The axis of weasels.
Posted on 12/13/2007 8:14:11 AM PST by Sopater
The Senate Judiciary Committee has approved contempt resolutions against Karl Rove, the former top aide to President Bush, and Joshua Bolten, the current White House chief of staff. The vote was 12-8.
The criminal contempt resolutions now move to the Senate floor, although no action on them is expected until next year.
Sen. Alren Specter (R-Pa.), ranking member of Judiciary, voted in favor of issuing the contempt resolutions, saying the committee's oversight responsibilities must be upheld.
Sen. Charles Grassley (R-Iowa) also supported the resolutions.
"It is a vote that I would prefer not to make," Specter said. "It is a vote I make with reluctance."
The House Judiciary Committee has also approved contempt resolutions against Bolten and former White House Counsel Harriet Miers, but Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) has not set a date for a floor vote yet.
The committee subpoenaed Rove and Bolten over the summer as part of its probe into the firing of nine U.S. attorneys last year. Bush, citing executive privilege, refused to allow Rove and Bolten to testify or turn over documents to thr panel. Bolten was subpoenaed in his role as custodian of White House records, while Rve called to testify over his knowledge on the role politics played in the firings.
Leahy said that he and Specter had working to modify the resolutins since they were first debated last week, but added that the panel must enforce its subpoenas if it is to be able to conduct effective oversight of the executive branch.
"The White House counsel asserts that executive privilege covers all documents and information in the possession of the White House," Leahy said, referring to White House counsel Fred Fielding. "They have further and claimed immunity even to have to appear and respond to this committee's subpoeas fr Mr. Rove and Mr. Bolten. And they contend that their blanket claim of executive privilege cannot be tested but must be accepted by the Congress as the last word."
Leahy called this stance "a dramatic break from the practices of every administration since World War II in responding to congressional committees."
You gotta be kidding.
Leahy musta been asleep under his apricot tree in the 90's
Whatever happened to just doing the business of the American people? This is beyond nonsense - I want my tax paying money back! I don’t want to pay for their petty feuds and I hope that people get wise and start voting these Anti-American losers out of office and away from our pocketbooks!
Really, Leahy? Because I remember BJ Billy refusing to release any info concerning Travelgate, which was a complete and utter abuse of power, as opposed to the completely legitimate firing of U.S. Attorneys.
Grassley, Lugar, etc., need to retire.
That ought to be good for another three point drop in Congressional approval.
Careful there, some people think that a NEGATIVE rating will be an improvement because they think -8 is higher than 3.
Sen. Charles Grassley (R-Iowa) is an asshat.
Who needs Al Qaeda when we have the United States Senate.
Careful what you wish for Leahy.
It’s OK folks, while they continue to sit up on Capitol Hill and jerk each other at least they’re not passing any bills!
Lowest approval rating for Congress ever...
Nothing to see here.
You’ve got to love this!! This hits right back at the RNC for supporting this idiot!!
What fools. Those two men, particularly Mr. Bolton, are good people. Thanks goes to you, President Bush, for your support of Sen. Specter
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Well there’s one way to get it back...
Wouldn’t it be easier to name everyone who ISN’T in “Contempt of Congress”?
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