MyDD :: Miers, Bolten Cited for Contempt by House Judiciary Committee

Miers, Bolten Cited for Contempt by House Judiciary Committee

by Jonathan Singer, Wed Jul 25, 2007 at 12:54:07 PM EST

Bloomberg's James Rowley has the details.

A House panel cited President George W. Bush's chief of staff and former counsel for contempt of Congress over their refusal to cooperate with its investigation of the dismissal of nine U.S. attorneys.

The House Judiciary Committee, on a 22-17 party-line vote, approved the citations against Joshua Bolten, White House chief of staff, and former White House Counsel Harriet Miers. Bolten refused to turn over documents related to the dismissals, and Miers disobeyed a subpoena to appear before the panel and answer questions about her role in the firing.

The issuance of contempt citations, which would also require approval by the full House of Representatives, would escalate the dispute between Bush and the Democratic-controlled Congress over the president's assertion of executive privilege to forbid testimony by his aides.

As noted by Rowley, this is only one more step in this constitutional showdown; the full House of Representatives still has to vote on contempt charges before they are either handed to the United States Attorney for the District of Columbia or are taken up by the House itself. That said, this is constitutional showdown time, with the Congress demanding accountability and the White House claiming that it is above the law. We are truly in historic times.

Tags: Contempt of Congress, Bush Administration, Prosecutor Purge (all tags)

Permalink :: 8 Comments :: Post a Comment

Re: Miers, Bolten Cited for Contempt by House Judi (none / 0)

I wish that our country didn't have administrative problems as serious as these that threatened the basic structure of how our government works. I wish we could set aside time to deal with seriousl world issues like Global Poverty and not pump our finances (340 billion dollars) in the Iraq War (Borgen Project). Let's fix this together!

by Erica2007 on Wed Jul 25, 2007 at 01:15:04 PM EST

YAY! (none / 0)

"We did not come to fear the future. We came here to shape it." - President Obama, Sept 9, 2009

by bored now on Wed Jul 25, 2007 at 01:34:16 PM EST

Re: Miers, Bolten Cited for Contempt by House Judi (none / 0)

For those who want impeachment, I think that plumbing the U.S. Attorney scandal is a better bet to strike gold than the war in Iraq.

Things You Don't Talk About in Polite Company: Religion, Politics, the Occasional Intersection of Both

by Anthony de Jesus on Wed Jul 25, 2007 at 01:46:35 PM EST

Re: Miers, Bolten Cited for Contempt by House (none / 0)

Hopefully they will show some backbone on this. It seems to me that, thus far, there has been an unwillingness on our side to go the mattresses over ANYTHING while Bush and Co. will go to the mattresses over EVERYTHING.

I might be alone in this, but I think this fear of acting is the reason congressional approval is so low. Everyone is afraid that impeachment might hurt Democrats chances in the next election, and I think that this fear extends to any real action. I have a completely different view; I believe that continued inaction is going to hurt us in the next elections and actually doing something will garner us some positive attention, which is something we badly need.

Oh Mammy Dear, we're all mad over here livin' in America

by JDF on Wed Jul 25, 2007 at 02:41:33 PM EST

Re: Miers, Bolten Cited for Contempt by House (none / 0)

Yes, bring it on.

It will be hard for any principled conservative to support what Bush is doing. Democratic Congressional leaders should push as far as they can with this (and everything else). Either the Republicans will go along or they will look really, really bad and will completely lose everyone except their tiny hardcore base (at most 25% of the electorate). If the Democrats push this and none of the Republicans support them, then I expect the 2008 election to be a rout with the Republicans losing at least half of the 22 Republican Senate seats at play and maybe 100 House seats.

People are mad. They are tired of the Republican stonewalling and lying. They are tired of being jerked around. They are tired of Congress doing nothing useful. If things don't change, then they are going to "vote the bums out."

by RandomNonviolence on Wed Jul 25, 2007 at 03:01:00 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Miers, Bolten Cited for Contempt (none / 0)

the only way there is going be a trial is if they send the sargent at arms out to arrest Bulton and myers

by orin76 on Wed Jul 25, 2007 at 05:35:42 PM EST

Re: Miers, Bolten Cited for Contempt (none / 0)

the only way there is going be a trial is if they send the sargent at arms out to arrest Bulton and myers

by orin76 on Wed Jul 25, 2007 at 05:35:55 PM EST

How it could go wrong (none / 0)

I'm all for the Dems pushing for this, and pushing for it hard. I do worry, however, that such a push will seem too political if, at the same time, the Democrats aren't accomplishing any major legislation in Congress. Or put another way, it will be easy for foes to argue that the Democrats are pursuing this because they are settling scores, etc. rather than defending the Constitution.

The country is not happy with the way things are going and the people want action, even if they don't know what that action is (printing hundred dollar bills and throwing them from a blimp?). All this digging is necessary and proper, but it must also be coupled to legislation promoting the general welfare (I've had enough of legislation providing for the common defense, thank you).

Obviously you're not a golfer.

by alydar on Wed Jul 25, 2007 at 05:59:57 PM EST

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