About time!

[GePap]

http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/us/AP-Congress-Contempt.html?hp

Judge Rules White House Aides Can Be Subpoenaed
By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
Published: July 31, 2008

Filed at 10:46 a.m. ET

WASHINGTON (AP) -- President Bush's top advisers are not immune from congressional subpoenas, a federal judge ruled Thursday in an unprecedented dispute between the two political branches.

The House Judiciary Committee wants to question the president's chief of staff, Josh Bolten, and former legal counsel Harriet Miers, about the firing of nine U.S. attorneys. But President Bush says they are immune from such subpoenas. They say Congress can't force them to testify or turn over documents.

U.S. District Judge John Bates disagreed. He said there's no legal basis for that argument. He said that Miers must appear before Congress and, if she wants to refuse to testify, she must do so in person.

"Harriet Miers is not immune from compelled congressional process; she is legally required to testify pursuant to a duly issued congressional subpoena," Bates wrote.

He said that both Bolten and Miers must give Congress all non-privileged documents related to the firings.

The Bush administration can appeal the ruling. The Justice Department did not immediately respond for a request for comment.

Beyond all of its' specific ****ups, the worst thing this administration has done is attempt to inflate beyond all scope the powers of the Presidency.

[Winston]

I thought Fidel Castro croaked it.

[GePap]

Originally posted by Winston
I thought Fidel Castro croaked it.

Take your wet dreams elsewhere.

[Grandpa Troll]

Quickly scanning this I wondrr if this will turn into a dog and pony show where the investigators ask questions and those subphoened "skirt" answers

I just cant bring myself to trust politicians


I have hopes such panels bring forth justice, but in the end, if it wre ordered and a law broke above this level, will that person ever be held accountable?

Sure impeachment, but at what cost is attached to the dating/forplay getting to "score" a big hit?

Just simple ramblings from old Gramps

[Sprayber]

I'm still waiting for Bush to disband the Senate and rule through the governors

[DirtyMartini]

Originally posted by Grandpa Troll
Just simple ramblings from old Gramps

Yeah, it's an empty victory, as stated later in the article:

1) the appeal will push it back until the subpoena expires
(2) the decision says nothing regarding claiming executive privilege and refusing to answer questions at the hearing, it just says she/they must respecte the subpoena and appear for the hearing.

[chequita guevara]

Originally posted by Sprayber
I'm still waiting for Bush to disband the Senate and rule through the governors

I was about to respond seriously to this.

[Grandpa Troll]

Originally posted by DirtyMartini


Yeah, it's an empty victory, as stated later in the article:

1) the appeal will push it back until the subpoena expires
(2) the decision says nothing regarding claiming executive privilege and refusing to answer questions at the hearing, it just says she/they must respecte the subpoena and appear for the hearing.

amd waste out time andtax dollars, taking focus off important issues, while playing The Potomac Shuffle


Alas, our country allows this to continually go on, outof control

Dang shame indeed

[GePap]

Originally posted by DirtyMartini


Yeah, it's an empty victory, as stated later in the article:

1) the appeal will push it back until the subpoena expires
(2) the decision says nothing regarding claiming executive privilege and refusing to answer questions at the hearing, it just says she/they must respecte the subpoena and appear for the hearing.

The issue is setting precedents for later courts, so that future administrations' can't play this same game.

[Grandpa Troll]

Originally posted by GePap


The issue is setting precedents for later courts, so that future administrations' can't play this same game.

In essence, it states they have to show up.

But does it put any teeth into making them testyfy?

Just asking, like Clinton asking "what is, "IS"?


When ya boil it down, do you have much left to actually count for anything?

Gramps

[GePap]

I don't share your pessimism in this regard. What is important is the question of whether Presidents can claim some sort of privilage for their aides has gotten at least a first answer and it was one against aggrandizing claims of Presidential power. in the end, whether Myers and Bolten testify or not is secondary to the courts slapping down their outragous claim that they could ignore Congress.

After all, once they go to Congress, if they refuse to answer they could then be found in contempt of Congress and face penalty. That opens yet another legal question, but the problem is that people have just sat around and let the Bush administration soil the Constitution at will.

[Garth Vader]

Originally posted by chegitz guevara
I was about to respond seriously to this.

How will he maintain control without the bureaucracy?

[Grandpa Troll]

Originally posted by GePap
I don't share your pessimism in this regard. What is important is the question of whether Presidents can claim some sort of privilage for their aides has gotten at least a first answer and it was one against aggrandizing claims of Presidential power. in the end, whether Myers and Bolten testify or not is secondary to the courts slapping down their outragous claim that they could ignore Congress.

After all, once they go to Congress, if they refuse to answer they could then be found in contempt of Congress and face penalty. That opens yet another legal question, but the problem is that people have just sat around and let the Bush administration soil the Constitution at will.

But with your optimism, just how long before this all comes about or gets swept away?

Thanks


oh and as for Bush soiling, he is not the first nor will he be the last

[GePap]

Originally posted by Grandpa Troll
But with your optimism, just how long before this all comes about or gets swept away?

Well, it depends on how quick the appeals go. If the appeals court sides with Congress, the WH might go to SCOTUS, and then we would be talking about next court cycle. Years of course, but then, we have years.

oh and as for Bush soiling, he is not the first nor will he be the last

But this admin. has been the most aggressive in doing so.

[Grandpa Troll]

Fair enough.......