If you and/or I had refused to follow a lawful subpoena we would

[rateyes]

have been frog-marched in handcuffs to explain why.

The fact that Rove is not in the jail cell in the basement of Congress right fucking now is just more evidence that our Democratic leaders are cowards, and that there is a different set of rules for the rich and powerful.

:puke:

[wildbilln864]

1. Yes...

there'd be a bench warrant issued for our arrest immediately.

[eppur_se_muova]

24. oopers, posted in wrong place -- self-delete. nt

[liberal N proud]

2. Precisely

[thecrow]

3. There have always been two Americas.

[lonestarnot]

4. The laws of this land are no longer applicable, so now what?

[rateyes]

6. Revolution?

:shrug:

[lonestarnot]

10. Some fucking thing!

[RaleighNCDUer]

15. Technically, that would be

"counter-revolution".

The republican coup was the revolution.

[JackintheGreen]

5. A lawful subpoena to a court of law

Congress is not a court of law, so isn't there some difference? I don't want there to be, and I desperately want this administration to suffer some accountability for its actions, but can we equate the two? Please enlighten, because I am uncertain.

[rateyes]

7. Congress has subpoena power, and the power to enforce them

inherently. Rove had the right to show up and plead the fifth or assert privilege to certain questions, stating what privilege he was claiming. He didn't have a right not to show up.

[JackintheGreen]

23. Ah...but what are the powers of enforcement?

Congress cannot arrest anybody, unless I am mistaken. We obey the courts because us regular folks don't want to end up in the pokey. But what can congress do? Don't they have to then issue some other level of enforcement, which would of course require them to do something actionable? Isn't this precisely where it always gets stymied?

They can send out the Sgt. at Arms (?) to force Rove to appear, but he doesn't have to say a thing, as you say. So what? It sounds really toothless to me.

[baldguy]

25. Actually, the Sargent-At-Arms does have the power to enforce Congressional subpoenas.

There are holding cells in the Capitol Building for just that purpose.

[tridim]

8. The House JC is pursuing contempt charges for Rove as we type.

What the fuck else do you want?

[rateyes]

9. They won't enforce the contempt charges.

They haven't with Bolton and Miers. They should use their power to arrest Rove right now. I want Rove to be treated the same way I would had I ignored a lawful subpoena.

[lonestarnot]

11. The Court issues, up to the Executive branch to enforce. We've been had. I say Constitutional

crisis, but it's just a gd piece of paper. We've got nutt'n!

[ljm2002]

12. It is not only up to the Executive branch to enforce...

...Inherent Contempt is specifically provided for in the Constitution so that Congress can enforce subpoenas themselves if necessary, by sending the Sergeant At Arms to arrest those who fail to show up when subpoenaed.

It's been used a couple of times in our history, although not recently.

Not holding my breath.

[rateyes]

16. He should have been arrested, or since he's out of the country...

a request for extradition should have been made. The congress can enforce their own subpoenas, they don't need the executive for that.

[tridim]

17. Linda Sanchez (D-CA) said on MSNBC if contempt charges aren't accepted..

They will move on to inherent contempt.

[rateyes]

18. Good.

I'll believe it when I see it.

[trueblue2007]

13. MY Democratic senator voted NO

And SMITH from Oregon has to go!!! He voted in favor of FISA.

I hope they listen in on his conversations!!

[Pastiche423]

26. Yet Gordo's political ads

say he LOVES reaching across the aisle. I get MegaVote that shows how my representatives vote. I have carefully followed each vote and when it happened. Since Gordo's ad began, he has yet to "reach across the aisle".

[proud2BlibKansan]

14. Our local county DA is a fundie freak who doesn't even live in the county

It's a state law that DAs have to live in the county where they work. A local TV station followed the freak to his house 75 miles away!

But no one will hold him accountable!

If I don't mow my lawn, the city fines me but this guy gets to break a state law and no one cares.

This shit is getting old. I want my country back.

[rateyes]

19. We might have to take it back. nt

[jgraz]

20. Well, the Supreme Court just affirmed the right of every citizen to own firearms

Maybe that was a hint as to how we should be dealing with the situation... :shrug:

[mmonk]

21. We are a dictatorship.

No need to keep pretending we are not.

[baldguy]

22. Afraid to oppose a man who has a 20% approval rating.

Does anyone wonder what the Bush Regime has been doing with those illegal wiretaps now?