Ask John Conyers to Lock Up Karl Rove

[babylonsister]

http://www.afterdowningstreet.org/node/40279

Ask John Conyers to Lock Up Karl Rove
Submitted by davidswanson on Fri, 2009-02-27 17:05.


Once last spring and twice in the past month, Karl Rove has refused to comply with a subpoena from the House Judiciary Committee to appear and testify. The Justice Department has not enforced the subpoenas. Fortunately, congressional committees have the power of inherent contempt.

"Contempt" refers to the process of compelling a witness to testify who has refused to do so and/or punishing the refusal, for example by locking someone in jail until they agree to testify. "Inherent" simply refers to the idea that Congress can enforce its own contempt citations, as it in fact did up until the early twentieth century, when it ceased doing so. Congress chose to begin asking the Justice Department to enforce its contempt citations. This procedure seems to work just as well as the other except in cases in which the Justice Department has an interest in allowing a witness to not comply. In at least those cases, if not all, Congress ought to enforce its own contempt citations, a power that it never lost and which has never been challenged, merely forgotten. Congress locked up recalcitrant witnesses over 85 times between 1795 and 1934, including those who failed to appear and those who failed to satisfactorally answer questions.

Ask Chairman John Conyers to instruct the Seargent at Arms and Capitol Police to lock up Karl Rove: Phone [phone], Fax [phone]

Email: [e-mail] or [e-mail]

House Judiciary Committee: Phone [phone], Fax [phone]

[PetrusMonsFormicarum]

1. My dream . . .

n/t

[HowHasItComeToThis]

5. DEMOS ARE AFRAID OF TAKING ACTION

BECAUSE THEY ARE AFRAID OF RIOTING BY THE REPUB VOTER SCUM

[midnight]

2. Go get him Mr. Conyers.

[pleah]

3. K&R But, should have been done long ago.n/t

[msongs]

4. john conyers can't even lock up his own car probably - just sends it stern letters to stay shut nt

[RedCloud]

6. Remember what if Prescott Bush has gotten locked up!

Action, so future thugs don't take inspiration from inertia.