WHITE HOUSE ASSERTS EXECUTIVE PRIVILEGE-Will NOT Turn Over Docs!

[kpete]

White House asserts executive privilege By TERENCE HUNT, AP White House Correspondent
7 minutes ago


WASHINGTON - The White House, moving toward a constitutional showdown with Congress, asserted executive privilege Thursday and rejected lawmakers' demands for documents that could shed light on the firings of federal prosecutors.

President Bush's attorney told Congress the White House would not turn over subpoenaed documents for former presidential counsel Harriet Miers and former political director Sara Taylor.

"With respect, it is with much regret that we are forced down this unfortunate path which we sought to avoid by finding grounds for mutual accommodation," White House counsel Fred Fielding said in a letter to the chairmen of the House and Senate Judiciary Committees. "We had hoped this matter could conclude with your committees receiving information in lieu of having to invoke executive privilege. Instead, we are at this conclusion."

Thursday was the deadline for surrendering the documents. The White House also made clear that Miers and Taylor would not testify next month, as directed by the subpoenas, which were issued June 13. The stalemate could end up with House and Senate contempt citations and a battle in federal court over separation of powers.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070628/ap_on_go_pr_wh/bush_subpoenas_4

[babylonsister]

1. Well, what a surprise. But Cheney's not part of that branch? Make up

your minds! :eyes:

[glowing]

5. you beat me to it, I was thinking... that's not a real surprise. They

have been doing this for 6+ yrs. Impeach. Its the only way to clean out the crap.

[TwilightGardener]

8. He IS a part of the branch...until he isn't--until he is...until he isn't.

Geez, leave the guy alone! :-)

[Tandalayo_Scheisskopf]

2. And thus...

The Battle is truely joined.

[LynnTheDem]

3. Can't do; bush & cheney are ot part of the executive branch.

Therefore, they do not have any executive privilege.

Dear America, how's that dictatorship working out for you? It's sure not working out so well for the US$.

IMPEACH.

INDICT.

IMPRISON.

[madokie]

4. into your corners folks and lets get this fight started

people are dying, more and more each day.

[Deep13]

6. There's no such thing as executive privilege.

Read the case law, assholes. (I mean the Bush people are assholes, not you all.)

[groovedaddy]

7. 5-4

Need I say more?

[blogslut]

10. Maybe

Maybe not. We'll see won't we?

[Atman]

11. Yeah...this is bad.

My guess is they win this one if it goes to the SCOTUS. I'd rather the dems just send the Sgt of Arms to their homes and arrest them, as their legally charged to do. If we go SCOTUS, it's pretty clear what the outcome will be. They'll dance with them that brung 'em.

.

[leftchick]

34. that really is the only option

but it would require some courage.

[Ioo]

26. I am not so sure...

Those guys have the job, they can not be removed... They have no loyalty anymore... I think in a cut and dry case we will win.

The SCOTUS does a lot of interpretation of the law... this is where we loose. This is cut and dry.

[ClintonTyree]

30. "They have no loyalty anymore". ARE YOU SERIES1!!11!!

All kidding aside, the 5 CONservative Supremes are as loyal to their masters as they've ever been. A look at the recent decisions handed down will attest to that. These CONservative assholes won't let Congress anywhere near Bush and Cheney. And we have this to look forward to for their entire lifetimes.

Sure glad the Dems "kept their powder dry" during the confirmation processes. :banghead:

[robinlynne]

31. Have you been following the cases brought before the supremes? They are worse

than Bush!

[hobbit709]

9. Nixon tried that argument-with the same lawyer

Didn't work then, won't work now.

[Le Taz Hot]

19. It will work

because we have a corrupt Supreme Court. With Nixon, we had an actual REAL SC NOT filled with paid ideologues.

[blondeatlast]

33. Exactly. These are grim days indeed. nt

[in_cog_ni_to]

49. That's why Impeachment is their ONLY choice.

The question is, DO THEY HAVE THE BALLS TO DO THE RIGHT THING? DO THEY HAVE THE BALLS TO DO WHAT THE CONSTITUTION HAS GIVEN THEM THE POWER TO DO?

We shall see. Maybe this is their grand plan. Let the administration break so many laws, they have no other choice but to IMPEACH.

[NewJeffCT]

23. The courts are a lot farther to the right than they were then

Now, every federal court, save one, has a majority of their judges having been appointed by Republics. Nixon was probably still dealing with some judges that were appointed by FDR and Truman, in addition to Kennedy and Johnson.

Bush was preceded by Republic presidents for 20 of the prior 32 years.

Nixon was preceded by Democratic presidents for 28 out of the prior 36 years.

makes for a huge difference in the court system.

[Norquist Nemesis]

41. Yes it will. It's not the same judges and justices as it was with Nixon.

There was a reason that the Democrats were questioning Alito and Roberts about Unitary Executive during their confirmations. Same with looking at stare decisis (sp)--it wasn't all about Roe on those questions.

[baldguy]

12. Has an executive privilege dispute ever been ruled in a Presidents' favor?

The President only has executive privilege to the extent that Congress gives it to him.

[Edweird]

13. But , we knew this was coming.. What matters is how it's handled.

[Annces]

14. I wonder if Cheney wanted this confrontation all along

Somehow it seems like the end of the road, and where he wanted to be.

[Old and In the Way]

15. Politicizing the DoJ is reprehensible and a criminal offense.

Hold these people accountable for trying to turn this country into a 1 Party state.

[blondeatlast]

37. Love to, but HOW? If you've got some ideas, out with 'em. PLEASE. nt

[Old and In the Way]

45. Well all else fails, use the sledgehammer in the toolbox.

That would be impeachment.

[bdamomma]

16. shoot!! hold them for contempt, shit how many more crimes

are they going to commit.

[deminks]

17. Contempt of Congress, and therefore in contempt of the American people

Inherent contempt. Now. What are they hiding?

[Le Taz Hot]

18. Next move from our illustrious DINO "leadership:"

a STRONGLY-WORDED LETTER! :puke:

[firefox_fan]

38. Way to go!

Daschle got an Anthrax letter when he was in the way, the Repubs get a strongly-worded letter.

[bdamomma]

39. what is that saying, the pen is mightier than the sword, but in this

case that saying should be the other way around.

[MiniMe]

20. Stall, Stall, Stall

That is all they are trying to do. Stall until after the election.

[guitar man]

21. then arrest them!!

geez, grow a spine and send the SAA over to clap them in handcuffs!! :mad:

[King Coal]

22. Did anyone see Jonathon Turley on Count Down?

He was saying that criminal charges brought against the Bushies would trump.

[Ioo]

24. Republicans Must Be Wishing They did not Go After Clinton

The Witch Hunt of Bill decimated Executive Privilege. Good luck to the White House.

Hey Republicans, remember that what you do may come back to haunt you!!!

[ClintonTyree]

32. You forget the NIYAR defense.......

usually these things WOULD apply, but NOT IF YOU'RE A REPUBLICAN. The Constitution, as written, applies only to Democrats. Republicans can use signing statements or just totally ignore the Constitution altogether at their whim. Laws apply only to Democrats. This administration has demonstrated that time and again and I see no reason why they'd change course now. They know they have a stacked Supreme Whore Court behind them so they're going for broke.

[bdamomma]

40. I hope its haunts them quickly.

[Imagevision]

25. It appears the new Dem House & Senate are meaningless without a Dem president

they want the people to abide by the rules while these fat cats continue avoid the real issues. Any light-weight knows Bush/Cheney could NEVER hand over any documents because it would open the much feared can of worms to other information dating back to 2004 election fraud, this I believe is why Rove had to make his and the other 57 white house assistants emails disappear.

[Bitwit1234]

27. How come the republican court wouldn't let President Clinton

claim executive privledge. He was made to even testify.. a sitting president. And now even a vice president wants to be able to not even give copies of his papers to the congress.

Wonder why that is. Does a republican think that he is above the law while a lowly democrat must follow the law. Damn those republicans what will they think of next.

[progressoid]

28. I'm sure Republicans attack the "Executive Privilege" ploy as vigorously as they did when Clinton

tried to use it.

[The Backlash Cometh]

29. "Mutual accommodation" = I'll scratch your back if you scratch mine.

[judaspriestess]

35. no one does the double standard dance

better than these assholes.

[senseandsensibility]

36. Time for some actions, Dems

Time for some serious strategy. This should be our turning point.

[bdamomma]

43. dems need to smack these guys down, but it is going to be

business as usual, as the country continues its downward spiral. hold them for contempt of congress.

[Richard Steele]

42. No surprises from the WH. Will there be any from the Congress? nm

[L. Coyote]

44. If you have nothing to hide, you hide nothing, if you have crimes to hide, you hide all

We knew it was the latter.

[helderheid]

46. Make up your minds! God, NOTHING surprises me anymore.

[Imagevision]

47. The Dems knew this would happen --> so where is plan B - they pretend

they expected any cooperation whatsoever from this renegade adminstration then merely point fingers, my nine year old does that!!

[in_cog_ni_to]

48. IMPEACH! NOW! How many excuses do the Dems need to Impeach? This is INSANE! n/t