White House, Pentagon cite executive privilege to hold up documents on friendly fire victim Tillman

[RamboLiberal]

Source: Raw Story

Rep. Henry Waxman (D-CA) revealed on Friday afternoon that the White House and Pentagon were holding up a House Oversight and Government Reform Committee investigation into the friendly fire death of former professional football player and Army Corporal Patrick Tillman.

"The Committee wrote to White House Counsel Fred Fielding seeking 'all documents received or generated by any official in the Executive Office of the President' relating to Corporal Tillman's death," noted a press release from the Committee.

But the White House has apparently again invoked its executive privilege to hold up the documents sought by Waxman and Ranking Minority member Tom Davis (R-VA).

"The White House Counsel's office responded that it would not provide the Committee with documents that 'implicate Executive Branch confidentiality interests' and produced only two communications with the officials in the Defense Department, one of which was a package of news clippings," the Committe noted. "The response of the Defense Department to the Committee's inquiry was also deficient."



Read more: http://rawstory.com/news/2007/White_House_Pentagon_hold_up_documents_0713.html

[WCGreen]

1. They have got to challenge this...

They have to...

[stressfulreality]

52. what will it take to make things right?

[WCGreen]

55. It's all about getting to the truth...

It's all about taking care of our guys and gals serving in the military...

It's all about not hiding behind executive privilege every time someone wants some information...

They need to go after this...

If only to show the people in this country who are thinking about becoming president that they still are responsible to the people who live in this country...

The right thing to do is subpoena the records and then hold them in contempt...

The judges are not all going to stand by and watch the constitution be treated like a bird cage liner...

[Warren Stupidity]

2. Fuck this. This has to stop now.

They have simply become brazen and arrogant beyond tolerance. They are shoving our noses in it, spitting in our faces, pissing on our shoes and laughing while they are doing it.

[calimary]

62. Agreed. Make sure you call Waxman's office, AND your own rep,

on Monday morning (if you can). Because you're SO correct: THIS SHIT HAS TO STOP, NOW!!!!

Handy TOLL FREE Capitol Hill switchboard numbers always conveniently located in my sig line below.

[global1]

3. Now There Is Absolutely No Reason To Invoke Executive Privilege On This Matter........

this should have nothing to do with the WH. There should be nothing that they need to hide on this. The only thing I can think of that they may be worried about is that somebody at the WH told the Pentagon to use the Tillman death to their advantage in rallying support for the war (i.e., make him a war hero).

If that is the case - this is really despicable.

[LiberalFighter]

13. By trying to use executive privilege they are admitting a coverup ...

and that the WH directed the Tillman maneuver for political purposes.

[rubberducky]

21. You hit the nail on the head!

[AntiFascist]

40. That has to be the reason n/t

[Ahpook]

38. I have always thought he was fragged.

Didn't he have a tentative meeting with Hersh setup for if/when he got home? His whole feeling about the war had changed over his time there.

He was a football star, and that alone would have Knuckledragger American listening very closely. Can't have that can they?

[glitch]

64. There could be another reason, and it is much worse than cover-up. nt

[Justitia]

4. Whoa boy, they just picked the wrong battle. I gotta think the WH just shot themselves in the foot.

Everybody already knows about the dastardly way the Tillman situation was handled (lies, lies, more lies and obfuscation).

Looking to claim Exec Priv over the individual death of this man looks very bad indeed.
It's hard to believe Fielding, with his extensive history of covering the asses of gov't criminals, has let it come to this.

[rodeodance]

11. yes, they may have as this is not a Dem issue-------lots of people upset over this one.

[laylah]

18. From your fingers

to God/dess' eyes. However, we must remember, these bastards, in our estimation (and in REALITY), have shot themselves in the foot NUMEROUS times...for naught. I am so weary of all of this, Justitia. I am ready to throw my hands up in defeat. I won't...but I sure the hell feel like it.

[Justitia]

20. I hear you, hang in there friend. -eom

[laylah]

23. Thanks...

:hug:

[sakabatou]

5. Hiding the truth

whenever they can.

[soothsayer]

6. lol, they are going to wear that 'winning strategy' out

[Toucano]

7. Congress should stop paying the light bill at the White House until they comply.

Cripple the "Executive" branch.

* No fuel for Air Force 1, 2 and all vehicles.
* Stop paying Secret Service agents.
* No phones, computers, email servers.

Shut the mother fucker down.

[JDPriestly]

43. They already caved on the withholding of funding from Cheney.

Shame on them.

[rubberducky]

8. It seems that the WH is playing a game of double dog dare ya.

KNR

[AndreaCG]

19. I hope their tongues get stuck on the lamppost.

[Socal31]

9. Huh?

que? WTF?

[rodeodance]

10. gawd, this is getting REAL OLD!

[frylock]

12. keep squeezin that turnip, hank

[tabasco]

14. Has Bush declared himself king?

Executive privilege?? WTF??

Bush is saying "fuck you, I'm running my mafia government in secrecy."

It's time to impeach this criminal.

[elehhhhna]

15. They're hiding Roves memos on how to spin this lie. Just like after 9/11,

Cheney's shotgun accident, FAILURE in IRAQ, the whole Justice Dept scheme, and everything else they've eff'd up and LIED AND LIED AND LIED ABOUT.

[yellerpup]

16. What crap

The Pentagon is not part of the Executive branch. Will somebody please arrest the a-holes? This has got to stop.

[LastLiberal in PalmSprings]

72. Department of Defense is part of the Executive Branch

according to the Library of Congress.

[David Zephyr]

17. Bush's stonewalling will not sit well with the public on this one. Tillman's a war hero.

This may be the one that brings down the whole ship.

Waxman needs to go to court on this one. This will be the nightmare of nightmares for the White House to have to fight off. A public relations disaster.

War Hero's family vs. AWOL jackass.

[PassingFair]

22. War Hero, CIA Agents...what's the difference?

They chew them up and spit out the bones.

An ATHEIST war hero is NO kind of war hero anyway.

:sarcasm:

His parents would probably get the "Cindy Treatment" around
here if they "whined" for more than 6 months anyway....

IMPEACH ALREADY!

[David Zephyr]

25. Have a nice day.

.

[MetaTrope]

24. What does the White House have to hide?

I mean come on, this is the death of one grunt out of thousands. Are they micromanaging the war to the degree that every soldier killed becomes a risk to national security?

[Rageneau]

26. The Freepers are censoring this story.

There's seems to be nothing on that wingnut site about this story -- obviously because it is a fact that they find too unnerving to even acknowledge. And since Freepers only know what they hear on Rush and read on FR, it's likely that most of them will never have to bother their tiny little brains with it.

They can't acknowledge this story without acknowledging that this is yet another Bush cover-up. And Freepers can't believe that Bush covers things up because they are constitutionally incapable of being honest with themselves. They can't admit that Bush MIGHT have done something that NEEDS to be covered up.

IMHO, there is almost nothing that Bush has done that does NOT need to be covered up. The Tillman story is just another example of that.

[donkeyotay]

27. If the WH can claim exec. priv. on this, then they can claim it on anything

and be completeley unaccountable to the American people. We should assume that they covered up the real circumstance of Tillman's death and worked with Karl Rove to cook up the propaganda soup they served us instead of the truth.

Impeach this mofo already.

[Throwing Stones]

28. Replace the words "executive privilege" with "sovereign immunity"

Fuck, that's really what these assholes claim about everything.

From English Common Law, "the sovereign or government cannot commit a legal wrong and is immune from civil suit or criminal prosecution ..." http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sovereign_immunity

Indeed, this boy kind can do no wrong.

[Az_lefty]

29. So Bush is involved in this shit too? Friendly Fucking Fire ?????

:puke:

[Frisbee]

35. Where was Cheney?

He wasn't in Afganistan (with his shotgun) around this time was he?

[SeattleGirl]

30. E-fucking-nough already!!!!!

I am so fucking sick of this executive privilege shit they pull on anything and everything. GEORGE BUSH IS NOT THE FUCKING KING, no matter how much he may think he is. I have had it!!!

CAN WE IMPEACH THE BASTARDS ALREADY??????

:grr: :nuke: :grr: :nuke: :grr: :nuke: :grr:

[maggiegault]

31. After all that wonderful family, The Tillmans, have been put through

I cannot express the level of disgust that I feel.

Let the Arizona press get ahold of this story. The Tillmans are MUCH beloved here in AZ and we won't stand for anyone messing with them. The Tillmans are total class acts and they deserve a whole hell of a lot better than what Pissyshitpants and his gaggle of thugs have given them.

[Barrett808]

32. Maybe they really did have him murdered...

...as the conspiracy theory would have it.

[Aviation Pro]

33. I got thrown off another message board....

...for suggesting something far more sinister than the official version of Tillman's death. Think about it for a second, a high profile Army Ranger, a failing strategy and a need to bolster the sagging war effort. I think when the truth finally surfaces there are going to be a lot of pissed-off operators. (And there are a lot to begin with right now).

[maggiegault]

37. Don't forget the NFL angle.

[IndianaGreen]

39. What if Tillman was murdered by his own men?

According to Tillman's mother, Tillman was opposed to the war in Iraq, did not like Bush, and was an atheist. I wonder if those fundie Xtians in his outfit decided to rub him out.

[RamboLiberal]

58. I've always wondered that

I was reading excerpts of a book by an Army interrogater in Iraq who was a liberal. He detailed the crap he went through from the wingnuts and fundies in the Army who seemed at the time to be the majority. I had a funny feeling that there may have been jealousy of Tillman in the unit and that they didn't care for his stance against the Iraq war. I wondered especially after seeing Army photos from the site why they couldn't recognize him as a friendly and that maybe one or more of them opened up on him. Doesn't help to allay suspicion that they immediately burned his uniform and his journal.

[Highway61]

34. Jessica Lynch was in front of congress recently

Told them all the story was all cooked up...NOTHING on the news. Now THIS???? Enough is enough. You and I all know what is going on...where is the "spine" of our members of congress to stay on this crap like pit bulls instead of making comments about impeachment NOT being on the table??? Keep writing them until your fingers hurt folks....WE have to stay on them like pit bulls. I can't take this any more....what disrespect and disregard for the life this young man gave for his country. Bastards...Support our troops, huh??? Despicable sludge is what they are...

[19jet54]

36. Everything....

... is either a National Secret or Executive Privilege?

"Sieg...Heil! Sieg...Heil! Sieg...Heil!"

:mad:

[madrchsod]

41. so someone in his office buried the story?

well how many people are there in his office? two? could that be uncle dick and the little prick?

"dig a little deeper in the well,well,well" ben harper

[orleans]

42. just saw this on olbermann; what the fuck is up with waxman releasing this

on a fucking FRIDAY FOR THE NEWS DUMP???

(and if i'm that pissed over this being released on friday late afternoon--you can just guess what my reaction is over THIS FUCKING STORY AND THE GODDAMN WHITE HOUSE!)


http://decider.cf.huffingtonpost.com/

[Bjorn Against]

44. I have to put my tinfoil hat on now...

Is it possible that "friendly fire" was not really so friendly? Is it possible that Tillman was murdered in cold blood and the Bush administration covered it up?

[ladym55]

45. How many high crimes and misdemeanors today, kiddies?

It's time for us to put the "I" word on the table. Time to impeach them ALL---begin with Uncle
Dick, then chimpie, and keep on rolling.

Being outraged every day is really wearing me out.

When will all the wimps in Congress and dimbulb citizens get moving?????

:mad: :argh: :spank: :grr: :nuke:

[orleans]

46. from the committee's website

Friday, July 13, 2007
Misleading Information from the Battlefield
Committee Objects to Withholding of Tillman Documents

Today Chairman Waxman and Ranking Minority Member Davis sent a letter to the White House objecting to the withholding of documents related to the death of U.S. Army Corporal Patrick Tillman, who was killed by friendly fire in Afghanistan in 2004. As a result of deficient responses from both the White House and Defense Department, the Committee also announced an August 1 hearing to examine what senior Defense Department officials knew about Corporal Tillman’s death.

Following the Committee’s April 24, 2007, hearing on the Tillman fratricide, the Committee wrote to White House Counsel Fred Fielding seeking “all documents received or generated by any official in the Executive Office of the President” relating to Corporal Tillman’s death. The White House Counsel’s office responded that it would not provide the Committee with documents that “implicate Executive Branch confidentiality interests” and produced only two communications with the officials in the Defense Department, one of which was a package of news clippings. The response of the Defense Department to the Committee’s inquiry was also deficient.

In response to the deficiencies in the White House and Defense Department productions, Chairman Waxman and Ranking Member Davis today sent letters to White House Counsel Fred Fielding and Defense Secretary Robert Gates requesting complete document production by July 25, 2007. Chairman Waxman also wrote the Republican National Committee to request communications about Corporal Tillman’s death by White House officials using e-mail accounts controlled by the RNC.

In addition, the Oversight Committee announced that a hearing will be held on Wednesday, August 1, 2007, to investigate what senior officials at the Defense Department knew about Corporal Tillman’s death.

http://oversight.house.gov/story.asp?ID=1410

[karlrschneider]

47. Oh, another strongly-worded letter. That will work well.

:eyes:

[azmesa207]

48. I have two word for his executive privilege

Impeach him

[Prisoner_Number_Six]

49. Doesn't a single legislator believe this has just gone WAY too far?

Anyone? Anyone? Bueller? Bueller?

:shrug:

[Kablooie]

50. This is not executive privilege, it's DICTATOR'S DIRECTIVE.

[Jacobin]

51. Utter fucking bullshit

Now we know to an absolute certainty that Bush knew shortly after his death that Tillman had been killed by friendly fire and knowing that, went on to make political hay out of his death to support his doomed war.

This has GOT to stop.

There isn't even a fucking SHRED of reason for their to be a privilege.

:argh:

[stressfulreality]

53. ..i don't understand, how far is bush away from this scenario?

-------------------------------------------------------------------------

President Is Denied Executive Privilege

By Peter Baker and Susan Schmidt
Washington Post Staff Writers
Wednesday, May 6, 1998; Page A01

A federal judge has ruled that President Clinton cannot use the power of his office to block prosecutors from questioning his senior aides, rejecting Clinton's assertion of executive privilege in the Monica S. Lewinsky investigation, lawyers familiar with the decision said yesterday.

In a ruling issued under court seal Monday, Chief U.S. District Judge Norma Holloway Johnson concluded that independent counsel Kenneth W. Starr's need to collect evidence in his obstruction of justice probe outweighs Clinton's interest in preserving the confidentiality of White House discussions, the lawyers said.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/politics/special/clinton/stories/starr050698.htm

-------------------------------------------------------------------------

[Canuckistanian]

54. They've gone mad with this "executive privilege" thing

This has to end.

There's no fucking reason for this.

[LordshipLadyship]

56. executive privilege

What's next? They're going to cite executive privilege so that we won't know what colour the White House is? IMPEACH.

Lordship

[young_at_heart]

57. Please tell me there are some Republicans out there who are unhappy about this?

Surely they are going to do something!

[thecrow]

59. well, Tom Davis, for one!

Finally, my (R) congressman, for whom I did not vote demanding something for truth.

He sent me this long letter about how right and wonderful Smirky and his WarOnTerra was when I wrote to him pleading for the sake of PEACE that he vote NO on the Iraq War. He went on and on about the WMD because I had said LET THE INSPECATORS DO THEIR JOBS!

I hope he will do the peoples job now, and not gum up the works.

[cui bono]

60. This is just fucking ridiculous now.

Come the fuck on you cowardly Dems! PULL OUT ALL THE STOPS GODAMMIT!!!

SLAP INHERENT CONTEMPT ON ALL OF THOSE MOFOS!!!

[Lorien]

61. Wasn't Tillman a RWer? Isn't it time for even the Freepers to say "Enough

Already"?

Every family who lost one of their own in this "war" deserves to know the truth, no matter how ugly that truth is. I do hope that Waxman and others are working just as hard for the families of non-celebrity soldiers who believe that their government is hiding something from them. At any rate, the degree of BushCo's secrecy has become SO outrageous that I honestly can't imagine how any RWer could delude themselves into believing that these criminals are serving anyone's interests but their own. They are turning the executive office into the very thing that we fought against in the Revolutionary war. Enough already!!

[brentspeak]

67. Uh, what?

Pat Tillman was anything but a "RWer". Please read:

http://www.thenation.com/doc/20051024/zirin

[Lorien]

70. OK, so I didn't know the whole story. Last time I paid any attention to it

was shortly after Tillman was killed. The MSM had turned him into a rather pro-war figure with the sound bites they were showing. All part of the propaganda campaign, I guess.

[Bushwick Bill]

69. No, read this Tillman series here.

It appears that Pat went into Afghanistan with the "let's kick some butt" attitude and was about to come out like a regular antiwar activist.
http://www.fromthewilderness.com/free/ww3/index.shtml#tillman

[glitch]

63. Now why would they need to declare executive privilege on this? Were they involved in his death?

Computer says yes. This looks like another ill-planned act (Bush/Cheney, well known for their successful brilliance not) covered up by let's say someone not quite adept at devising plausible cover stories.
It's so humiliating to be couped by the B-team, and from the Bush League!

Sometimes it is the crime and not the cover-up.

Why do I say this? Because we already know they lied about and propagandized Tillman's death, so that can't be what they are covering up with this claim for executive privilege. So what is?

[Ilsa]

65. Here's the link to the Oversight Committee's complete article:

http://oversight.house.gov/story.asp?ID=1410

In addition, the Oversight Committee announced that a hearing will be held on Wednesday, August 1, 2007, to investigate what senior officials at the Defense Department knew about Corporal Tillman’s death.

[Maven]

66. I guess it's going to take another FUCKING COUP.

This is ridiculous.

[Neshanic]

68. Pelosi to Reid..."Did we use outraged last time? I think in this letter we

better use something stonger, like regrettable decision."

[ProudDad]

71. Can You Hear It?

Can you hear the sound of the bushies digging...digging...digging... Their own graves.

It's a wonderful sound...