Subpoenas withdrawn against 12 House members in Cunningham case

[cascadiance]

Source: Associated Press

By ALLISON HOFFMAN

The Associated Press

SAN DIEGO

A lawyer for a defense contractor accused of bribing former U.S. Rep. Randy "Duke" Cunningham on Tuesday withdrew subpoenas of a dozen House members after a federal judge indicated he was prepared to quash them.

U.S. District Judge Larry Burns said he might consider enforcing the subpoenas if attorneys for Brent Wilkes could demonstrate the lawmakers had specific information related to the charges and their testimony would be critical to Wilkes' defense.

...

Geragos later told reporters that he intends to file new subpoenas for testimony from Hastert and California Republican Reps. John Doolittle, Duncan Hunter, Darrell Issa and Jerry Lewis.

He is also considering subpoenas against up to 15 other House members and four senators: Larry Craig, R-Idaho; Daniel Inouye, D-Hawaii; Carl Levin, D-Mich., and Jay Rockefeller, D-W.Va.

Read more: http://www.pe.com/ap_news/California/CA_Congressman_Bribery_309745C.shtml

---

Hmm... Interesting. So there was a lot of "blowin' smoke" earlier. Now he's talking about reissuing subpoenas against most of the Southern California Republican delegation of house members along with Hastert.

And I guess he's still considering trying to throw a bunch of Dems in the list too. Still having Larry Craig in there I see. Wonder if Craig was docking his boat next to Duke Cunningham's Duke-stir for a lot of those "wild" parties with Wilkes and company and associated hookers (male or female?)... :)

[liberal N proud]

1. It magic

Just simply magic. The law doesn't matter for some people.

[Trillo]

2. Let me see if I understand this.

The White House has been ignoring subpoenas.

Now, congress members caught up in one of the preeminent government bribery cases of all time are having their subpoenas squashed.

Tit for tat?

[dazzlerazzle]

3. subpoenas

So the prosecution is calling prostitutes and Duke Cunningham, apparantly believing this is all that they need, but Geragos could be making a point that the defense is hindered because the witness's he needs may have some kind of shield by constitutional protections, as well as self- incrimination if they tell the truth.

At Tuesday's pretrial hearing, House Deputy General Counsel Kerry Kircher argued lawmakers were shielded by the constitutional protections designed to prevent members of Congress from being forced to disclose communications that are part of their legislative duties.

I guess if the vice president can keep his energy task force meetings from being subpoenaed, the same basis can be claimed by these clowns. I don't know if knowledge of, or attendance at parties with prostitutes are legislative communications. Seems like a stretch.