Posted on 05/04/2017 8:32:13 AM PDT by Red Badger
Former Obama administration National Security Adviser Susan Rice on Wednesday declined a request to testify next week before a Senate subcommittee, citing separation of powers between the executive and legislative branches and the fact that the invitation was not bipartisan.
Rice’s decision to decline the invitation to testify on Russia’s election meddling came in a letter from her lawyer, Kathryn Ruemmler, to the leaders of the Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on Crime and Terrorism, Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) and Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.).
The letter, first reported by CNN, notes that the invitation to testify came only from Graham and that Whitehouse “has informed us by letter that he did not agree to” the request, which Ruemmler calls “a significant departure from the bipartisan invitations extended to other witnesses.”
“Moreover,” Ruemmler writes, “Chairman Graham's invitation was extended only after the hearing was noticed, less than two weeks before the hearing was scheduled to occur, and without consultation with Ambassador Rice, a professional courtesy that would customarily be extended to any witness.”
The Judiciary subcommittee is holding a hearing next Monday that will feature testimony from former acting Attorney General Sally Yates and former Director of National Intelligence James Clapper.
Rice has drawn the ire of Republicans investigating Russia’s interference in November’s presidential election following reports last month that, as national security adviser, she requested the names of President Donald Trump's transition aides who were referenced in intelligence reports after the election.
Rice denied using intelligence for political purposes in an interview on MSNBC last month.
“The allegation is that somehow Obama administration officials utilized intelligence for political purposes,” Rice said. “That’s absolutely false.”
Whitehouse said Wednesday he believes Rice’s testimony would be a distraction from the issues that Monday’s hearing is set to address.
“We’ve got a specific focus for this hearing that both the former deputy attorney general and the former director of national intelligence can speak to," he said. "She wasn’t one of the witnesses that we noticed the hearing for."
Seung Min Kim contributed to this report.
She gets away with it again. Her skin shade protects her from responsibility.
My thought exactly. She needs to be subpoenaed.
Well, then I guess it’s all right, because we certainly wouldn’t want to make her answer any uncomfortable questions. No doubt Rice saw that refusing to testify worked for that witch, Lois Lerner, with absolutely no consequences.
Is there anything less courageous than a GOP Committee Chairman? The symbol of the GOPe should be changed to the Cowardly Lion from the Wizard of Oz.
I agree, but then I think Lois Learner.
Herman Melville’s character “Bartleby, the Scrivener” comes to mind:
“I would prefer not to”.
Exactly
The media and the Dems are clamoring for a special investigation to get to the bottom of the Russian fake scandal, yet when Susan Rice refuses to participate, they make excuses for her.
Were I summoned before the criminal Senate, I’d like to beg-off too. The only problem is they’d throw me in jail.
Rice needs to be indicted and arrested, along with the ringleader of the barry soetoro klan and his other minions.
The A.G. or the office thereof needs to bring in a Grand Jury and start hearings...recluse or not!!!
Arrest.
Waterboard.
Try.
Convict.
Hang.
Quit dilly dallying, supeona all of them and put all of them under oath, including Hillary and Bill and Lynch.
This evasion has gone on long enough.
Definitely, dirty rice at it again
“citing separation of powers between the executive and legislative branches”
You ain’t in the executive branch anymore, Rice! That excuse won’t fly!
Few Americans would attend this type of meeting if just asked/invited!
SUBPEONA!...........................
She knows she would lose her temper and say something that would put her in prison forever.
Force her to show up even if she sews her lips shut and has someone plead the 5th for her. Then arrest, then try her, then incarcerate her for life.
How does she look in “jump suit orange”?
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