Posted by D. Cupples
(photo of Conyers from House.gov) |
House Judiciary Committee Chairman John Conyers introduced two resolutions regarding the
subpoenas for information about the fired U.S. Attorney investigation, with which the White House failed to comply for months.
The House and Senate Judiciary Committees subpoenaed various White House staffers back in June. President Bush claimed executive privilege as a basis for essentially blowing off the subpoenas. If only we ordinary citizens could flip off courts or congressional committees that weild subpoena power. TPM reported yesterday:
"House Judiciary Committee Chair John Conyers (D-MI) introduced two resolutions this afternoon related to the subpoenas. The first is a criminal contempt resolution against White House chief of staff Josh Bolten and former White House counsel Harriet Miers -- both were subpoenaed and did not respond, citing the White House's invocation of executive privilege. But Conyers also filed a resolution that Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) file a civil suit against the White House.
"Update: You can read both of those resolutions as prepared here. The second resolution would authorize the House Judiciary Committee to go to court, where it would be represented by the House general counsel
"That second resolution would serve as an available alternative should Attorney General Michael Mukasey follow through on his threat not to enforce the criminal citation. The battle would then head into court, where a judge would have a shot at sorting out the White House's far-reaching assertion of privilege." (TPM)
Other Committee documents are available here. An overview of the fired U.S. Attorney scandal is here.
I know that justice tends to be slow, but it would be good if something came of this matter soon. Memeorandum has other commenters' reactions: The Hill, Think Progress, MoJoBlog, The Politico and Daily Kos
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