Bush aides to face contempt citations

[ray of light]

Source: Associated Press, Yahoo News

Bush aides to face contempt citations By LAURIE KELLMAN, Associated Press Writer
30 minutes ago



WASHINGTON - Heading toward a separation-of-powers showdown, House Democrats prepared contempt of Congress citations against two White House aides who have refused to comply with subpoenas for information on the abrupt firings of federal prosecutors.


The White House has said that Chief of Staff Josh Bolten and former legal counselor Harriet Miers, among other top advisers to President Bush, are absolutely immune from subpoenas because their documents and testimony are protected by executive privilege.

House Judiciary Committee Democrats, led by Rep. John Conyers, D-Mich., reject that claim and have drafted for a vote Wednesday a resolution citing Miers and Bolten with contempt of Congress, a federal misdemeanor punishable by up to a $100,000 fine and a one-year prison sentence.

The panel's vote is the first step on the road to a possible constitutional showdown in federal court


Read more: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070725/ap_on_go_co/prosecutors_contempt;_ylt=AsBhNufGYJS6AlXCkGOad6ys0NUE

[DUlover2909]

1. so even if Congress convicts them on contempt charges

Chimpy can just pardon them. Lovely. This has gone way beyond ridiculous. What does a corrupt administration have to do to get impeached? Strangle an infant in broad daylight on video?

[ray of light]

2. no. they're fine with that. They can even have -sstains on a blue dress

and they won't get impeached.

Seriously. CALL Conyers, Pelosi, Hoyer, and your Reps to make it more likely to happen.

Call them every day!

[rockedthevoteinMA]

3. If this were to pass (the contempt charges), can *ush still

pardon them? Or is this a case where his "executive privilege" holds no water?

[Hissyspit]

4. Two Aides To Face Contempt Charges

Source: Associated Press

2 Bush Aides to Face Contempt Citations

Jul 25, 5:28 AM (ET)

By LAURIE KELLMAN

WASHINGTON (AP) - Heading toward a separation-of-powers showdown, House Democrats prepared contempt of Congress citations against two White House aides who have refused to comply with subpoenas for information on the abrupt firings of federal prosecutors.

The White House has said that Chief of Staff Josh Bolten and former legal counselor Harriet Miers, among other top advisers to President Bush, are absolutely immune from subpoenas because their documents and testimony are protected by executive privilege.

House Judiciary Committee Democrats, led by Rep. John Conyers, D-Mich., reject that claim and have drafted for a vote Wednesday a resolution citing Miers and Bolten with contempt of Congress, a federal misdemeanor punishable by up to a $100,000 fine and a one-year prison sentence.

- snip -

Democrats rejected Fielding's "take-it-or-leave-it" offer and advised lawyers for Miers and Bolten that they were in danger of being held in contempt of Congress. If the citation passes the committee and then the full House by simple majorities, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi then would transfer it to the U.S. attorney for the District of Columbia. The man who holds that job, Jeff Taylor, is a Bush appointee. The Bush administration has made clear it would not let a contempt citation be prosecuted because the information and documents sought are protected by executive privilege.

Read more: 2 Bush Aides to Face Contempt Citations

[ananda]

5. Somebody tell me..

Exactly how much teeth is in a contempt of congress citation?

Or is it just another bureaucratic maneuver that will die a slow
death in the legal process?

Sue

[xultar]

6. So what do you want done?

[Exiled in America]

9. I want it to be ok to tell the truth, rather than people responding to honest inquiries with

"so what do you want done."

It it is going to accomplish nothing, lets just have the balls to say so.

[xultar]

11. Then I'll ask your ass. What the fuck do you want done then??? Honest inquiry.

[Exiled in America]

12. asked and answered.

[xultar]

13. Avoidance. So good in the morning.

[Exiled in America]

14. There is no avoidance. I told you exactly, and I didn't stutter.

[Exiled in America]

7. Who controls the Supreme Court? That should answer your question.

None of this matters, because a) the bush administration has instructed the Justice Department NOT to carry out any contempt of congress citations and b) the US Supreme Court was stacked with Bush appointees.

[disndat]

10. except

Anthony Kennedy who seemed to have a good respect for the Constitution.

[lynnertic]

8. Conyers' committee is meeting about this now I think

CSPAN
http://www.cspan.org/watch/cs_cspan3_wm.asp?Cat=TV&Code=CS3

DU thread
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=389x1430755