Posted on 04/28/2008 2:09:33 PM PDT by SmithL
The chairman of the House Judiciary Committee on Monday threatened to serve subpoenas on former Attorney General John Ashcroft and two others associated with the Bush administration's interrogation policies if they don't agree to testify.
If the three — including John C. Yoo, the former assistant deputy attorney general, and David Addington, Vice President Dick Cheney's chief of staff — do not reply by Friday, "I will have no choice but to consider the use of compulsory process," Rep. John Conyers, D-Mich., wrote in letters to them.
That's Washington-speak for issuing congressional subpoenas, tough talk that Conyers has leveled at the White House before. A previous dispute is being hashed out in federal court, with Conyers' committee suing White House Chief of Staff Josh Bolten and former presidential counsel Harriet Miers for refusing to comply with subpoenas on the firings of federal prosecutors. The White House maintains that their testimony is off-limits from congressional oversight under executive privilege.
On torture policy, the administration appears no more willing to comply with Conyers' requests for testimony and information.
Cheney's counsel, Kathryn L. Wheelbarger, said Addington would not testify at a May 6 hearing as Conyers had requested.
"The chief of staff to the vice president is an employee of the vice president, and not the president, and therefore is not in a position to speak on behalf of the president," Wheelbarger wrote April 18. She suggested that Conyers ask others, such as the attorney general or his designee.
Ashcroft and Yoo, the author of several controversial memos on torture policy, also declined Conyers' invitation. Lawyers for both said they had been advised by the Justice Department that they are not authorized to discuss the matters Conyers cited. They also noted that Ashcroft and Yoo were defendants in lawsuits.
(Excerpt) Read more at sfgate.com ...
C'mon fellas! Its getting close to election time and I need to berate you in front of the cameras! Why can't you cooperate?
Conyer’s..is just nuts......it’s no wonder that MI is in such deep economic trouble.......they got what they elected...hope we don’t elect Obama to the POUS
Paging Sandy Berger!
what happened to the Rove and Meirs subpoenas
Konyers Kangaroo Kourt Kontinues....
When Klintoon pulled the executive priviledge trick during his impeachment, congress went to the Supreme Court about 25 times and lost only once.
The Toon went to the USSC so often the court set up a special conference call system so they wouldn't have to have a special session every time it happened.
yitbos
does it matter if the requested party is a former employee/official? what’s the status with the Rove and Miers subpoenas (I thought we just went through this recently with Congress finding those two in contempt or something).
I have 2 questions on this matter...
Does any of this involve some type of classified information?
Is Conyers qualified for that classification?
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