( – promoted by buhdydharma )
From crooks and liars http://www.crooksandliars.com/…
Crier: Well here’s the way this plays out. If the full House issues the contempt citation then it’s supposed to go to the Department of Justice and they’re supposed to take it to a Grand Jury. They’re supposed to enforce it. Well they’ve already, the Bush administration says no, uh, there’s Executive authority, we’re saying privilege. They’re not going to enforce it. You might then try the Federal courts. The Federal courts are liable to say it’s a political question. But the Constitution gives the Congress the inherent power to issue contempt and then to prosecute on this.
Abrams: On their own.
Crier: They can send the Sergeant at Arms out into the countryside, arrest, haul somebody in and in days gone by used to literally hold them in the basement of Congress in an impromptu jail and then they could have a trial. That is still their power today.
a full transcript at the link
e-mail from Congressman Robert Wexler [[email protected]]
he said to send it to my friends….
(my bolds)
Dear Ria,
Last night, I appeared on MSNBC’s Verdict with Dan Abrams to discuss Karl Rove’s outrageous refusal to appear before Congress regarding serious allegations that he used the US Justice Department to take down a prominent Democratic politician. It is alleged that Mr. Rove personally instigated the prosecution of former Alabama Governor Don Siegleman. The case has been criticized by legal experts, and 52 former state attorney generals – both Republicans and Democrats – have criticized the case and called for an investigation. (You may view the clip here. http://images.myngp.com/LinkTr… )
If Rove refuses to testify voluntarily and ignores the subpoenas that will certainly be issued, he should be held in Inherent Contempt of the House of Representatives.
No American is above the law. None of us should be able to ignore Congress without consequence. If Mr. Rove ignores a subpoena from the Judiciary Committee, then the House of Representatives should pass an Inherent Contempt citation and exercise our right to send the House Sergeant-of-Arms to gather Mr. Rove and bring him before Congress to testify.
I do not advocate this option lightly, but the reality is that Congress has few options left against an Administration that totally refuses to submit to any type of reasonable Congressional oversight. Congress has both the right and obligation to investigate these matters. Never before has an Executive so upset the checks and balances inherent in our Constitution. If we back off or delay, we effectively forfeit the power of Congress to investigate the Executive branch.
Rove is not the first White House official to ignore Congress. We have seen a pattern of refusals based on laughable claims of executive privilege. First, White House Chief of Staff Joshua Bolten and former White House Counsel Harriet Miers ignored subpoenas on the investigation into the firing of US Attorney Generals for partisan political motives.
Their refusal to testify was unprecedented: never before have executive officials totally refused to even show up before Congress. Bolten and Miers are the highest officials ever held in contempt of Congress. Unfortunately, Attorney General Mukasey – in a dereliction of duty – has refused to enforce the contempt decree and now Congress is suing them in District Court to demand compliance. Then, the Vice President’s Chief of Staff, David Addington, refused to testify on the investigation into the Bush Administration’s ordering of torture. Now, Rove continues this executive arrogance by also refusing to testify.
Enough is enough. We have a Constitutional obligation to provide accountability to a White House that is trying usurp the constitutional powers of Congress.
These are the very reasons why I have been pushing for impeachment hearings for Vice President Cheney. The Bush Administration has been running roughshod over the Constitution for eight long years. We should not allow the promise of a positive election be used as an excuse to ignore our duty to investigate crimes that weaken the very fabric of our Democracy.
I thank you again for your commitment to the causes that we hold so dear.
With warm regards,
Congressman Robert Wexler
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the balls to do this?? If only! It sure would be just what is needed to move us forward in this country. Don’t care if it’s a frog or a duck they use to march the bastards to jail!
Thanks for this RiaDarlin’
I have been hoping something would get done so it could become the defining issue of the era….an Imperial Presidency or the Rule of the People to protect their Constitutional Rights! I am so tired of the worn-out rants….”My Country right or wrong….” and “We must follow the President!”
Come on…wake up! He is just a man, like any other with less IQ than most and a feeling of more entitlement than most! This is not the divine rule of President/Kings here!
Frog March the Bastards already! And throw away the keys for subverting our Laws!
and would have the added benefit of keeping his fingers out of the general election for a while… 🙂
I hear angelic choirs singing in the background as I read the words: “Frog-marching Rove”.
What’s up with that? 😉
Do my eyes deceive me? Have I died and gone to heaven (not that that’s likely to happen — well, just the heaven part)??? Is there anything one could do to speed the process along? Standing by for instructions…
Conyers on Rove: We’ll Hold Him in Contempt.
You’ve been bumped to the front page!! And by buhdy!!
Now aren’t you glad you posted this??!!!
Constitutionally speaking, Separation of Powers case law says that Bush’s Power of Pardon does not extend to inherent Contempt of Congress.
Although it remains highly doubtful that Chief Justice Roberts thinks so….
I feel the same exhilaration, but I have to express a concern. Okay, first, please don’t yell at me. I’m not advocating against what needs to be done, I’m naming what could be an unintended consequence. Before the 2000 election, or was it the 2004 election, when suddenly same sex marriage became an issue, I told my kids, “I hate this issue.” This is going to kill us in the election.” In fact, I’m still wondering who was behind that issue suddenly coming to the fore at such a convenient times for Republicans. This analysis has nothing to do with my passionate support for equality, understand.
I feel the same here. The Republicans are currently screwed. They are feeling effete (h/t to Agnew). Something like this, grossly distorted in the media, could be just the thing to change the current dynamic dramatically.
I have felt for a long time that Congress has a constitutional obligation to take these actions. This is aside from the more debatable moral responsibilities. For someone who is sworn to uphold the constitution, there really is no choice.
So, what’s my point? I guess I’m saying we need to be careful to temper our reactions in order to minimize alienation of low-information or low-morality citizens who mis-interpret this as some kind of raw power grab. I don’t mean here on this site (Whooppee! Jail the bastard and throw away the key! Waterboarding is too good for him) Ahem. Um, but for more widespread consumption. Mature, nonself-righteous education is very important, on the extremely outside chance that our wildest dreams come true.
I’m sorry to be a negative Ned, a pessimistic Peter. This is the kind of stuff that flows out of my worried little head.
I’m really glad you posted, RiaD. I hadn’t read it elsewhere. Everyone is aware, I assume, of the overheard statement from Conyers on Friday:
From CBS News.
I’d pay money to see that.
Well, the congressman’s heart is in the right place, but I don’t think Congress’ is. I don’t see it happening, tho if I’m wrong, I’ll be happy to admit to that cool shit.
But I don’t think I’m going to be wrong, ’cause in Bizarro-Amerika evil is good and ‘getting away with it’ is SOP.
It’s showing as a broken link to me.
Actually, the blockquote from Wexler is enough to make my day but now I’m curious about the pic.
Man Assulted by Donkey
enforce Congressional subpoenas… ALL of them
Talk about Lucy pulling footballs.
George, Dick, Condi, Donald, and Karl have probably done more in their incompetence to weaken the empire than anyone in history. Don’t diss Karl. I’m glad he’s on their side.