What, besides 'party loyalty', keeps Sara Taylor or Meirs from answering questions?

[sinkingfeeling]

How does the White House, their ex-employer, have any say in what they can relate? Sara was asked if she had an 'employee contract' that stated she would claim executive privilege after she left employment, and she said she didn't recall ever signing such an agreement.

[truebrit71]

1. Fear of reprisals?

Blind stupidity?

[Rosa Luxemburg]

2. they daren't?

[Bitwit1234]

17. My sentiments exactly

look what they did to Plame to "get even". The ruined an undercover operation that was benefiting this country in finding WMD. And put the lives of many many operatives in danger, as well as Plame. So they give a damn about anything but covering theirs and rove (especially) asses.

[SoonerPride]

3. Cheney will shoot you in the face.

Then disembowel your family.
Then eat your dog.
And then he really starts to get angry.

[BlackHawk706867]

4. I hope they have a way of taking this dipshit down... She is arrogant...

just like her former boss. I think she is stonewalling...

ww

[Raven]

5. She said she took a loyalty oath "to the President"... I am pretty

sure that the oath that she took was to the United States of America, not George W. Bush but that failure to understand who they are working for is what makes these people so dangerous.

[RaleighNCDUer]

8. Loyalty oath to the president --

I wouldn't put it past them. And not to the 'president' but to the specific person in that office.

Reminds me of German officers swearing loyalty to the Fueher, instead of to the Fatherland.

[MorningGlow]

6. I think it's a mix of cult-like culture and promises of safety

These people are "indoctrinated" into the cult of the Repub party (these days)--they get 'em young and, let's face it, these folks aren't exactly the sharpest knives in the drawer, and so more susceptible to that kind of brainwashing--and believe in Repub Party Uber Alles. If they grow a spine and think of straying, I firmly believe they're threatened that harm will come to them or their families. But those who stay loyal yet find themselves under the gun are promised protection and salvation. See: Libby.

[TahitiNut]

7. Siege mentality ... us vs. them ... zero-sum thinking ... annointed self-righteousness.

It's a syndrome, not a binary ... authoritarianism.

[tularetom]

9. The absolute certainty that there will be no consequences

The wussy senate dems talk real tough but don't follow through on their threats.

Taylor should be charged with contempt of congress and taken out of the hearing room in handcuffs.

Until Leahy and the rest of them grow a spine this will never happen and they'll continue to stall evade and falsely claim executive privilege.

[Libby2]

10. Fear

[Beelzebud]

11. According to Tayler, she took "an oath to the president".

[BattyDem]

15. That jumped out at me, too.

I'd like to see that oath. :eyes:

[sinkingfeeling]

12. I mean, legally, there's no way a letter from the WH attorney can dictate what someone, not

directly and currently connected to them, can say or do, right?

[Robbien]

13. Two things. Carrot and a stick

The stick: NSA spying. You really don't believe that Cheney/Bush doesn't have a huge file on each and every congresscritter/staff do you?

The carrot: K Street. High paying, high prestige job ready and waiting for any loyal Bushie.

[Bucky]

14. Her loyalty is the Republican Party, not to the Constitution.

Fighting against the rule of law right now means her career is made. This is a smart career move, the law be damned.

[Perky]

16. the privielge issue

The courts will side with the COngress though because of compelling national interest