Those were pressure courtesy calls. Those requests must be submitted in writing, and they never got that far. The pressure was enough, just as I said.
Q17. Constitutional IssuesIn answer to question 17, you explained that as Counsel to the President you are regularly faced with issues involving constitutional questions, but gave us no specifics about the issues themselves, or the work that you personally did. Please provide the Committee with details concerning the specific matters you handled, the constitutional issues presented in those matters, and the positions you took related to those issues. This question was designed to help the Committee learn more about your experience with constitutional law, and if most of it was gained during your years in the White House, it is important that we know more about the specifics of that experience. ...
Q22. Potential Conflicts of Interest
Please be more specific in your answer to this question by telling the Committee any categories of cases from which you plan to recuse yourself, and by addressing in particular the problem of recusal as it relates to the litigation of cases arising out of matters on which you worked at the White House, or as a lawyer for President Bush in his personal capacity, or in service to his various campaigns. We are aware of the statutes and codes that generally govern these matters, but recusal decisions of Supreme Court Justices are more complicated because they are not subject to further review. The Committee would like you to address the issues specific to your situation.
The difference between the very real public call for documents, made to the WH via the press, and the formal recapitulation, isn't material to the debate.
It flies in the face of fact to argue that no GOP Senator, and no DEM Senator was requesting internal documents. The pressure was there, regardless of the presence of an objectionable written request.