More on Karl Rove Subpoena, and Executive Privilege

Karl Rove is still clinging to claims of "Executive Privilege" as a reason to rebuke his most recent Congressional subpoena. Unfortunately for the Turd Blossom, such claims don't seem to survive the transition to a new administration. I'm hopeful that Rove's pledge to not only not testify (or simply claim a faulty memory), but to ignore the subpoena has angered Congress enough that they finally do something.

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Bush Able to Claim Executive Privilege AFTER He Leaves

Photo from source, Raw Story

This is just bananas. The George W. Bush administration has claimed executive privilege for countless reasons, usually to block them from getting in trouble for something. A nervous, barely majority Democratic Congress let him get away with it. Apparently--for the same reason "impeachment is off the table"--Congress didn't want to rock the boat, didn't want to make a scene. . .just get Barack Obama elected, get a bigger majority, and deal with this stuff later. I see the logic. But it had a flaw.

Apparently, there is precedent for Bush to claim executive privilege after he's out of office. Unbelievable. He never seems to run out of "get out of jail free" cards, does he? The slight good news is that executive privilege is a very gauzy area, and Congress might have some leeway. If they don't just sweep everything under the rug, that is.

[Excerpt]

Bush may be able to block subpoenas even after leaving office

President George W. Bush appears likely to claim executive privilege in blocking subpoenas after he leaves office, according to a report Wednesday. . .

Read more at: Raw Story

Court Rules White House Aides Must Testify

Image from source, TPM Muckraker

Well, what do you know? The claim of executive privilege that Harriet Miers, Josh Bolten and Karl Rove have used as an excuse to refuse to comply with Congressional subpoenas has been shot down. Now, Rove is saying he never exerted such a claim. OK then, Turd Blossom. . .what is your excuse?

Crossing my fingers very hard on this one. . .

[Excerpt]

Senate Reacts To Court Ruling With New Call For Testimony From Rove And Bolton

Just hours after a federal judge shot down the White House's claim to sweeping immunity from Congressional oversight, Sen. Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) fired off a round of letters renewing his demand for testimony from Karl Rove and White House Chief of Staff Joshua Bolten.

The Senate Judiciary Committee chairman sent a letter to White House Counsel Fred Fielding asking whether the two officials will agree to testify in light of today's ruling against the Bush administration's blanket claim of executive privilege. . .

Read more at: TPM Muckraker

Rove's Executive Privilege Won't Stand Up in Court

Photo from source, Raw Story

Well that's just dandy. But what if it never makes it to court? Why do people like Rove seem to always get away with it? Sheesh.

[Excerpt]

Expert: Rove executive privilege claim won't stand up in court

NYU professor says Bush power claims 'wider than Nixon'

In the waning days of George W. Bush's presidency, it seems that every week brings a new showdown with Congress over the president's refusal to let his aides testify in the investigation of the US Attorney firing scandal. . .

Read more at: Raw Story

The Young Turks on Karl Rove's Disappearing Act

When I'm running low on ideas for the blog--and today is seriously one of those days--I can always count on The Young Turks to bail me out with a great video to post. Here, Cenk Uygur comments on Karl Roves recent decision not to appear before Congress, even though he was subpoenaed to do so. As usual, I agree with Cenk. Watch.

Rep. Sanchez Thinks Karl Rove Should Go to Jail

Photo from PhotoBucket

By now, we're quite used to Congress talking tough about administrative officials like Karl Rove, and then do nothing about them later. But when it comes to tough talking, it rarely gets explicit. Generalizations are made, but consequences are rarely spelled out.

That is why it's refreshing to hear a member of Congress actually say--out loud--that she thinks Karl Rove should go to jail. Sure, it may still get swept under the rug, but it's a nice change. Change we can believe in? Time will tell. . .

[Excerpt]

Rep. Sanchez: Karl Rove Should Go To Jail

Yesterday, Sanchez appeared on MSNBC and said that “in the next couple of weeks,” the Judiciary committee will vote to hold Rove in contempt. She believes that if the measure goes to the full House for a vote, there “a very great probability” that it would be approved. Sanchez also said that she thinks Rove should go to jail. . .

Read more (with video) at: Think Progress

Arianna Huffington on Karl Rove and Executive Privilege

Photo from source, Huffington Post

There is a lot in this article that is worth a read. I wish I had something to add that would be as elequent as what Arianna Huffington has to say here about Karl Rove, but I'm not as talented as she is. So I'll just be me. He's a pig. How's that?

[Excerpt]

Karl Rove's Contempt for the Constitution and the Public's Right to Know

Karl Rove ain't coming. And he ain't talking. Except on Fox News.
Despite being subpoenaed by the House Judiciary Committee to testify on his role in politicizing the Justice Department -- and in using the Department to selectively prosecute Democratic officials -- the erstwhile Boy Genius has announced that he won't be showing up at tomorrow's scheduled hearing. . .

Read more at: Huffington Post

John Conyers Insists: Karl Rove Must Testify

Image from source, Raw Story

One of my favorite politicians is still on the warpath against one of my very least favorite politicians. I'm still trying to keep a lid on my dream of Rove frog-marching out of the FOX "News" studios, shackles at the ankles and wrists, sobbing while he. . . Whoops! Lid came off! Oh well.

[Excerpt]

Conyers reemphasizes subpoena threat for Rove testimony

House Judiciary Committee Chairman John Conyers restated his demand that Karl Rove, a former top aide to Presdient Bush, testify next month about his alleged involvement in politicizing the Justice Department, particularly in the prosecution of a former Democratic governor in Alabama. . .

Read more at: Raw Story

Former US Attorneys: Congressional Subpoenas OK

Photo of Rep. John Conyers from source, TPM Muckraker

Part of the reason I'm so sick of the current Democratic Presidential primary contest, is that Hillary Clinton seems to be running on sheer force of will. She and her husband both seem to think that merely saying a thing makes it true. She is winning by "any measure," they say. Uh, no. Only by a very specific, largely irrelevant measure.

This echos the standard operating procedure of the Bush White House over the last 7+ years. Say a thing (usually often, and with many members of the Administration actually using the same exact words), and it must be true. Worse, the thing often becomes conventional wisdom--at least among the loyal Bushies.

One of the big whoppers they've been trying to sell over the last couple of years is "executive privilege." They use it as an excuse to have Administration officials--current and former--just flatly refuse to appear before Congress. But maybe, just maybe, this particular thing won't become true.

[Excerpt]

24 Former U.S. Attorneys Say Congress Can Subpoena White House

In the legal standoff between Congress and the White House, a group of 24 former federal prosecutors is siding with Congress.

The attorneys joined in a friend-of-the-court brief arguing that Congress should be allowed to issue subpoenas to White House aides to investigate political influence at the Department of Justice. . .

Read more at: TPM Muckraker

Attorney General Refuses Contempt Citations

Photo from TPM Muckraker

The "rule of law" party--as Republicans like to refer to themselves--is officially a farce, if it wasn't already. Attorney General Michael Mukasey has refused to order a Grand Jury on the contempt of Congress citations against Josh Bolten and Harriet Miers.

The case is pretty straightforward. Bolten and Miers were subpoenaed to appear before Congress. They ignored the subpoenas, and simply didn't show up. That's contempt of Congress, pure and simple. They claimed "executive privilege," but plainly are not President or even Vice President (and even Dick Cheney claims to be apart from the Executive Branch).

Mukasey's argument seems to hinge on the fact that George W. Bush told them not to go, so it's OK. WHAT? This stinks on ice, and I'm not only hoping, but imploring Nancy Pelosi to take this as far as she can.

[Excerpt]

Mukasey refuses probe of Bush aides

Attorney General Michael Mukasey refused Friday to refer the House's contempt citations against two of President Bush's top aides to a federal grand jury. Mukasey said White House Chief of Staff Josh Bolten and former presidential counsel Harriet Miers committed no crime.

As promised, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi announced that she has given the Judiciary Committee authority to file a lawsuit against Bolten and Miers in federal court. . .

Read more at: Raw Story

White House Declares Abramoff Meetings "Secret"

Photo from Daily Kos

In this White House, is there anything that isn't a "secret" or "Excecutive Privilege?" For a party that is very fond of the phrase, "personal accountability," this particular administration seems to have none. Why isn't Right-wing World up in arms about that? Cognitive dissonance?

[Excerpt]

Secrecy invoked on Abramoff lawsuits

. . .The Justice Department, citing a Cold War-era court ruling, declared that the contents of the "Sensitive Security Records" cannot be publicly revealed even though they could show whether Abramoff made more visits to the White House than those already acknowledged.

"The simple act of doing so ... would reveal sensitive information about the methods used by the Secret Service to carry out its protective function," the Justice Department argued.

"This is an extraordinary development and it raises the specter that there were additional contacts with President Bush or other high White House officials that have yet to be disclosed," said Tom Fitton, president of Judicial Watch, a conservative watchdog group that filed the suit. "We've alleged that the government has committed misconduct in this litigation and frankly this is more fuel for that fire."

Read it at: Raw Story

Most Top GOP Presidential Candidates Duck Executive Privilege Question

Could we please, please, PLEASE get some candidates that will just speak the truth, instead of parsing, spinning and triangulating? I want honesty and candor in a Presidential candidate. Is that really too much to ask?

[Excerpt]

Most Top GOP Presidential Candidates Duck Executive Privilege Question

On July 20, the Bush administration took preemptive action designed to mute in advance charges of a cover-up in the likely event that the dispute over present and former White House aides' testimony turns into a head-on collision with Congress.

Top White House officials told the Washington Post that President Bush has the power and would use it to bar the Justice Department from prosecuting contempt of Congress charges against those claiming executive privilege.

This is a highly controversial claim. Mark J. Rozell, of George Mason University, told the Post that Bush's assertion of presidential power "is almost Nixonian in its scope and breadth. . . . It's allowing the executive to define the scope and limits of its own powers." [snip]

This, then, is fodder for debate in the presidential campaign and the Huffington Post surveyed the top Republican contenders to get their views. Only one, Mitt Romney, was willing to take a stand. . .

Read more at: HuffingtonPost.com

UPDATE: FYI, this was the post that successfully bumped the bad post off of the page. I've changed the settings to display only the 15 most recent posts. In a couple of days, after there are several more posts, I may lengthen that. Anyway, problem solved, but headache still pounding!

Alexander Hamilton Says... You Stupid Monkeys!

Posted by Stupid Monkey Planet

The Unitary Executive Theory that King Curious George & his cohorts adhere to is just a pile of monkey excrement.
Please have a look at what THE Founding Father had to say about the powers of the Executive Branch.
Hamilton Spells It Out
Credit Yale... yes, that Yale for the info...

Bush: Executive Privilege Regarding Tillman Death

Photo from source, RawStory.com

OK, this is just weird.

[Excerpt]

White House, Pentagon cite executive privilege to hold up documents on friendly fire victim Tillman

Michael Roston
Published: Friday July 13, 2007

Rep. Henry Waxman (D-CA) revealed on Friday afternoon that the White House and Pentagon were holding up a House Oversight and Government Reform Committee investigation into the friendly fire death of former professional football player and Army Corporal Patrick Tillman.

"[T]he Committee wrote to White House Counsel Fred Fielding seeking 'all documents received or generated by any official in the Executive Office of the President' relating to Corporal Tillman's death," noted a press release from the Committee.

But the White House has apparently again invoked its executive privilege to hold up the documents sought by Waxman and Ranking Minority member Tom Davis (R-VA).

Read more at: RawStory.com