Leahy threatens White House with subpoenas

[The Count]

May 16, 2007
Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) Wednesday sent a strongly worded letter to President Bush’s counsel Fred Fielding and threatened to issue subpoenas if the White House continues to “stonewall” an investigation into its involvement in the firing of several U.S. attorneys.

“It appears from the evidence gathered by the Committee in five hearings, eight interviews with current and former officials from the Department of Justice and review of the limited documents produced by that Department that White House officials played a significant role in developing and implementing the plan for the dismissals,” Leahy said. “Indeed, the plan seems to have originated in the White House and was formulated by and with coordination of the White House political operation.”

Leahy said the White House has not provided a single document and did not make available a single official to be interviewed as part of the investigation.
http://thehill.com/leading-the-news/leahy-threatens-white-house-with-subpoenas-2007-05-16.html

[spanone]

1. Yes, Senator....Whoop Some ASS

K&R

[leftchick]

2. lots of threats from these dems

any teeth to them? I have yet to see anyone dragged to congress.

[BeHereNow]

9. Hear, hear! You noticed this fact too?

Pathetic, is it not?
And PURE Hegel.
Stage the appearance of debate
while controlling both parties to
obtain the desired outcome.

BHN

[tularetom]

3. He does a lot of threatening - very little follow through

What's he gonna do next - hold his breath until he turns blue?

I'll be a lot more impressed when he sends the federal marshalls into the WH and hauls some asses into the hearing room.

[Robbien]

4. Good. He is documenting that Bush is not cooperating like Bush said he was

Bush said to the press that he is fully cooperating and has supplied Leahy with all documents Leahy has requested.

Leahy is saying no Bush you are not.

[Dr Fate]

6. True- but hasnt failure to cooperate aready been documented many times over?

Give me a number- how many more instances need to be documented before these DEM threats turn into actual acts- 3? 6? 10? ONE?

Is the last threat to our last needed document of this?

Seriously-you may have a point, but give me a number, or what you think Leahey's limit on this is?

[Robbien]

8. Are you sure Leahy has documented this previously? I am not so sure

I know that Conyers has done it a couple of times and Waxman has done it at least once.

But isn't this is the first for Leahy?

Anyway, without a justice system it is hard for congress to do much of anything else but put the issue before the public and hope the public starts raising a stink.

Hopefully you have written your LTTE's on the subject.

[Dr Fate]

11. If Leahey, to date has had trouble documenting Bush's failure to cooperate, then he is incompetent.

Last time I checked, Rove, Rice, Gonzo, Cheney, the entire RNC and Bush himslef have made it clear, complete with documentable quotes that they will not be cooperating, no matter what DEMS say or do.

Also, as you point out, Pat has plenty of ignored, by-the book procedural examples to point to as well- on the part of Waxman and Conyers.

It seems clear to anyone that it is already well documented that Bush refuses to cooperate on many different levels.

Assuming your argument holds water, how many more "documents" of what everyone else who is paying attention already knows-and what Bush has already said- does Leahey he need after this one? One more? Two? Six?

How many?

[Dr Fate]

5. Show of hands- who will be FLABBERGASTED and suprised if nothing comes of this?

Honest answers please- tell me if you will honestly be suprised if this never gets any follow through.

If you want my take, I've made my concerns clear in the LBN thread- where a majority of posters dont beleive he is sincere about taking Bush to task over this:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=102x2848398

Honest replies only- I want to know which DUers will be genuinely suprised if this is NOT just more "see we tried to fight Bush, but he wouldnt let us" crap.

[BeHereNow]

12. Well hell, that's easy! NOTHING will come of it.

But hey, it sure controls the crowd for a minute or two, doesn't it.
On to the next "important" development which will also lead nowhere,
but excite the masses for a second or two.

Problem is, the masses have the memory of a flea.
They simply jump from rotting carcass to rotting carcass with no
consciousness what so ever about yesterday.

BHN

[Dr Fate]

14. If you are right, this show isnt for "the masses"- it's for the DEM base.

The masses already know the sole purpose of the DEMS is to get their asses handed to them by Bush/media on a monthly basis.

If you are right, these "see- we are trying to fight, but they wont let us" dog & pony shows are to keep the tenuously held true believers in the party in line, not the masses, who gave up on Politicians fighting for them long ago.

[upi402]

7. Whitehouse, subpoenas??? kick & recommend! n/t

[senseandsensibility]

10. It's too early to be so pessimistic in my opinion

The subpoenas have not been issued yet. Now if they're not issued, that's another story.

[Dr Fate]

13. Could be-but can you provide an honest answer to my question in post #5?

???

[senseandsensibility]

15. I think the only honest answer

is that after six years of chimprule, I would not be surprised if nothing came of it. With the sheeple still not fully awake and the press still not doing their job, what should be a slam dunk might very well just fizzle. But I still am thankful for what Leahy is doing, and I still think we should wait and see what happens WHEN he issues the subpoenas.