CONTEMPT CHARGES PASSED!!!

[Subdivisions]

[Warpy]

1. Committee, or whole House?

Details, details.

[annabanana]

4. committee. . right along party lines 22 to 17. . . .n/t

[mzmolly]

63. Glad we're in charge.

:toast:

[annabanana]

2. yup. Just happened.

That's what I call gripping TV..

[Squatch]

3. What just happened?

[That Is Quite Enough]

5. Where where where?

Are you sure? Really? Where? Huh? IS THIS SO?

...Not that it really matters. The whole Contempt issue is just a minor nuisance to Cheney, Bu$h and his minions.

[annabanana]

House judiciary streaming vid

http://judiciary.house.gov/

(they are on to other business now)

[That Is Quite Enough]

11. Thanks for the link.

[LSK]

8. House Judiciary Cmte just voted on it

[spanone]

6. What Happens Next??? anyone?

[AndyTiedye]

9. To the Full House Next

[NewJeffCT]

10. I think it moves on to the whole House, but not sure the timing

I doubt it's immediate.

[eggman67]

53. I doubt very much that it...

...will work its way on to the calendar before the August recess.

[zabet]

13. A special announcement from the chimperor...

granting a pre-emptive pardon.

[ayeshahaqqiqa]

59. He looks much saner and healthier than usual in your photograph n/t

[ginnyinWI]

70. hm--has he had some "work " done?

I like the new look. :)

[zanne]

25. From what I understand....

It goes to the full House next, where a simple majority is all that's needed. Then, it goes to a Federal District Court (I forget which one), where the judge will decide whether or not it goes any further. The judge happens to be a Bush appointee. I don't know what happens after that, except that Bush can acquit them.

[spanone]

42. thanks all.....

[thereismore]

48. D.C. court with a bush* appointee. nt

[wryter2000]

54. Let's hope

That s/he's the same sort of * appointee as Fitzgerald.

[NewJeffCT]

7. When will it move on to the whole House vote? And...

will any Republics break party lines to vote for contempt?

[blogslut]

16. Two day grace period to add comments

If they are in session Monday, I'm guessing that is when it goes before the full house

[mmonk]

12. Inherent or one for bush's judiciary?

[annabanana]

17. no.. It's regular, not premium... If they get nothing, they have the option

to go for premium

[mmonk]

23. Thanks.

Of course the danger is a new precedent that damages checks and balances but nobody seems to worry about such things.

[On the Road]

72. I'm Certainly Worried About the Precedent

One can only hope that the judge will keep the mind the precedents during Clinton's second term. It is one reason that immediately going for inherent contempt might have been the better course. Just glad they're moving ahead.

[creeksneakers2]

73. This is the precedent now

If Bush can get away with refusing to comply with Congressional subpoenas then every other president will try the same thing.

[KharmaTrain]

38. One More Step In The Dance...

Conyers knows that Inherent is the ultimate game here and I sense Ko-Tex Sennenbrenner does as well in his remarks this morning. This is going to court to define "Executive Privilidge"...but first Conyers is calling this regime's bluff.

One question that we will soon get the answer (and most of us know what it will be), is if this contempt will be handled by the Justice Department or not...will they honor booshie boy's demand of hands off or will it proceede and by whom? Gonzo and almost anyone associated with him will have to recuse...and then where? We need to find out. Also, this gives more grounds for both impeachment articles to be written on Gonzo and the next step of getting a vote on inherent contempt.

I'm hoping Speaker Pelosi brings this contempt vote to the full house pronto so we get the ball rolling a little further a little faster.

Cheers....

[mmonk]

43. Be careful what you wish for. We have ideologues on the bench

now.

[KharmaTrain]

50. True, But I'll Take The Chance...

First...I expect the DOJ will not take on the contempt charge that will set up a serious Constitutional showdown which needs to get put out there and let the chips fall where they may. If it turns out the game is rigged, at least there's a stand taken. However, I see this regime having a rough time in the First District court...the same one that convicted Scooter, the same one booshie repudiated with his commutation and has kicked him in the ass on the Gitmo cases. If you look this regime's record has been dismal. Even Sentelle...the judge who all but encouraged Ken Starr to dig in Clinton's garbage, has ruled against this regime.

It could all boil down to Anthony Kennedy and your guess as to which way he blows is as good as mine. But I don't see enough time on the clock right now for that to happen. There are too many other factors at play here. My thought is Conyers expects to get rebuffed and that the issuing of inherent contempt and its provisions will create a far better showdown with the regime, since they'll have to fight keeping their criminals out of jail and will be in a far more vulnerable position.

[mmonk]

56. Exactly what I'm hoping for is your last line:

"My thought is Conyers expects to get rebuffed and that the issuing of inherent contempt and its provisions will create a far better showdown with the regime, since they'll have to fight keeping their criminals out of jail and will be in a far more vulnerable position."

[satya]

14. Contempt (goes to the Dept of Just-Us) or Inherent Contempt? thx, nt

[LSK]

20. 1st one

[SoCalDem]

40. I'm sure Gonzo will get right ON it..

:rofl:

if he can remember where his office is :)

[The Cleaner]

15. Yesssssss!

:applause:

[Chichiri]

18. I think a full house vote is necessary before contempt charges are actually filed.

Yes/no?

[knowledgeispwr]

31. Yes

A full House vote is necessary

[bdamomma]

19. conyers was all business.

[jtrockville]

21. AP: "Charges unlikely to stick"

http://www.kxxv.com/global/story.asp?s=6837882

[NewJeffCT]

27. They do note its because of "Bush-appointed lawyers"

would then take over the case.

[jtrockville]

36. Sad that it automatically means charges will be dismissed.

Are there ANY Bush-appointees who have taken an oath to the Constitution rather than an oath to the President?

[zanne]

34. I don't care if Bush acquits them....

As long as they're found guilty by congress.

[jtrockville]

41. I don't think Congress will make that determination :(

From the article, it seems the full house will have to pass the resolution to file charges, but after charges are filed it's out of their hands.

[bigtree]

46. that was one of those AP hit jobs

a sad piece of reporting

[nashville_brook]

55. no doubt! n/t

[Chichiri]

22. And of course, there's a distraction right at the crucial moment.

Seems that, somehow, some gas tanks blew up near Dallas. Pictures of smoke on the MSM.

[zanne]

39. It seems like gas and oil tanks are always blowing up in Texas....

Or is it just my imagination?

[Manifestor_of_Light]

68. No, it's cuz Bush quit all the safety inspections when he became governor.

A guy told me that as soon as Bush was elected in '95 that the OSHA inspectors stopped coming around the refineries. That's why occasionally a refinery or other facility gets blown to Kingdom Come.

If you want to hear about the mother of all Texas explosions, Google: Texas City explosion, April 1947.

[TheWraith]

52. Ease off on the paranoia button.

Shit happens every day in the world without it being a conspiracy or a "distraction."

[radfringe]

24. assuming it passes in the house

when the bushies piss on it - what are the Dems prepared to do?

Will they take the next step?

[Peace Patriot]

26. Here's the DU live blog thread--as it happened....

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=389x1431752
*** House Judiciary Comtempt Hearing Thread #5 ***

[springhill]

28. Yes............

and it will go to the supreme court and Bush and Cheney will win again.

[mzmolly]

65. Well it may demonstrate the importance of having a Democratically elected President appoint

SC judges?

[jberryhill]

29. Quick... occupy Conyers office and interfere with his work here!

Oh, done that already.

[YOY]

30. Awesome!

n/t

[Alexander]

32. But....but.....it's not IMPEACHMENT NOW!!!!!!1!!!!!11!!!!!

Honestly, could the Cindy supporters look any more foolish?

[Swamp Rat]

33. WOOHOO!!!

:woohoo:

[libnnc]

35. Swell. Now what?

[bigtree]

44. full House has to vote

republicans forced to register their approval of Bush's obstruction of justice or jump ship and leave him swinging in the wind

[Summer93]

37. Kick and Recommend

[thereismore]

45. YES! Former SCOTUS-caliber candidate in contempt of Congress. How nice. nt

[sakabatou]

47. w00t

[davidwparker]

49. Oh happy day. First, Edwards slaps the GOP across the face with his "Hair"

commercial and now this.

Put those two in the jail in Congress!

[salinen]

51. This is proof

that those Judges were fired by Rove. They're going to bomb Iran before Miers takes the stand.

[orleans]

57. i hope they can still use inherent contempt when the courts laugh this

charge away

[understandinglife]

60. No restrictions on the use of 'inherent contempt' ...

[orleans]

67. not even like a double jeopardy thing (where you can't be tried twice

for the same crime stuff?)

[understandinglife]

75. You've got to be tried once before that would be an issue. Let's just get them ...

... to the first trial, before either the House or Senate (both are options given the nature of inherent contempt, i.e., the individual is tried before the legislative body whose member files the charge).


Peace.

[redqueen]

58. Despite the distractions!

:bounce:

[jtrockville]

61. WaPo: WH will prevent any US Attorney from pursuing such a case

Last week, White House officials vowed that if the full House holds the two officials in contempt, they would block lawmakers' ability to bring the charges before a federal judge by preventing any U.S. attorney from pursuing such a case. The administration cited a 1984 Justice Department legal opinion, never adjudicated in the courts, that said that a federal prosecutor cannot be compelled to bring a case seeking to override a president's executive privilege claim.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/07/24/AR2007072402311_pf.html

[zanne]

69. Well, if they block lawmaker's abilities to pursue the case.....

We better hear it loud and clear for weeks--on CNN, MSNCB, FOX, ABC, CBS, NBC and all the major newpapers.

[jtrockville]

71. I wouldn't bet on it. But I do hope you're right.

[xchrom]

62. ...

:woohoo: :woohoo: :woohoo:

[dorkulon]

64. Yay!

[malaise]

66. Good start

any problems and Inherent comtempt will be next. Nail them Dems.

[creeksneakers2]

74. I'm hoping it will go like this

1. Committee vote for contempt (done)
2. Begin impeachment inquiry for Gonzales
3. Spend entire August recess telling the public about how Bush is like Nixon and has put himself above the law. Use airtime Gonzales impeachment brings to make Bush/Nixon case.
4. Full House vote on contempt
5. Bush orders US Attorney not to prosecute
6. Democrats make sure Bush goes on TV looking like Nixon.
7. Inherent contempt brought up.
8. Sergeant at arms goes to take Meir and Bolten into custody
9. Bush cabal files habeas action and sues the sergeant at arms
10. Power of inherent contempt upheld and Bush's claims of executive privilege are thrown out because information is needed for the impeachment of Gonzales. The Courts allow inherent contempt to be used against a member of the executive branch for the first time under this constitution.
11. Sergeant at arms goes back out to take Meirs and Bolten into custody.
12. Bush goes to extra judicial means of preventing arrests
13. Public realizes Bush is worse than Nixon and has put himself above the law.
14. Impeachment inquiry brought against Bush for crime of obstructing Congress.

[KAT119]

76. K&R n/t