Ex-Aide to Respect Confidentiality Of White House in Hill Testimony (ON CNN NOW- 10:43am et)

WaPo ^ | 7-11-07 | Paul Kane and Peter Baker

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Former White House aide Sara M. Taylor will refuse to testify today about matters President Bush has deemed shielded by executive privilege, but she will offer to respond to other questions from senators that do not breach White House confidentiality, her attorney said yesterday.

The Senate Judiciary Committee subpoenaed Taylor to testify this morning about the dismissals of nine U.S. attorneys last year and the Bush administration's response to the controversy that followed. Bush this week invoked executive privilege, and White House counsel Fred F. Fielding sent Taylor a letter directing her not to discuss internal communications.

"Ms. Taylor will appear at the Senate Judiciary Committee hearing in response to the committee subpoenas and intends to comply with the letter from Mr. Fielding," her attorney, W. Neil Eggleston, said yesterday. Sitting by her side in the hearing room, Eggleston will advise her whether questions fall afoul of Fielding's instructions.

Fielding told Eggleston in a letter Monday that Taylor should not discuss "White House consideration, deliberations, or communications, whether internal or external, relating to the possible dismissal or appointment of United States Attorneys, including consideration of possible responses to congressional and media inquiries."

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Leaky questioning now

Also on C-span

FROM THE SENATE
Firing of U.S. Attorneys
Sara Taylor, fmr. White House Public Affairs Dir., testifies on the firing of U.S. attorneys. She is expected to appear despite the White House's assertion of executive privilege, encouraging former aides to defy Congressional subpoenas. Sen. Patrick Leahy (D-VT) chairs this hearing of the Senate Judiciary Cmte. WEDS., C-SPAN3, 10AM ET

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Ooops -- it's on CSPAN 3

Spector's up now... hoping Ms. Taylor doesn't have to be held in contempt for refusing to answer certain questions .. awwww.

[Tut]

Betcha it took everything Taylor had NOT to jump over that table and slap those loony Senators silly.

[af_vet_rr]

Something that bugs me, and maybe it shouldn't, but it sure seems like the Bush administration has a lot of younger and/or inexperienced folks running around handling important stuff. I've read of some people who had fairly prominent roles in the federal government, who were hired when they were in their early-mid 20s or who had no experience related to their eventual jobs. Some of these people seem like they came right out of the College Republicans and straight into the White House.

Maybe I'm in cranky old guy mode or something.

[strange1]

,i>...said Specter, R-Pa. "You might have been on safer legal ground if you'd said absolutely nothing."

And there you have it. In regards to Comrade Conyers and his ilk...say nothing!

Well maybe___ Phock yourself congressman!