staller-in-

Chief.

But pretty soon his administration is going to be dropping people. His cabinet appointees will begin to move on, as all cabinet people do in the last couple years of a president's term. I think only Franklin Pierce's cabinet served all the way through his one term.

And out of sheer panic, some of the people in the Justice Department will leak information to the press and to Waxman and Leahy, and that info (I predict) will become part of the public record against Bush.

The longer he stalls, the more typical he'll be, but also increasingly vulnerable to articles of impeachment.

He's in a no-win situation, finally.

[GreenPartyVoter]

37. Oh, I so hope so! I am so frustrated from years of thinking

"this is the scandal that will break the administration" and then it fades away. I can't take it anymore. :(

[jazzjunkysue]

35. Our military won't follow those orders this time. They can't and they

won't. Our military is already turning on him, and it will choose sanity this time.

[caledesi]

49. I hope the troops just QUIT en masse. nt

[GreenPartyVoter]

36. I worry abou that too, sometimes

[madokie]

4. You go Senator we out here in cyberland have your back

[helderheid]

7. REC 2!

[solara]

8. Thanks for posting this

k&r



INVESTIGATE IMPEACH INDICT INCARCERATE :patriot:

[GreenPartyVoter]

9. Happy to do it! Didn't you just love this qote?

"I want testimony under oath. I am sick and tired of getting half-truths on this,"

I want to see this go to the top, to those idiots who don't take oaths and give tesitmony but "visit" with grand juries and such. :eyes:

[solara]

14. Absolutely.. it's a great quote..from a great man

kickety

:kick:


INVESTIGATE IMPEACH INDICT INCARCERATE :patriot:

[caledesi]

50. Love it! Leahy has been pissed for YEARS! nt

[Pierzin]

15. Go Sen Leahy!!! Justice needs You! Not a Witch Hunt!

Saw him on George Stephanopaulos, and the GOP senator had the nerve to say he did not want this to be a witch hunt. Xcuuuuuuuse me??????

[GreenPartyVoter]

16. I thot pubs looooove a good witch hunt. Oh wait, that's right

it's only when it's a dem they want to string up high.

[bdamomma]

45. it is sickening how they make up these slogans isn't it??

[GreenPartyVoter]

55. Yep, it really is. Everything is sound bytes to them.

[lovuian]

20. What we want is accountability

this whitehouse has had NONE for 6 years now

[bobbolink]

26. Calling in tomorrow to thank Leahy and his staff!

800-828-0498, 800-459-1887, 800-614-2803

[jazzjunkysue]

30. Emailing now. [e-mail] n/t.

[bobbolink]

46. Great! I can assure you, they're getting lots of hate mail!

The staff will appreciate a pat on the back!

:applause:

[GreenPartyVoter]

39. I hope lots of people are doing this today

[Rosa Luxemburg]

27. The Time Has Come!

yes, Sweet!

[Cabcere]

31. We're all sick and tired of half-truths, Senator

Go get 'em! :applause:

Edited because I got a little over-excited and typed ! instead of : for the emoticon... :dunce:

[WillyT]

38. K & R !!!

:kick:

[Rex]

41. Leahy and Waxman are going to DESTROY the BFEE!

I've been waiting for this day to come!

[caledesi]

51. Oh yeah. They are imploding. Don't forget Conyers. nt

[Rex]

54. Oh yes! Conyers is gonna rip them a new one!

They are attacking from all sides. Such a good thing to see good people breakdown the BFEE!

[bdamomma]

42. thank goodness for Senator Leahy coming into the light

of this corrupt and insane regime we have, no one is above the law, NO ONE!!

[Rex]

43. Cheney told him to go fuck himself on the Senate floor.

Big mistake to make it personal with a Senator in a very powerful position, IMO.

[truebrit71]

47. Wouldn't that be such delicious irony?

Leahy gets Darth under oath, and asks him to repeat what he said on the Senate floor....

[cali]

52. Here's an amusing little follow up anecdote on that.

When Leahy escorted Sanders to the Well to be sworn in by Cheney, he said pointedly, "It's a lot nicer to be sworn in by the vp than sworn at by him".

[GreenPartyVoter]

53. :o Point goes to Leahy for that! lol