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The article doesn't say there should never be congressional hearings. That's ridiculous. The two examples provided are very clear. First, the information Burton seeks is similar to the information the congressional Watergate committees sought. But Congress didn't get the information from Nixon. In Watergate, the Supreme Court's decision in Nixon v. United States, dealt with Nixon's assertion of executive privilege against the Watergate special prosecutor, Leon Jaworski's, subpoenas for tapes, among other things, that may have contained evidence of criminal wrongdoing. Only after the criminal investigation was over did Jaworski share any investigative information with Congress, yet he still withheld grand-jury and other confidential data. Second, in Iran-contra, both President Reagan and Independent Counsel Lawrence Walsh refused to provide Congress with criminal investigative information. Congress largely honored their positions. In fact, Reagan was required to assert privilege to prevent the disclosres to Congress. Furthermore, our government exists of three branches. It's not a parliamentary system. Congress doesn't hold sway over the other branches. Dan Burton has no legislative purpose in demanding confidential criminal-investigative information from the Justice Department. Congress has rooms' full of evidence with which to debate and pass laws to prevent the kind of stonewalling and misconduct that existed in the prior administration. It hasn't passed anything. In point of fact, Burton simply wants information he can release to the press. These are serious constitutional issues that every conservative should be concerned about, not spin. I suppose if you don't take the time to the law or study history, you just accuse the person with whom you disagree of spin. I would urge a more careful and principled examination of this matter. Just because Dan Burton de

Thanks for the additional information and clarification. BTW, great article.

In point of fact, Burton simply wants information he can release to the press.

Exactly.

The only headlines from Burton's oversight of Clinton involved the (intentional) leaks of information.