Posted on 03/21/2007 8:17:35 AM PDT by bamahead
WASHINGTON (AP) - A House panel on Wednesday approved subpoenas for President Bush's political adviser, Karl Rove and other top White House aides, setting up a constitutional showdown over the firings of eight federal prosecutors.
By voice vote and without dissent, the House Judiciary subcommittee on commercial and administrative law decided to compel the president's top aides to testify publicly and under oath about their roles in the firings.
The White House has refused to budge in the controversy, standing by embattled Attorney General Alberto Gonzales and insisting that the firings were appropriate. White House spokesman Tony Snow said that in offering aides to talk to the committees privately, Bush had sought to avoid the "media spectacle" that would result from public hearings with Rove and others at the witness table.
"The question they've got to ask themselves is, are you more interested in a political spectacle than getting the truth?" Snow said of the overture Tuesday by the White House via its top lawyer, Fred Fielding.
"There must be accountability," countered subcommittee Chairwoman Linda Sanchez, D-Calif.
The committee rejected Bush's offer of a day earlier that his aides could to talk privately to the House and Senate Judiciary Committees, but not under oath and not on the record.
Would he fight Democrats in court to protect his aides against congressional subpoenas?
"Absolutely," Bush declared.
"Our reasonable offer that Mr. Fielding presented to Congress yesterday is our reasonable offer and nothing has changed during the 12 hours since Mr. Fielding spoke to the Congress," White House deputy press secretary Dana Perino said Wednesday. "If they are truly serious about wanting to obtain the facts, they have right in front of them the opportunity to do that."
(Excerpt) Read more at apnews.myway.com ...
The dems are looking for an excuse to impeach Bush. Nixon told a democrat Congress to shove it. Look where it got him.
The problem is ANYTHING can become purjury, just ask scooter. No crime has to happen. just enough words have to be spoken to sustain a DC jury, which isn't much.
I'd just say "I'm sorry, I can't recall" to EVERYTHING.
This is gonna be Hugh! I'm Vey, Vey, Series!
Good catch!
The Dems should be worried. Very worried.
Haven't we come to the conclusion that the Wilson Plames haven't told the truth to Congress? So why are we prosecuting them?
The breathless media comparisons to Watergate are so utterly ridiculous, I don't know whether to laugh, cry or simply vomit.
Quit defending them Alissa.
And quit spinning Rush.
The Repubs may not have the power, but they doesn't mean that they have to vote with the Dems. Which they are. Check out the vote to disallow the AG to replace attys without confirmation. See how many Repubs voted for that one? I'm sorry, was someone holding a gun to their heads?
They are wimps and people like you who defend their wimpiness make me want to hurl.
I don't see why you are taking your frustrations out on Rush. Have you been listening to him lately? He's just as disgusted with the situation as we are, but he's not whining and crying about it. Hopefully his outrage on the Libby, Plame and AG non-scandals will wake people up.
with their fingers up their rears
That jumped out at me when he said it, too.
The Democrats are such Hypocrites!
When Nixon was in the White House the Democrats Opposed Executive Privilege.
When Clinton was in the White house the Democrats Favored Executive Privilege.
Now that Bush is in the White House the Democrats again Oppose Executive Privilege!
Let's hope this is another Rope-a-Dope in the making.
Why? Do you think there are dims involved in the firings?
and let's not forget how the US attorney's office in NY investigated Jeanine Pirro and Bernard Kerik in NY, and are still holding onto those investigations. Pirro was supposed to be Hillary's opponent, and Kerik can be used to damage Rudy. But there are no Dem political moves there either. sure. the NY US attorney should have also been fired.
that is exactly what I was thinking as I was reading down through the post.
No surprise there about an article that presents lying information.
I am happy to hear that the Republicans voiced some displeasure. Thanks for the info.
I understand the principle here, but I regret to see that the President must expend precious political capital on this issue which was mishandled by mid-level employees.
Have they actually issued and served them? Or is it just another verbal feint?
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