Mukasey refuses to refer contempt citations to grand jury

[tpsbmam]

Attorney General Michael Mukasey is refusing to refer the House's contempt citations against two of President Bush's to aides to a federal grand jury. Mukasey says they committed no crime.

In a letter Friday, he told House Speaker Nancy Pelosi that White House Chief of Staff Josh Bolten and former presidential counsel Harriet Miers were right in refusing to turn over documents or testify about the firings of federal prosecutors.

http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/C/CONGRESS_CONTEMPT?SITE=WYCHE&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT

[bluerum]

1. How does he know they committed no crime!!

[Disturbed]

2. Refusing to appear after a Subpoena is alright now?

I'd like to see any other citizen attempt that.

[bluerum]

4. IMO this clown is impeding an investigation and should be subpoenaed himself.

[tpsbmam]

3. Shrub said "I swear they didn't do anything?" Damned if I know. n/t

[cascadiance]

32. Because now signing statement xyz2a says they are God... And God is never guilty of anything!

What more do you need? Of course it isn't our place to question God!

:sarcasm:

Pelosi, it is time to stop this charade once and for all and stop playing games!

[Me.]

5. Then Pelosi Needs To Take The Next Step

and push this further. I wonder if she can do this after there is a new president and AG?

[stillcool]

6. at least they weren't doing steroids.

[Disturbed]

7. Pelosi is playing a little game.

She knows damn well that this is not going anywhere. If she was serious
she would issue Inherent Contempt, now!

[MzNov]

18. You are exactly right.

Pelosi already knew Mukasey would not prosecute. She's intentionally going thru the motions.

[MonkeyFunk]

22. She's filing a lawsuit

[Usrename]

26. Are you sure that is politically wise? There could be blowback.

She should just let them continue to do whatever they want. Her most important responsibility is to keep impeachment off the table.

[MonkeyFunk]

31. Oh screw off

Even when she does what people want, you still attack her.

[Ichingcarpenter]

33. The lawsuit is meaningless and you know it.

Inherent Contempt is the only legal power she has.

[Ichingcarpenter]

34. Don't play this game with DUers

you know its meaningless with the court and justice system.

[superkia]

30. You are correct! Didnt he have to be excepted for that position?

Most of our government is corrupt and has been for many decades, its finally showing more now because they see the American sheeple are allowing them to do anything and get away with it...so why stop now. Think about whats happened to the fucking CONSTITUTION of all things, to me unacceptable but too many Americans think its just fine?

[spanone]

8. mukasey is not freedoms friend

[VP505]

9. Not only should

she file Inherent Contempt but she should follow up with impeachment against Cheney and then Bu$h. How many times is she going to allow this Admin give her and "we the people"the finger before she gets it? I really don't care how many times Bu$hCo personally gives her the finger but it bothers the hell out of me that she is so willing to ignore her responsibility when he is giving "we the people" the finger.

[malaise]

10. Inherent Contempt coming up

Go Nancy!

[TahitiNut]

36. Wanna bet?

:eyes: Not a snowball's ...

[Thepricebreaker]

37. Your smoking crack its an election year...

[spanone]

11. pelosi has given the judiciary committee authority to file lawsuit

WASHINGTON (AP) -- Attorney General Michael Mukasey refused Friday to refer the House's contempt citations against two of President Bush's top aides to a federal grand jury. Mukasey said White House Chief of Staff Josh Bolten and former presidential counsel Harriet Miers committed no crime.

As promised, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi announced that she has given the Judiciary Committee authority to file a lawsuit against Bolten and Miers in federal court.

''The House shall do so promptly,'' she said in a statement.
http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/us/AP-Congress-Contempt.html?scp=2&sq=mukasey&st=nyt

[Junkdrawer]

19. "A civil suit would drag out a slow-motion crawl to a constitutional struggle"

yawn...

[MasonJar]

12. Why was he confirmed? He is as bad as the other two.

[Blarch]

20. Schumer and Fienstein (sp)

Thats how.

[MasonJar]

13. Let's call her and insist on Inherent Contempt!

[L. Coyote]

14. Inherent contempt is not a solution, just more impasse, and leads us closer to impeachment hearings

because that allows Congress to circumvent the Executive Privilege claims used by the junta in creating this impasse.

[laylah]

15. They are all complicit in

the ruination of this country. That asshole needs to be IMPEACHED along with the others, come Jan. 2009. We can only hope our Congress, and OUR President, will follow through.

[Canuckistanian]

16. They're not being arrested. They're just being asked to answer a subpoena.

Mukasey's opinion of whether they're "guilty" or not has no relevance.

Look like another Consitutional crisis brewing.

[Junkdrawer]

17. Oh well, I guess there's nothing she can do now...Inherent Contempt is Off the Table...

Gosh Them All to Heck...

[wiggs]

21. We should have been at this point a week after Miers and Bolten refused to

testify. Seems clear everyone wants the clock to run out before they have to get serious.

Asking DOJ for contempt was obviously not going to work...not only was it unlikely a Bush nominee would agree to prosecute, the criminals would have appealed up the line for years. Even if convicted, there would be a pardon. And STILL there would be no testimony

Inherent contempt immediately...the public is even more ready than it was last summer.

[Junkdrawer]

23. Only 8 months to go before the election....

Hell, they can do that standing on their heads...

[OmmmSweetOmmm]

24. Inherent contempt.

[hootinholler]

35. Your Damned right!

This is contempt not just for Congress but Constitutional contempt. Send the Sargent At Arms over to collect his ass until he complies!

-Hoot

[Thepricebreaker]

38. Good luck... It will never happen... they don't have the balls..

[bleever]

25. Will Pelosi, as the first woman Speaker, preside over

the gutting of Congressional power?

Or will she fight for the institution, and potentially save it?

This is the pivotal question of her Speakership.


I think we already have our verdict on Mukasey.

[bluesmail]

27. knock me over with a feather

[SoCalDem]

28. and we're surprised, because????

:grr:

[Ichingcarpenter]

29. Time for Pelosi and Reid to start writing letters

Rather than do INHERENT CONTEMPT

[Heywood J]

39. The next piece of legislation that should show up is

a constitutional amendment banning executive privilege (or similar) and rejecting it as a legal argument for all past, present, and future claims. It's obstruction of justice, plain and simple.


Expel as many Republicans from Congress as is necessary to pass it, then move on to the states.

[riderinthestorm]

40. I hate reading stories like this in the morning

It makes me all moody, cranky, ill tempered and stuff for the rest of the day.

:nuke:

What's next Madame Speaker? A strongly worded letter?! (gasp! the horror!)

Unfortunately this is just another obvious example of high level Dem collusion with this Admin. It's the run-out-the-clock strategy! How brave of our Dems!