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Democrats have votes to hold two White House officials in contempt by
full House vote: report
10/26/2007 @ 8:57 am
Filed by John Byrne and Nick Juliano
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) and House Judiciary Chairman John
Conyers (D-MI) are surveying the House Democratic caucus to determine
whether it will support holding White House Chief of Staff Joshua
Bolten and former White House Counsel Harriet Miers in contempt for
ducking subpoenas in the continuing investigation into the firing of
nine US attorney
According to Bresnahan of Politico, Conyers said the contempt motion
could be brought "as early as next week," but that Pelosi had not made
a final decision on the vote, saying it would be more likely in two
weeks.
Democrats believe they have the votes to hold Miers and Bolten in
contempt, Bresnahan says. If a criminal contempt resolution passes, it
would light new fires in a White House already struggling to stave off
additional controversy. The House Judiciary Committee approved a
contempt resolution after both failed to show up for a July hearing,
but it was not brought to the House floor for a vote.
Senior Democratic aides told the site they'd be able to round up the
218 votes needed from their caucus. They expect Republicans to stand
pat on their side of the aisle. Several Democratic lawmakers
purportedly said under condition of anonymity that they'd been polled
on the move and all said they'd back it if it came to the floor.
Conyers told Bresnahan he'd been in discussions with White House
Counsel Fred Fielding to broker a compromise without success.
The House Judiciary Committee subpoenaed Miers and Bolton June 13.
Miers -- once tapped by President Bush to be a Supreme Court Justice
-- was asked what her role was while serving in the White House;
Bolton was called because he was supposed to have kept track of
documents related to the mass firings.
If the full House approves the contempt charges, Miers and Bolton are
still unlikely to face any criminal penalties. Before Alberto Gonzales
resigned as Attorney General, the Justice Department informed the
committee that it would not pursue criminal contempt charges against
White House officials when executive privilege is invoked.
Democrats say the firings were politically motivated.
Conyers recommended contempt charges in July
The House Judiciary Committee formally recommended criminal contempt
charges against former White House counsel Harriet Miers and chief of
staff Joshua Bolten for their failure to comply with an investigation
into the firings July 25.
The charges were presented in a resolution that, if passed by the
House as a whole, would present a case for criminal proceedings to the
US Attorney for the District of Columbia.
Gonzales instructed the Justice Department not to purse the charges
because the White House has invoked executive privilege. Attorney
General nominee Michael Mukasey has said the department could pursue
charges if executive privilege claims were "unreasonable," but he
hopes to avoid having to make such a decision. The House Judiciary
Committee voted 22-17 along party lines to send the Democratic measure
to the full House.
Brian A. Benczkowski, principal deputy assistant attorney general,
sent a letter to Conyers citing the department's "long-standing"
position, "articulated during administrations of both parties, that
the criminal contempt of Congress statute does not apply to the
president or presidential subordinates who assert executive
privilege."
Conyers introduction of the resolution was accompanied by a 52-page
report outlining the criminal charges against the administration
officials.
Republicans sought to convince members of the majority not to get
involved in a prolonged constitutional fight over executive privilege
and accused Democrats of pursuing a partisan witch-hunt without basis
in facts.
Democrats argued the contempt filing was necessary because of the
disrespect with which the White House treated members of the
committee.
"We have rolled over with every claim of executive privilege," said
Rep. Adam Schiff (D-FL), who called Miers snub of the committee
"beyond the pale."
Judiciary Chairman John Conyers, D-Mich., said the contempt charges
were being sought "only as a last resort."
"What I am not open to is accepting a take-it-or leave it offer, which
would not allow us access to the information we need ... this is the
only proposal we have received from White House counsel," Conyers
said.
Ranking Member James Sensenbrenner (R-WI) said he thought the White
House would prevail in court against criminal charges. Instead, he
suggested a civil lawsuit that would focus narrowly on the claim of
executive privilege in this particular case.
Rep. Chris Cannon (R-UT) said Democrats on the committee have offered
no evidence of corruption and should not file contempt charges until
they can prove inappropriate conduct within the White House.
Conyers said the lack of evidence was the fault of the White House for
not cooperating, and explaining that that is exactly why the charges
were being filed.
"We can't get to the evidence before we get to the witnesses and the
documents that we've requested," Conyers said.
President Bush invoked executive privilege when refusing to allow
Miers to appear before the committee. She did not show up to testify
when called July 12; Bolton refused to hand over White House documents
sought by Democrats on the committee.
Republicans said Bush is entitled to confidential advice from his
aides, and Congress does not have the right to subvert their ability
to have private conversations with advisers.
Conyers said the president has yet to "personally" invoke privilege
and reminded the committee that testimony has yet to reveal whether
Bush was directly involved in the decisions leading to the attorneys
being fired.
Correction: Because of an editing error, an early edition of this
article incorrectly stated that two more White House officials had
been held in contempt. Contempt charges had been approved by the House
Judiciary for both Miers and Bolten by Committee in July but not voted
upon by the House.
full House vote: report
10/26/2007 @ 8:57 am
Filed by John Byrne and Nick Juliano
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) and House Judiciary Chairman John
Conyers (D-MI) are surveying the House Democratic caucus to determine
whether it will support holding White House Chief of Staff Joshua
Bolten and former White House Counsel Harriet Miers in contempt for
ducking subpoenas in the continuing investigation into the firing of
nine US attorney
According to Bresnahan of Politico, Conyers said the contempt motion
could be brought "as early as next week," but that Pelosi had not made
a final decision on the vote, saying it would be more likely in two
weeks.
Democrats believe they have the votes to hold Miers and Bolten in
contempt, Bresnahan says. If a criminal contempt resolution passes, it
would light new fires in a White House already struggling to stave off
additional controversy. The House Judiciary Committee approved a
contempt resolution after both failed to show up for a July hearing,
but it was not brought to the House floor for a vote.
Senior Democratic aides told the site they'd be able to round up the
218 votes needed from their caucus. They expect Republicans to stand
pat on their side of the aisle. Several Democratic lawmakers
purportedly said under condition of anonymity that they'd been polled
on the move and all said they'd back it if it came to the floor.
Conyers told Bresnahan he'd been in discussions with White House
Counsel Fred Fielding to broker a compromise without success.
The House Judiciary Committee subpoenaed Miers and Bolton June 13.
Miers -- once tapped by President Bush to be a Supreme Court Justice
-- was asked what her role was while serving in the White House;
Bolton was called because he was supposed to have kept track of
documents related to the mass firings.
If the full House approves the contempt charges, Miers and Bolton are
still unlikely to face any criminal penalties. Before Alberto Gonzales
resigned as Attorney General, the Justice Department informed the
committee that it would not pursue criminal contempt charges against
White House officials when executive privilege is invoked.
Democrats say the firings were politically motivated.
Conyers recommended contempt charges in July
The House Judiciary Committee formally recommended criminal contempt
charges against former White House counsel Harriet Miers and chief of
staff Joshua Bolten for their failure to comply with an investigation
into the firings July 25.
The charges were presented in a resolution that, if passed by the
House as a whole, would present a case for criminal proceedings to the
US Attorney for the District of Columbia.
Gonzales instructed the Justice Department not to purse the charges
because the White House has invoked executive privilege. Attorney
General nominee Michael Mukasey has said the department could pursue
charges if executive privilege claims were "unreasonable," but he
hopes to avoid having to make such a decision. The House Judiciary
Committee voted 22-17 along party lines to send the Democratic measure
to the full House.
Brian A. Benczkowski, principal deputy assistant attorney general,
sent a letter to Conyers citing the department's "long-standing"
position, "articulated during administrations of both parties, that
the criminal contempt of Congress statute does not apply to the
president or presidential subordinates who assert executive
privilege."
Conyers introduction of the resolution was accompanied by a 52-page
report outlining the criminal charges against the administration
officials.
Republicans sought to convince members of the majority not to get
involved in a prolonged constitutional fight over executive privilege
and accused Democrats of pursuing a partisan witch-hunt without basis
in facts.
Democrats argued the contempt filing was necessary because of the
disrespect with which the White House treated members of the
committee.
"We have rolled over with every claim of executive privilege," said
Rep. Adam Schiff (D-FL), who called Miers snub of the committee
"beyond the pale."
Judiciary Chairman John Conyers, D-Mich., said the contempt charges
were being sought "only as a last resort."
"What I am not open to is accepting a take-it-or leave it offer, which
would not allow us access to the information we need ... this is the
only proposal we have received from White House counsel," Conyers
said.
Ranking Member James Sensenbrenner (R-WI) said he thought the White
House would prevail in court against criminal charges. Instead, he
suggested a civil lawsuit that would focus narrowly on the claim of
executive privilege in this particular case.
Rep. Chris Cannon (R-UT) said Democrats on the committee have offered
no evidence of corruption and should not file contempt charges until
they can prove inappropriate conduct within the White House.
Conyers said the lack of evidence was the fault of the White House for
not cooperating, and explaining that that is exactly why the charges
were being filed.
"We can't get to the evidence before we get to the witnesses and the
documents that we've requested," Conyers said.
President Bush invoked executive privilege when refusing to allow
Miers to appear before the committee. She did not show up to testify
when called July 12; Bolton refused to hand over White House documents
sought by Democrats on the committee.
Republicans said Bush is entitled to confidential advice from his
aides, and Congress does not have the right to subvert their ability
to have private conversations with advisers.
Conyers said the president has yet to "personally" invoke privilege
and reminded the committee that testimony has yet to reveal whether
Bush was directly involved in the decisions leading to the attorneys
being fired.
Correction: Because of an editing error, an early edition of this
article incorrectly stated that two more White House officials had
been held in contempt. Contempt charges had been approved by the House
Judiciary for both Miers and Bolten by Committee in July but not voted
upon by the House.
