Rep. John Conyers Introduces Contempt Resolution, Call for Lawsuit against White House

[L. Coyote]

Conyers Introduces Contempt Resolution, Call for Lawsuit against White House
By Paul Kiel - February 13, 2008, 3:23PM - http://tpmmuckraker.talkingpointsmemo.com/2008/02/conyers_introduces_contempt_re.php


As expected (http://www.politico.com/blogs/thecrypt/0208/Pelosi_considers_floor_vote_on_Bolten_Miers_contempt_citations.html), things are finally (http://tpmmuckraker.talkingpointsmemo.com/2008/01/who_has_time_for_contempt.php) moving forward in the House today to bring contempt resolutions against White House officials for ignoring Congressional subpoenas as part of the U.S. attorney firings investigation.

House Judiciary Committee Chair John Conyers (D-MI) introduced two resolutions this afternoon related to the subpoenas. The first is a criminal contempt resolution against White House chief of staff Josh Bolten and former White House counsel Harriet Miers -- both were subpoenaed and did not respond, citing the White House's invocation of executive privilege. But Conyers also filed a resolution that Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) file a civil suit against the White House.

Update: You can read both of those resolutions as prepared here (http://www.talkingpointsmemo.com/docs/contempt-resolution/). ......

.........

[radfringe]

1. uh oh

were bolton and miers using 'roids?

[The Wielding Truth]

2. ABOUT TIME! n/t

[zanne]

3. He expects Nancy Pelosi to file suit against the White House?

:rofl:

[katty]

4. Luv him...but Pelosi will just go to lunch

[VP505]

6. No she won't

she has more important things to do, she has an appointment to get her hair done on that day and will be way too busy for law suits.

[katty]

12. right!

[VP505]

14. We say that as a joke

but sadly it may well be close to true. :cry:

[seemslikeadream]

5. Conyers also filed a resolution that Speaker Pelosi file a civil suit against the White House

[Fire Walk With Me]

7. Really? For really?

He's going to upset the apple cart.

[malaise]

8. K & R

Please please do it!

[islandmkl]

9. Nancy will show up at John's house in a white suit....

she knows that's what he meant to tell her.

[Disturbed]

10. If Rep. Conyers was serious he would file Inherent Contempt

upon White House chief of staff Josh Bolten and former White House counsel Harriet Miers.

[RuleOfNah]

11. Conyers seems to be serious about avoiding being serious.

I no longer buy his act.

[L. Coyote]

13. He is serious as stone. And, apparently a lot of Congress members are geting very fed up!

Mukasey's testimony was a turning point in political history.
Bush pulled off a Saturday Night Massacre, and they finally see that!

I hope a lot of Rs miss the convention due to their impeachment!

[L. Coyote]

15. VIDEO: Conyers on FISA and Bush - 2/13/08

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=385x93202

[L. Coyote]

16. KICK this LBN Thread up: Conyers Introduces Contempt Resolution ...

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=102x3180830

It is on the Home page!

[Blarch]

17. It's all for show.

Fuck them, they are scum. Nothing will come of this

[sicksicksick_N_tired]

24. I confess my own cynicism but am glad I'm not in total despair. nt

[L. Coyote]

18. NADLER on Wash. Journal now C-SPAN. Debate and vote expected today.

[radfringe]

19. yeah... right...

wake me if this goes anywhere

- lots of blather, resolutions never get to vote, ends up at bottom of pile in the room where ever they keep the powder dry

[sicksicksick_N_tired]

20. May this be the first in a series. I demand accountability against the power abusers!!

:grr:

[L. Coyote]

21. The Rs will look back on 2007 oversight with warm, fuzzy nostalgia after 2008!!

[L. Coyote]

22. House readies for key contempt vote = TODAY

House readies for key contempt vote
John Bresnahan - Feb 14, 2008 05:56 AM EST - http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0208/8520.html

After more than six months of delay, the House will vote Thursday to authorize criminal and civil contempt proceedings against White House chief of staff Josh Bolten and former White House counsel Harriet Miers for failing to comply with Judiciary Committee subpoenas.

The House vote could set up a constitutional showdown between Congress and the White House over the limits of executive privilege — particularly on the question of whether President Bush or any president can prevent senior aides from testifying before congressional committees.

The House Rules Committee approved separate resolutions Wednesday afternoon approving criminal as well as civil contempt proceedings against Bolten and Miers for failing to comply with the subpoenas, which were issued by the Judiciary Committee as part of its investigation into the 2006 firings of nine U.S. attorneys.

Bush, citing executive privilege, refused to allow Bolten and Miers to testify or turn over internal White House documents related to the firings. Bolten and former White House deputy chief of staff Karl Rove also declined to appear before the Senate Judiciary Committee in response to subpoenas issued in its own probe of the firings.

Under the civil contempt resolution, Judiciary Committee Chairman John Conyers Jr. (D-Mich.) is “authorized to initiate or intervene in judicial proceedings” against Bolten and Miers.

The House General Counsel’s office is ordered to represent the House in any legal action, and Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) is directed to “consult” with the Bipartisan Legal Advisory Group in the issue. That group, comprising top Democrats and Republicans, handles legal issues affecting the integrity and privileges of the House. ........

[L. Coyote]

23. Miers, Bolten contempt vote before House = TODAY

Miers, Bolten contempt vote before House
Feb. 14, 2008 at 8:35 AM - http://www.upi.com/NewsTrack/Top_News/2008/02/14/miers_bolten_contempt_vote_before_house/2371/


WASHINGTON, Feb. 14 (UPI) -- The refusal of the White House to provide information on U.S. attorneys firings could lead to contempt charges against key aides to U.S. President George Bush.

The decision by leaders in the U.S. House of Representatives to take a vote follows efforts by House Judiciary Committee Chairman John Conyers Jr., D-Mich., to get information from White House Chief of Staff Josh Bolten and former White House counsel Harriet Miers related to the firings, The Hill, a Washington newspaper, reported. White House officials have barred Bolten and Miers from testifying before the panel.

House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer, D-Md., said the vote would concern whether Congress "acting pursuant to its Article I authority has the ability to get the information it needs from the executive (branch) to legislate effectively."

Hoyer said Conyers made between nine and 12 attempts "to get some cooperation from the White House." ......

[L. Coyote]

25. VIDEO: Majority Leader Honorable Steny Hoyer on Contempt of Congress Vote

Majority Leader Honorable Steny Hoyer on Contempt of Congress Vote
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=385x93691

[L. Coyote]

26. VIDEO: Speaker Nancy Pelosi on the Contempt of Congress Vote

Speaker Nancy Pelosi on the Contempt of Congress Vote
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=385x93693

[L. Coyote]

27. VIDEO: Rep. John Conyers: House Debates Bolton and Miers Contempt of Congress

Rep. John Conyers: House Debates Bolton and Miers Contempt of Congress
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=385x93672

[L. Coyote]

28. VIDEO: Wexler Calls for Contempt of Congress on House Floor ('Not Since Watergate...')

Wexler Calls for Contempt of Congress on House Floor ('Not Since Watergate...')
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=385x93546

[L. Coyote]

29. GD LiveBlog of Contempt Citation Debate = C-SPAN: Bolton & Meiers Contempt Vote

**** C-SPAN: Bolton & Meiers Contempt Vote ****
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=389x2863158#2868476

[Demagitator]

30. Kick

:kick:

[L. Coyote]

31. Congress Cites Bolten and Miers for Contempt – But Is the Issue Really Impeachment?

Congress Cites Bolten and Miers for Contempt–But Is the Issue Really Impeachment?
Scott Horton - February 15, 2008 - http://harpers.org/archive/2008/02/hbc-90002409


It’s been seven months since the Judiciary Committee subpoenaed ... In July the Judiciary Committee quickly voted to cite them for contempt. And then the matter stagnated ... most tellingly, the White House took the position that the scope of examination would be narrowly tailored so as to exclude precisely the subject matter of the inquiry: Did White House staffers interfere with prosecutors for partisan political reasons? ... discussions Rove had with Miers are right at the heart of the inquiry. But the White House offer ruled that off limits. That was obviously unacceptable.

The matter seemed almost forgotten. But today it suddenly lept back onto the front page. The House issued contempt sanctions against the pair on a vote of 223-32; it also authorized a civil suit to enforce the contempt sanction, as Attorney General Mukasey previously stated he would refuse to fulfill his statutory duty to enforce the contempt sanction.

Since the Bush Justice Department views Congress’s contempt powers with contempt and has offered the White House an extraordinary opinion vouching for its right to thumb their nose at Congressional subpoenas, why has the House taken this step? After all, it’s plain that Bolten and Miers will not appear; the White House will not permit them or any other senior figures with knowledge of the U.S. Attorneys scandal (particularly Karl Rove) to speak before Congress. Moreover, assuming Congress proceeds to enforce its subpoenas by suit, the court process will not end before January 20, 2009, as Bush and Co. decamp from Washington. And why did the Congressional Republicans react in such a dramatic fashion? .....

... I believe that Judiciary Committee Chair Conyers decided to plow ahead on this front for a specific reason.

The Department of Justice’s internal investigation into the December 7 firings is coming to a conclusion. I am told that it is highly likely that this investigation will conclude that ......

My guess is that the chess players are thinking several steps ahead of the game ... if it does come to a pointed inquiry into criminal conduct in the Oval Office relating to the dismissals, Conyers and his Committee want to be in a position to demonstrate that they have exhausted the other remedies—subpoenas and contempt citations—and have been stymied by the White House. In a sense, the White House will be forcing the opening of an impeachment inquiry by its own intransigence.

[Disturbed]

32. Games are being played.

The clock will run out on this & the folks under Subpoena will never
testify.

[L. Coyote]

33. Not a game at all, of course.

And, glass ball prophecy won't decide the future course of action or its schedule.

Nonetheless, I too wish to predict: the future just got more interesting. :rofl: