Oral Arguments In House Judiciary Contempt Lawsuit Set For Monday

[maddezmom]

Source: CBS

The Politico) House Democrats will get their day in court on Monday as a federal judge hears oral arguments in a groundbreaking lawsuit over the limits of executive privilege.

Irv Nathan, the House general counsel, will present the Judiciary Committee’s case in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia as the panel seeks to enforce subpoenas to White House Chief of Staff Josh Bolten and former White House Counsel Harriet Miers.

The Judiciary Committee issued subpoenas last year to Bolten and Miers as part of the panel's investigation into the firing of nine U.S. attorneys in 2006. Judiciary Committee Democrats are seeking information from on the White House's role in the firings, but President Bush, asserting executive privilege, has refused to make senior aides available for questioing under oath by congressional investigators or turn over a "privilege log" of documents being withheld.

House lawyers argue that, in refusing to allow Bolten and Miers to even appear before the Judiciary Committee in order to assert executive privilege, the Bush administration is seeking to expand presidential power in a dramatic fashion, one that cannot go unchallenged by Congress



Read more: http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2008/06/23/politics/politico/thecrypt/main4201271.shtml

[fasttense]

1. Why does our Congress have to file a lawsuit???????

Do they understand the concept of inherit contempt? Do they know they own the purse strings? Are they just so use to kissing bushes a** that they are afraid of their own power?

[Changenow]

2. Because the DOJ is corrupted to the core

but the Judiciary is as well, so this is all a dance.

[drm604]

3. Maybe they're just going through the motions first.

Maybe they're just proceeding along the least radical course first so that they're able to say that they tried all of the possible alternatives before resorting to inherent contempt.

I don't hold out a lot of hope that that's the case, but it's a possibility.

[zanne]

4. The fact that this was posted two hours ago and only has four replies shows...

How discouraged and beaten down we are. We don't even hope for justice anymore. We're getting used to having the rug pulled out from under us. (And it was so easy for them).

[drm604]

5. This was posted 8:12 am eastern time, so maybe it just wasn't noticed.

Now that it has 6 recommends maybe it will get more attention.

[jtrockville]

6. Is the hearing broadcast?

[bonito]

7. I just caught this over at the Guardian thanks.

[pberq]

8. case is unlikely to be decided before Jan. '09

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2008/06/23/politics/politico/thecrypt/main4201271.shtml

. . .District Judge John Bates, a Bush appointee, has agreed to expedite the case as Democrats seek a decision by August in order to finish their probe before Congress adjourns for the year. However, legal experts believe the side that loses on the district court level will appeal the ruling, meaning the case is unlikely to be decided before Bush leaves office in January 2009.

[maddezmom]

9. and Judge Bates is a loyal bushie IMO