Posted on 07/09/2007 7:41:04 AM PDT by Sub-Driver
Bush Denies Congress Access to Key Aides Jul 9 10:25 AM US/Eastern By LAURIE KELLMAN Associated Press Writer
WASHINGTON (AP) - President Bush invoked executive privilege Monday to deny requests by Congress for testimony from former White House aides Sara Taylor and Harriet Miers.
The White House offered once more to make the pair available for private, off-the-record interviews on any role it might have played in the firings of several U.S. attorneys.
In a letter to the heads of the House and Senate Judiciary panels, White House counsel Fred Fielding insisted that Bush was acting in good faith and refused lawmakers' demand that the president explain the basis for invoking the privilege.
The latest move in the separation of powers fight between the legislative and executive branches came as members of Congress began returning from their Fourth of July recess. An atmosphere of high tension accompanied the resumption of work as a fight also loomed there between majority Democrats and some key Republicans and Bush over his Iraq war policy.
In his letter regarding subpoenas the Judiciary panels issued, Fielding said, "The president feels compelled to assert exeutive privilege with respect ot the testimony sought from Sara M. Taylor and Harriet E. Miers."
"You may be assured that the president's assertion here comports with prior practices in similar contexts, and that it has been appropriately documented," the letter said.
(Excerpt) Read more at breitbart.com ...
He should’ve just referred them to the law that states “each U.S. attorney is subject to removal by the President”......and tell ‘em to screw.
Should have done this for Libby.
Allowing that entire prosecution to proceed was a huge mistake, and a massive blow to the administration.
While some claim the Liberal media and toxic political environment meant Bush’s fate was inevitable, I still believe the levers to have changed the course of this administration were well within Bush’s hands.
That bodes well for a media savvy candidate like Fred.
Just remind them of "No controlling legal authority"
Dear Harry:
Pi@@ off....
George Bush should never have let this go on for so long and in such a lawless fashion. One of his sworn duties is to protect the Constitution, which would include the obvious separation of powers and the President's right to hire and fire appointed Executive Branch staff "at his pleasure."
IMO GWB should have told Congress to pound sand months ago, they are way out of their jurisdiction.
But even if he didn't then, he can now. Walk up to the podium, announce that there will be no further cooperation with the Congress on this matter, and walk away.
But instead of defending the Constitution, America gets this milquetoast response:
"The White House offered once more to make the pair available for private, off-the-record interviews on any role it might have played in the firings of several U.S. attorneys."
This is great!
pwn3d
Exactly. I don’t see why the Executive should ever cooperate in a matter like this. Bush would have been wise if he had canned the entire lot of them on the basis that anyone in the Justice Department not fired by the Clintons because of philisophical differences or for trying to prosecute them and their band of gangsters isn’t fit to serve in a Republican administration.
The “Good” Bush is back.
LOL! Go pound sand Leaky!
I reckon he’s giving them enough rope to hang themselves.
Although I, like you, wish he had told them to “stick it, end of discussion” when this first came up.
As I understand it, the AGs serve at the pleasure of the President. That means he can fire/hire as much and as often as he wants and answers to no one about his actions.
So, of course, the RATS gotta bash him over this. But they may have misunderestimated on this. While it’s true the far left base will eat this up, the more moderate base, the ones any pubby (can you spell F-R-E-D?) will need to win, may be thinking otherwise.
this Congress is really myopic when it comes to separation of powers
Does anyone know the number of times Clinton invoked Executive Privilege?
this is only the start.......I posted some four months ago the White House is pizzed and ain’t gonna take it any more.......again,this is the 1st salvo.......
Expect bomb shells when Gen Petreas(sp) reports......
cluster bomb type stuff (about proveable stuff in IRAN IRAQ and SYRIA (the Axis of Evil)
Bully to you GWB... You are one fiesty lame duck....
“Do the word’s “Bite Me” mean anything to you “lawmakers?”
EWT, I love your concise retort, but my personal favorite is “Eat My Shorts”.
EODGUY
Way to go Bush!! Woohoo!! This is probably the only way to avoid another congressional fitzfong from conducting another fishing expedition to nail anybody for anything!!
I don’t think it was funny at all when clinton abused his executive privilege to pardon a rich (no pun intended) felon who fled the United States; relatives with drug charges and my personal favorite, terrorists who REFUSED to express remorse for their actions or agree they would never again commit such actions.
If you feel clinton’s pardons bear any similarity to the replacement of U.S. Attorneys who refused to prosecute cases of significance (i.e.: weren’t doing their job), I am sincerely amazed by your cognitive process.
EODGUY
Sure, vote for the pro-abortion lobbyist.
The only place Fred can go is to Hell.
I think he’s just using it now to prove that he can.
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