Nancy Pelosi Should Make SureKarl Rove is Held in Contempt of Congress Before the Session Adjourns

[seemslikeadream]

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/17/opinion/17wed2.html?_r=2&th&emc=th&oref=slogin&oref=slogin

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi is deciding what matters should get priority in the short time left before Congress adjourns this month. Her list must include a vote to hold Karl Rove in contempt for his lawless decision to defy a Congressional subpoena to testify about the United States attorneys scandal. There is a vital national interest in getting to the bottom of this matter — and in not allowing Congress’s authority to be undermined.


Judge Rules Bush Advisers Can’t Ignore Subpoenas (August 1, 2008) It has been nearly two years since Congress first began asking questions about the firing of nine United States attorneys, who appear to have been removed for partisan political reasons. Mr. Rove may have been directly involved in these possibly illegal firings, but he has not told Congress what he knows. In defiance of a legally binding subpoena, he refused this summer to appear before the House Judiciary Committee.

Congress’s investigation of the United States attorneys matter is of the utmost importance. It now seems clear that the Justice Department under Attorney General Alberto Gonzales operated as a partisan political actor, using its prosecutorial authority to help the party in power win elections. That was a grave abuse, which undermined American democracy.

There are real victims in this scandal. Don Siegelman, the former governor of Alabama, was sentenced to seven years in prison as a result of a prosecution that appears to have been politically motivated. Mr. Siegelman is free pending an appeal, but he has already served part of the sentence and could end up returning to prison.

Congress is also pushing to obtain testimony and documents from Joshua Bolten, the White House chief of staff, and Harriet Miers, the former White House counsel. Mr. Bolten and Ms. Miers have also defied Congressional subpoenas. The House voted to hold them in contempt in February, and it is fighting in court right now to force them to testify

[meowomon]

1. She should...

But I doubt she will. She is protecting too many Democrats. Hey, I'm just sayin', because my representative is one of the Blue Dog Dems. I think the spying on Americans thing netted Bush and the rethuglicans a lot of blackmail.

[seemslikeadream]

3. I've wondered if they had help with this?

[Phoebe Loosinhouse]

2. If they do not enforce ALL the supoenas they have outstanding

they will effectively torpedo review by the legislative branch of the executive branch. It is re-inforcing the craziest of all the Bush vanities - the "unitary Executive" or, as some like to call them, dictators.

Whose new standards do you think the Alaskans are mimicking? Stonewalling is being legitimized because of there being no consequence.

[ixion]

4. there are many things in this regard she should do

none of which she will do, because she's been bought and paid for, or just plain scared, IMO.

[Hubert Flottz]

5. Nancy is worried about the important stuff...

Like her second book deal and dinner in the Rose Garden...