President, Citing Executive Privilege, Indicates He'll Reject Requests...

[sabra]

http://www.nytimes.com/2005/10/05/politics/politicsspecial1/05documents.html?pagewanted=print


President, Citing Executive Privilege, Indicates He'll Reject Requests for Counsel's Documents

WASHINGTON, Oct. 4 - President Bush signaled on Tuesday that he would most likely reject any requests from the Senate for documents written by Harriet E. Miers during the nearly six years she worked in the White House before he chose her to fill a vacancy on the Supreme Court.

Asked at a news conference whether he would release some or all of her legal work as White House counsel, Mr. Bush said that the principle of executive privilege was important and that any Senate request for documents would be a distraction from considering Ms. Miers's qualifications.

"I just can't tell you how important it is for us to guard executive privilege in order for there to be crisp decision making in the White House," Mr. Bush said.

Some Democrats in Congress have already indicated that they want access to documents from Ms. Miers's work at the White House. They say there is such a scant public record about her judicial philosophy and her thinking about the issues of the day that the Senate needs more information to judge her fitness for a lifetime seat on the court.

[mike_c]

1. this is how he'll get around the lack of attorney client privilege...

...for the WH counsel. He'll just arbitrarily invoke executive privilege. This is a set up, folks.

[AirAmFan]

61. Miers' nomination seems mainly personal opportunism--just BEFORE Fitzgerald

winds up his preliminary investigation into the Plame outing and releases a scathing report, Dubya will have given himself the opportunity to get the strongest possible claims of "executive privilege" "OUT THERE". Then when a possible Congressional committee inquiry into the Plame outing gets underway, the WH stands a much better chance of keeping the lid on, after months of outrageous executive privilege propaganda have anesthetized the populace.

If the WH FAILS to keeping the lid on the Plame investigation, then Miers will be on the USSC to do for Dubya's Plame outing what she did for his TANG AWOL. She's the Harvey Keitel character in "Point of No Return"--"Victor the Cleaner".

[il_lilac]

2. Gee, what a surprise!

I figured they would have run those papers over by now!:sarcasm:

[gratuitous]

3. The Senate didn't insist on seeing all of Roberts' writings

So if Stupidhead tells them to go piss up a rope, he can always cite the Roberts "precedent" for not turning anything over.

Besides, from what I understand, Miers' writings may have to be preserved as evidence should The Hague come calling.

[Bozita]

14. What about about his presence in the photos of all those folks banging ...

... on the door and window of the room where Dade County votes were being recounted in late 2000?

How DID the Senate Dems miss this one?

[mahatmakanejeeves]

18. Are you sure?

Roberts was making a $million per year as a partner in private practice. The members of the mob in Dade County were low-level staffers. Hardly likely Roberts would be in that crowd.

Please link to a photo showing this.

Thanks.

[Bozita]

35. You're correct

I read about it in the last week or so. The article, blog, or post contained a Dade County 2000 photo with a face in the right rear part of the photo circled.

That face was identified as John Roberts. I remember that well. The face was a small part of a larger photo where the focus seemed to be on those at and closest to the glass.

I've been looking for that article and photo for the last half-hour without success.

[mahatmakanejeeves]

59. OK, I learn something every day.

I well recall a photo from that event. In fact, I can give you a lead on it. It appeared in Al Kamen's "In the Loop" column in the Washington Post. Some of the faces had been circled. Kamen presented the photo, asking "where are they now?" I can search for it myself.

I am perplexed as to why a $million/year partner would be shuttled off to do scut work like that.

Hey, it's the first hit at Google.

Miami 'Riot' Squad: Where Are They Now?

By Al Kamen
Monday, January 24, 2005; Page A13

As we begin the second Bush administration, let's take a moment to reflect upon one of the most historic episodes of the 2000 battle for the White House -- the now-legendary "Brooks Brothers Riot" at the Miami-Dade County polling headquarters.

With help from their GOP colleagues and others, we identified some of these Republican heroes of yore in a photo of the event.

Some of those pictured have gone on to other things, including stints at the White House. For example, Matt Schlapp, No. 6, a former House aide and then a Bush campaign aide, has risen to be White House political director. Garry Malphrus, No. 2 in the photo, a former staff director of the Senate Judiciary subcommittee on criminal justice, is now deputy director of the White House Domestic Policy Council. And Rory Cooper, No. 3, who was at the National Republican Congressional Committee, later worked at the White House Homeland Security Council and was seen last week working for the Presidential Inaugural Committee.

Here's what some of the others went on to do:

No. 1. Tom Pyle, who had worked for Rep. Tom DeLay (R-Tex.), went private sector a few months later, getting a job as director of federal affairs for Koch Industries.

No. 7. Roger Morse, another House aide, moved on to the law and lobbying firm Preston Gates Ellis & Rouvelas Meeds. "I was also privileged to lead a team of Republicans to Florida to help in the recount fight," he told a legal trade magazine in a 2003 interview.

No. 8. Duane Gibson, an aide on the House Resources Committee, was a solo lobbyist and formerly with the Greenberg Traurig lobby operation. He is now with the Livingston Group as a consultant.

No. 9. Chuck Royal was and still is a legislative assistant to Sen. Jim DeMint (R-S.C.), a former House member.

No. 10. Layna McConkey Peltier, who had been a Senate and House aide and was at Steelman Health Strategies during the effort, is now at Capital Health Group.

(We couldn't find No. 4, Kevin Smith, a former GOP House aide who later worked with Voter.com, or No. 5, Steven Brophy, a former GOP Senate aide and then at consulting firm KPMG. If you know what they are doing these days, please e-mail [e-mail] so we can update our records.)

Sources say the "rioters" proudly note their participation on résumés and in interviews. But while the original hardy band of demonstrators numbered barely a couple of dozen, the numbers apparently have grown with the legend.

Roberts seems not to be identified in this photo, but I am willing to concede that he might be identified in another.

[marmar]

4. Now there's a shocker...

This administration is as predictable as a Steven Segall movie.

[Mandate My Ass]

7. LMAO

and the acting is really bad too. :rofl:

[marmar]

11. LOL...

Bush definitely qualified for one of those Razzie awards with today's awful press conference.

:hide: :yoiks:

[Dangerously Amused]

5. WTF?

"...any Senate request for documents would be a distraction from considering Ms. Miers's qualifications."

WHAT?!?? Then just what the hell are they SUPPOSED to use as a basis to consider her qualifications? Her zodiac sign?! A palm reading? Maybe they could do a tarot reading...

[UpInArms]

9. Tea Leaves - one of the most obscure

ways to divine the truth.

:rofl:

[kestrel91316]

29. Nope. They are supposed to get out their bibles and pray to Jebus

for strength and advice. And then rubber stamp the appointment.

[wickerwoman]

43. Just look into her eyes.

It worked with Putin. :eyes:

[tomg]

55. I think they should use a haruspex.

a seer who performed divination by the inspection of entrails of sacrifical animals. ( Roman empire, sort of appropriate all things considered). Hey, maybe they can use Tom Delay's.

edit: typo

[Straight Shooter]

6. "Crisp"? Is this the new buzzword that bush is using ad nauseam?

Crisp is for crackers, not for lifetime appointments. Get a clue, you dipwad. We don't want a "crisp" decision. We want a slow, deliberate, methodical, thorough, knowledgeable, completely, and wholly-investigated background kind of decision.

Bite your own crisp ass, bush, you're turning into toast.

[countmyvote4real]

17. "crisp" is the new "robust" n/t

[belle]

62. God, that's even lamer-sounding than "robust." From steak to celery.

[ninkasi]

23. That's a word he used

when he refused to give up 30 minutes or so of his extended vacation to meet with Cindy Sheehan. The poor little twit needed to get on with his life, so that he could make "crisp" decisions. I can not tell you how much I loathe this creature.

[daleo]

24. Crisps are potato chips in Britain

Maybe there is some vague link with pretzels for Bush.

[kestrel91316]

30. Maybe he is confusing "crisp" with "brisk"???

[Phoebe Loosinhouse]

56. crisp is an asinine word in my opinion to pair with decision

but maybe they are using it as the opposite of soft and spongy which is what we all suspect his brain to be. This is subliminally comforting to us whether we know it or not.

[applegrove]

8. Perhaps this is why he picked her. Because he knew no information

on her could get out.

Talk about a "black hole" president.

[shanti]

19. ding ding ding!

you win the prize! that is exactly why she was chosen by the prick.

[The Backlash Cometh]

10. Er, Bush, your party has already ruled on this issue. Those papers

are public records.

[mike_c]

12. maybe, but invoking executive privilege gives him a sabot...

...with which to gum up the works for a while. This is so fucking predictable. Bush and Rove are going to play the senate like a fiddle.

[The Backlash Cometh]

13. I can't wait until we do look into those papers. Even if it's after

he's gone so we can show the world what he's hiding.

[dargondogon]

15. So sue him

Take it all the way to the Supreme Court.

[gulfcoastliberal]

33. We need constitutional lawyers opinion on precedent set by repukes

based on what they did with all their lawsuits against Clinton and the "Arkansas Project". Can't we have a "Texas Project" and sue him for something - anything? Paging George Soros, George Soros please call the best constitutional lawyer. Thank you.

[leesa]

53. Funny. You mean the SC who placed him in office?

[CoffeeCat]

16. "crisp decision making" WHATEVER, assjack!

We're supposed to believe that Junior is concerned about "crisp decision making in the White House", after it took him 5 days to get Katrina survivors a bottle of water?

The man couldn't make bacon crisp, let alone make a "crisp decision".

I'd really get extreme enjoyment from slapping him upside the head.

[tabasco]

20. Crisp decision making = My Pet Goat.

GWB has not made one important decision as President. He is a stuffed shirt that waits to be told what to say and do by his corporate masters.

[AndyTiedye]

25. Crisp as in "Burned to a Crisp"

[LynnTheDem]

21. Hey bush...

Whatcha trying to HIDE?

[fortyfeetunder]

67. Or the other question...

What dirt does Harriet have on you?

[Vickers]

22. Garsh, that's what Nixon did, right before the fall.

:rofl:

Must mean there is some juicy stuff in there.

[WannaJumpMyScooter]

26. Like we did not see this one coming a mile away

What a galling asshole.

[lovuian]

27. executive privledge = King George!!! ( I don't have to cause I'm

PREZ) what happened to the thought that the President is just a citizen of the US bound by the laws of the nation!!!

[RevolutionStartsNow]

28. This kind of stuff makes me want to open my window and shout,

"I TOLD YOU SO!!" to all the morons who voted for Bush. Not the 30% base of fundies who think he's brilliant, but the other people WHO I WARNED, "It's about the judicial appointments!"

So now Bush is president again, appointing God-knows-who to the Supreme Court, not to mention all the other appointments he will make.

I've always thought I did everything I could, I was out in the pouring rain in Dayton, Ohio knocking on doors until late on Election Night, but now I'm thinking I could have and should have done more. Damn.

[NYC]

31. Miers briefed Bush on Aug. 6th Bin Laden PDB.

http://www.truthout.org/docs_2005/100405A.shtml

Miers Briefed Bush on Famous Bin Laden Memo, but Newspapers Handle the AP Photo Quite Differently


Caption: US Supreme Court nominee Harriet Miers going over a daily briefing paper with George W. Bush at his Crawford ranch August 6, 2001.
(Photo: AP Photo)

http://www.editorandpublisher.com/eandp/news/article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1001221205

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=102&topic_id=1827437&mesg_id=1827437

Edited to add caption.

[Charlie Brown]

32. Well, this changes everything

Since we know next to nothing about this woman, there's a necessity to review her documentation. If the White House won't divulge any of her briefs (tee hee), there's very good reason to vote against her confirmation.

[MissMarple]

34. A most cogent point, Charlie.

If we don't know who she is, what she has been doing, how could any senator of good conscience vote for her? I would never make a big deal of it....

just say no. It's not so hard.

[Jim Sagle]

36. Bush is a Crip - a juveniule delinquent.

[AllyCat]

37. And since the Dems (or Repukes for that matter) didn't press the issue

with Roberts, they really would look foolish to ask for them now with Miers. Nice going Senators! You've really set precedent on this one and will give us yet another horrible judge on the SC. So much for advise and consent...

[Charlie Brown]

41. Roberts had already been confirmed to the DC Appeals Court

and had a LOOOONG documented record as a litigator.

I don't think it will look foolish at all to ask for some piece of criteria to evaluate her legal views and judicial reasoning.

[AllyCat]

42. But BushCo withheld documents about Roberts and they didn't push

If they push for documents on Miers, they'll be smeared They laid down before, now they have to do it again.

[ikojo]

49. The Democrats have laid down for Bush since he took

office, in the name of bipartisanship.

They need to grow a freaking spine if they want people to get out and vote for them in 2006.

This is getting old, them rubber stamping everything this fool does.

[woodsprite]

60. Actually, I thought it was more like "bent over". n/t

[nemo137]

38. What qualifications? She doesn't have any!

No, repeat, no judicial experience. What is wrong with wanting to see her legal reasoning?

[Blaq Dem]

44. She's impotetent. That what makes her qualified.

She's another brain dead conservative with no real thoughts of her own. She'll be like: "Yes, Scalia, whatever you say...."

[Blaq Dem]

45. She's INCOMPOTENT. That what makes her qualified...

Stupid computer wouldn't correct my typo!

[Renew Deal]

39. They should bounce her out of Congress 123

There's no reason to put up with this.

[HuffleClaw]

40. erm, this is truly appalling

they really do only have two excuses don't they? 'national security' and 'executive privilege'. well, they got away with letting roberts simply refuse to answer questions in his hearings, no reason to think this meier woman's will be any different. and they stonewalled on that bolton characters papers too iirc. they sure have an obsession with HIDING things. its become a pathology.

[fooj]

46. Think again you rat bastard!

http://news.yahoo.com/s/huffpost/20051005/cm_huffpost/008342

Checkmate, asshole.

peace.

[texpatriot2004]

63. I saw this too. Like your comment.n/t

[fasttense]

47. Well, of course. How can you run an inept government without

a lot of useless secrecy.

[ikojo]

48. No papers, no problem as far as the Dems are

concerned. Now, do you think CLINTON would have gotten by with not releasing papers related to Ginsberg and Breyer? I don't think so.

Then again the Republicans KNOW how to be an OPPOSITION party and it aint rubber stamping everything the president says and does.

Oy vey!

[Zhade]

50. Dems brought this on themselves by not opposing Roberts.

The message was clear: go ahead and withhold information, they'll get through anyway.

Stupid, stupid, STUPID! :grr:

[Demeter]

51. Then We Will Just Have to Decline Miers

Maureen Dowd calls her an "office wife". I'd call her a House Elf, enslaved and not too bright to begin with. But sliipery and sly, loyal to a fault.

[Solly Mack]

52. SSDD

[Phoebe Loosinhouse]

54. He can ASSERT executive privilege, he can CITE executive privilege

all day long. I don't believe he can DEMAND executive privilege. There is all kind of case law on this. It's really just how hard do the Dems want to fight. And, despite what people are saying, that NO papers were released about Roberts, is just not correct. Some papers were released. The Dems felt they had gotten enough and didn't press for more. That was their choice. However they behaved in the Roberts hearing does not define their behavior or requests in this hearing.The circumstances are very different with Miers where she has almost no public record to draw upon. Is the Senate supposed to rely on the testimonials from Meals on Wheels and the Salvation Army and the Girl Scouts or whatever other organizations the President cited when he was naming her qualifications? ( I thought this was the height of the craziness) Maybe her civic league can let us know whether she pays her fees on time. Or we can ask her gym if she wipes off the equipment after using. Sheesh!

[Bridget Burke]

57. Quentin Crisp decision making?

I'm sure the Stately Queen of England could have made better decisions than the Boy King. Quentin had style & wit. And he NEVER believed in hiding the truth.



(We're familiar with the older Quentin--but I like this picture.)

[DBoon]

58. "I am not a crook"

where have we heard this use of executive privilege before?

[mopinko]

65. .

[Generator]

64. Well fucking DUH

Do you need to be a rocket scientist to figure this out? From the most secretive admin in history. From the most corrupt admin in history.
Apparently being a Democrat in the Senate doesn't make you smart enough, however, and the Democrats will cave on this as they cave on everything. After Roberts, and a load of reasons to deny him, and my supposedly, liberal Senator, Wyden confirming him after I wrote him twice, I have given up on not only the Supreme Court but the Dems. Yes I have.

The are being HAD and too fucking stupid to realize it OR too fucking corrupt to care. Take your pick.

[librechik]

66. "I just can't tell you how important it is for us to guard exec privilege"

Yeh--if he did it would incriminate him. Or he'd have to kill us.