Leahy: If Bush And Cheney Don't Cooperate With Subpoenas He Will Push To Find Them In Contempt Of Congress
By Logan Murphy Saturday Jun 30, 2007 11:02am
Chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, Senator Patrick Leahy, (D-VT) was on "Meet The Press" this morning to discuss the ongoing DOJ and White House scandals. and clearly states that if George Bush and Dick Cheney continue to withhold requested documents and ignore the subpoenas they have been issued, he will hold a vote to hold them in contempt of Congress. If the Democrats are paying any attention to their miserable poll numbers and the blogs, they will see that America is clamoring for them to stand up to our out of control Executive Branch and force them to comply with the law. Leahy did well this morning, calling Timmeh out on his RNC, straw man question right out of the gate:
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Russert: "As you well know you've issued subpoenas on the Bush White House regarding the eavesdropping - wiretapping put in place by the President after September 11th. Critics this morning will say, Senator, that this plan is so essential for monitoring contact between international terrorists and people here in the United States, that subpoenas now is very very counter-productive and could effect our anti-terrorism situation.
Leahy: "Well, of course that's the kind of talking point that the White House is trying to put out. The White House has chosen confrontation over cooperation I think that's unfortunate. Nobody on my committee, Republican or Democrat, is trying to subpoena the operations of what's been done in wiretapping terrorists..."
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Dick Cheney before he dicks you.
If it comes to this and they don't begin impeachment proceedings when Cheney flips them the bird for the 10,000 time forget it.
Are the video links working for anyone? Not for me... ??
I'm not getting video either.
If the Dems don't stand up and roll out a series of punitive actions against this mutiny against the rule of law, they will be saddled with the blame as a result. Congress is supposed to be the ultimate cop.
OK... So it's only the White House that has the security clearences to view secret intel.....hmmmmmm????.
Right......No Senators?.....They can't afford the chance of a leak to the public.
If the public finds out ...their in a world of hurt..
Russert once again, with his stupid/idiotic question/statment, proves that
he is totally out of touch with reality and is playing the usual dumbass
politics of the right-wing. Tim continues to disappoint me.
Jo-Ann @ 5:
Of course. And people are going to think hey if these guys-gals can't stand up to Bush and Cheney what are they going to do if China or Russia starts trying to bully us around.
"National Security" information is really political information about Cabalist activities and frauds and corruption schemes.
The Republicans have ALWAYS operated like this.
no video
Uh maybe I'm just a radical or a liberal, but I believe that these Corporate News Pundits should be brought to justice for war crimes against humanity, including censoring and underreporting the failures in Iraq/Afghanistan. They have wall to wall Military Government Propaganda about Al Qaeda car fire bombs, while US Bombings in Iraq and Afghanistan killed hundreds, YESTERDAY! McClatchy News Papers claim that only One Hundred Iraqis died in June! Can you imagine? Unbelivable! Bizzaro World! We only want justice for the third world war. I'm not a democrat or a republican, I'm just a U.S. Citizen, regards PS Live Free or Die.
"A man is not what he wishes himself to be, a man is what his actions prove him to be."
-Jean Paul Sartre
I guess that says that Cheney and Bush are :
Quislings!
quis·ling (kw¹z“l¹ng) n. A traitor who serves as the puppet of the enemy occupying his or her country. [After Vidkun Quisling (1887-1945), head of Norway's government during the Nazi occupation (1940-1945).]
I wish Dems en masse would confront Timmah and the other RW-MSM talking heads every time they do this by simply saying "Well, that's the White House's current talking point, and as an impartial journalist I'm surprised to hear you mouthing it." Can you imagine how slapped back Timmy boy, Chris Matthews and the rest would be?
Video doesn't work.
►Shiva H Vishnu◄ @ 12:
In the course of the treason trials following the war, Quisling, along with two other Nasjonal Samling leaders, Albert Viljam Hagelin and Ragnar Skancke, was convicted of high treason and executed by firing squad at Akershus Fortress.
Leahy didn't seem to have "the fire in the belly" this morning. However, the context of his discussion with Timmy is excellent. But the Dems need more "fight" among their ranks. It's time to take this country back!
Notice how when Bush and Cheney are in deep sh*t this stuff starts up constantly. I wonder if Rove controls the U.S. Media?
Suspicious package forces JFK evacuation
AP - 35 minutes ago
NEW YORK - Authorities found a suspicious package and evacuated the American Airlines terminal at John F. Kennedy International Airport on Sunday, but the package proved harmless, officials said.
L.A. Confidential @ 15:
Sounds GOOd to me!
The roof
the roof
the roof is on fire
These guys like timmeh need to be asked ..... who are these "critics" or "people" so we can find out who is feeding them the talking points ..... I would bet there would be lots of stammering trying to come up with a response.
Go get em Pat Leahy, that's what America is waiting for!!! This is what Congress SHOULD be doing instead of waisting its time with other stuff (like phony terrorism etc.) which actually helps the GOP.
L.A. Confidential @ 17:
Of course, FEAR is their only card, so they not only play it...They PRAY for it, and if that doesn't work, just leak some shit to the slimey media.
Jo-Ann @ 5:
Um, no, we the people are. Or at least, that's what the founders thought.
Maybe it's time to read the Declaration of Independence again folks. A wonderfully seditious document. Powerfully written and just as apt now as it was in 1776.
►Shiva H Vishnu◄ @ 18:
You forgot to put Rove in their. Cheney-Bush-Rove. The Trifecta
I'm not getting the video either, but I had to comment on this:
Russert: “Critics this morning will say, Senator, that this plan is so essential for monitoring contact between international terrorists and people here in the United States, that subpoenas now is very very counter-productive and could effect our anti-terrorism situation.
Russert, how about "Subpoenas now is very very very very very counter-productive."? It has even more force to it.
Whenever you see someone using that many copies or extent of a qualifier, it usually means they are trying to convince themselves and realize their case is hopeless on its own merits.
Tim Russert and Chris Matthews are should be ignored at all costs from now on and have their ratings crashed . These guys ALWAYS suck up to Republicans and their talking points . Matthews tried some damage control this week by having John Edwards on the day after Coultergeist trashed Edwards wife WHILE MATTHEWS WAS SITTING THERE AND SMILING so this proves that his bosses are keeping an eye on the ratings and switchboard . Put the boots to these so-called journalists by changing channels .
Wow, little Timmy really is a living, breathing Squauking Point for the RNC. I never understand how these 'journalists' have the balls to immediately parrot the white house press releases like that.
How is it that this bunch of criminals can just defy Congress? If Harriet Myers and Sara Taylor are supoened and don't show up ready to testify under oath, why can't they be held in contempt, arrested and put in jail until they do? All this defiance from them and chest-pounding from the Democrats is getting very tiresome. It is waaaay past time to actually take some action against these people and that includes the apologist for them in the media.
Contact Leahy and tell him to use "inherent contempt" against the White House!!!! That circumvents both Alberto Gonzales AND the supreme court that has ruled that congress has complete authority over inherent contempt.
Sam Erwin used it to threaten Nixon's White House in the 70's, when he said if the people there ignored the congressional subpoenaes, he would send the Sargent at arms to the White House to BRING the people to the congress. Go to Daily Kos and read the linked article about inherent contempt.
Call Leahy and your representatives and tell them to charge the White House with inherent contempt.
►Shiva H Vishnu◄ @ 22:
Run to your basement or bomb shelters...we gotta scare you, with help of the MSM,
in order to keep you disinformed as to what is going on yestereday, today and tomorrow
in Afghan and Iraq. I am trembling in my boots with ALL of these terriorist threats;how about you? Sorry, I for one think it's just more BS from this admin...Later, I'm going
shopping and not for duck tape or water and foods so I can hide out.
ecotopian @ 23:
I rewrote it to fit todays situations. If someone can help me out I will try to get C&L to lead it with an article.
OOPS - I can not find that file!
9:45 AM LA time and no vid...
Sorry for the inconvenience. We're working on it now. Thanks for your patience.
Sitemonitor
Timmeh made Fox look fair and balanced this morning on his show,
Meet the Whitehousemouthpiece.
Stopped watching him quite some time ago.
[Deleted. Off topic]
A democrat making empty threats. Yawn. I'd like to see Leahy take some real action against the loser president. But that will never happen.
And this with another DOJ official quiting just this Friday. Apparently, Rachel Brand had also helped in the reauthorization of the Patriot Act. Now maybe she is not connected to the illegal wiretapping but with this Administration, who knows. In any case, this is just another bad mark for an already loathed Administration.
Seventh official quits Justice Department
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - An assistant attorney general at the Justice Department announced her resignation on Friday, becoming the seventh official to quit the department since the Democratic-led Congress launched an investigation in March into the firing of nine federal prosecutors.
http://today.reuters.com/news/articlenews.aspx?type=topNews&storyid=2007...
Russert is the mouth of Sauron. Leahy is a fool. The Bushies would like nothing better than to have this matter drop in the lap of their Federalist Society justices. Leahy knows the Dems will loose that confrontation, which is exactly why he is pushing it. The Democrats then get kudos for having fought the unbeatable foe. What crap. The only way the Democrats can reestablish the balance of power and rule of law under the constitution is to impeach both George Bush and Dick Cheney. That will keep the Federalist Society hacks on the sidelines, allow the public to hear the evidence against the defendants sans all the MSM spin, and will, even if Bush and Cheney are acquitted, cripple their war powers, discredit their theory of unitary executive power and restore tripartite government if the Democrats have the guts to assert their authority.
Too bad that isn't prosecutable. Face it people, your reps aren't going to do shit about Cheney or Bush.
This one is interesting...
Unlike the Attorneygate stuff, they have clear evidence of a crime that is prima faciea, the FISA Act violations.
If the Senate Judicial Committee declares that they are investigating a crime, then the Senate Subpoena's can not be ignored and executive priviledge doesn't apply. Nixon fought this one to SCOTUS and lost.
It does lead to two very sticky points that are very serious:
1. A Special Prosecutor would have to be appointed and right now everyone in the Department of Just Us has recused themselves down to the Solicitor General, who in John Dean's opinon should also recuse himself, but is not likely to appoint one.
This makes for a constitutional crisis.
2. Do the Dems want to risk taking this to the SCOTUS level given the NeoFascist cabal that Bush put in place and risk a legal precedent being established for an all powerful, monarchical executive?
Alito, Roberts, Scalia, and Thomas are all Federalist Society protofascists, with Kennedy being the swing vote. Recent rulings though are going 5 to 4 on to the conservative side, but they have ruled against the White House in a number of key cases involving the detainees.
Its a very risky and dangerous time for America because of Bush & Cheney and what their protofascist think tank supporters have been quietly engineering for the last thirty years.
Now the Republic is hanging by a thread and congress knows it... especially Leahy and the other Senate Judiciary Committee members.
Somehow all this 'tough' talk seems a bit useless at this stage of game. Unless they plan to go after the War Pigs when their reign is over. So far all I see is a whole bunch of talk and very little action. Smoke and mirrors just to gain support for the '08 elections. The only way the dems will get my vote now is if they put some kind of royal smack-down on Preznit War Pigs' White House. LOL.....I just might actually vote for Nader! Is he running?
Senator Patrick Leahy is a decent, reasonable man with respect for the law and our Constitution. I'm glad to see him reframe Russert's questions in a way that revealed true events and facts and unspun the spin. I really enjoyed how he framed the issues as bipartisan congressional agreement vs. Whitehouse stonewalling and spin.
Tim Russert seemed to be a straight shooter once a upon a time, he seems uninformed and ignorant in this clip.
Tony @ 35:
Even though I'm a "card-carrying" member of that nebulous group known as "Independents" (and by our very definition, we carry no cards) I'm nevertheless troubled that lefties (of which I am one) are so quick to blame Democrats for all the scheit going on in the Administration--not because Democrats are responsible, but because "Democrats aren't doing anything about it."
I agree, I'd like to see some action, but keep in mind that the Senate especially is working with the slimmest of majorities--especially since LIEberman and Ben Nelson are not really Democrats at all, and many "sympathetic" Republicans on this subpoena issue (such as Specter, the ladies of Maine, Oregon's Smith, et al.) *say* they want the White House to cooperate, but when it really comes to down to crunch time, they won't vote to embarrass their own party's administration.
In other words, Leahy is *not* working with a true majority, here. He's going to need some leverage to bring a few Republicans around, and that's not his fault (though it is his problem). He has to convince them that they're being screwed by this stonewalling, too, which they are, of course. And people don't often make changes until they're too uncomfortable to keep doing things the way they have been.
Yes, the two parties worked together (and much more swiftly) during Watergate, but the politics of the time were not so poisoned. Remember that many more Southerners were Democrats, and Republicans were much more moderate at that time.
Jerry @ 40:
So Jerry, are you going to vote for the repugs instead?
Pat Leahy is leading a heroic effort. Americans know that the war on terror is a complete fake and that there is no such thing as Islamist enemies. Leahy is focusing Congress' effort on the real enemies of the USA, being Bush and Cheney.
Rasputin @ 39:
You have absolutely nailed it.
BoilThemInTheirOil @ 16:
If he went on there like a Sunday mornin' preacher he could easily be framed by Bush & Co as "out-of-the-mainstream" and such. Let the facts speak for themselves and speak with authority. No need to scream and yell.
TIMMEH!!!!
Tim.....Tim....Timmeh!!!!
Timmeh!
Leahy IS in the mainstream. The mainstream Americans know that there is no real terror or Islamo threat; but that the only real threat is Bush and Cheney. Leahy nailed it!
graybo @ 44:
Right.
What's at issue here is bigger than just impeachment. Now, I'm all for impeachment. But Leahy's job is harder than that.
First, only the House can originate articles of impeachment, so Leahy's out of that fray, at least publicly, from the get-go.
Second, what he's got to do is bring Republicans around to seeing that bushco's actions are going to forever disrupt the balance of powers between the executive and legislative branches, threatening both the Constitution and *legislators' own powers* (which they so adoringly hold). Judging by their public statements so far, most Republicans either don't see this as a problem yet, or don't care, since the president is a Republican, too (even though they're distancing themselves from him).
Most Republicans will NEVER come around. That's a given. Leahy has to build his efforts on those who may, and that's not an easy job. It will piss off their constituents, and the dreaded *flip-flop* term will be thrown at them the next time they face a state primary. He has to convince them that the Constitution is more important to them than running for re-election. Most politicians (of any party) are too self-absorbed to think beyond themselves. And he's got to get SEVERAL of them. Not an easy task.
Da Spyda @ 47:
Sorry if this is OT, but I've been wondering...
Why is the term "Timmeh" used? What does it mean?
This probably marks me as "slow," but so be it.
This rhetorical nonsense is for the masses. Those of us wiling to really see and accept what is going on, KNOW that this country is already lost.
We completed the turnover of this country in 2004. The legacy will be rising prices, limited competition for goods, dead soldiers and a country divided by income.
Welcome to the New World Order.
Liberal, I can't agree that all is lost. With heroic leaders like Pat Leahy, we can defeat the enemies of the USA, those being Bush and Cheney. Then we'll be able to make a real peaceful world where Arabs will again be our good friends.
boozemop @ 1:
Somehow I think that Cheney's somewhere telling Leahy to "go fuck yourself."
INHERENT CONTEMPT!!!! If Leahy charges them with INHERENT CONTEMPT then the dirty bandito Gonzales AND the supreme court are out!!!!
http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2007/3/27/113945/241 read about it, learn it, and contact Leahy and tell him to charge them with inherent contempt!!!! It was good enough for Sam Erwin to threaten Nixon with. Scared the sh*t outta Nixon.
Leahy could have the Sargeant at arms and the Capitol police go to the White House and have them all frog marched out of the White House, down Pennsylvania Ave and to the Capitol to stand trial before Congress!!!!
graybo @ 52:
A hero ain't nothing but a sandwich.
Pat Leahy is a career politician. If you're looking for honor, integrity and committment to the Constitution and the American Dream, you'd best look somewhere other than the Congress or the White House.
RobertD @ 50:
It's likely a reference to "South Park," which has a handicapped character named Timmy, whose vocabulary is pretty much limited to his name - and he pronounces it "Timmeh!"
Leahy should run for President. He has guts to take on the real enemies of the USA, Bush and Cheney. And he is super smart too! He can make peace with the Muslims, because I know they would support him too.
RobertD @ 50:
"Timmeh" is a line from Southpark , refering to the guys wheelchair-bond spastic friend Timmy , who ultimately steals the show .
hahahaha
...timmeh.
That's some character in South Park.
...but that timmeh has a lot more eloquence and style.
It's likely a reference to "South Park," which has a handicapped character named Timmy, whose vocabulary is pretty much limited to his name - and he pronounces it "Timmeh!"
Thanks.
This isnt about Conservatives or Republicans, this is about the law, about right and wrong.
Thomas, right on!!! Conservatives are on the wrong side of the law and liberals are on the correct side of the law. So we should forget all this fake terrorism and fake Islamo stuff and focus on getting rid of America's true enemies (not Arabs) but Bush and Cheney.
America to Democrats: We're through with your hollow threats. TAKE ACTION!!!
The Champ is out.
I get the feeling Leahy earned being told to "fuck off" by the vice president.
And I mean that as a compliment.
'Timmeh' I believe is an attempt to imitate New England speech pronuncuations. As for Timmeh's easy use of Republican talking points, lets remember that during a time of great upheaval, terrorist attacks and an attempt to hi-jack our Constitution, Timmeh wrote books about his Dad...and made lots and lots of money doing it. Shows everyone exactly where is priorities are...making money and being part of the 'in crowd'. He is not a journalist, he's a Rove shill.
Oh, I don't watch South Park enough, I guess.
decker, most Americans now know that those "terrorist attacks" were all fake to prop up Bush and Cheney. And Russert knows that as well, so writing books about his dad is fine with me.
Jesse @ 64:
why do you say that Jesse
And the current London and Glasgow terror plots are nothing more than staged fake events to help Bush and Cheney.
Leahy will expose this too if he can get the subpoenas.
Responses We'd Like To Hear, Part XVII:
"Well Tim, parroting White House talking points may have worked for you when it came to Scooter Libby, but..."
blah, blah, blah
im tired of the dems just talking
impeach
graybo @ 69:
You are brilliant.
Are you John Yoo?
You are brilliant.
The only good question Timmeh had was about Leahy's support for the confirmation of Roberts. No matter how hard and valiantly he now tries to reverse what is happening to the country, it may be too late, since his, Reid's, Lieberman's and the Gang of 14's decisions concerning Roberts have led to a SCOTUS which may well side with the president concerning this "executive priviledge".
.
I DIDN'T KNOW THAT...
SPYING on Americans is an American Principle...
Torture is an American Principle...
Waging wars of aggression is an American Principle...
With holding Birth Rights from Americans, is an American Principle...
These jerk-offs need to be set to rest with these Principles they call for... ANTI-American, and unAmerican Principles IS NOT what My America stood for for over 235 years, why do they think they can take it away? We The People must be calling them on such subversion OF America. Else, We The People become less than We; The people subjugated to these new American Principles.
.
Memo to Leahy & the Dems: Please, please, in the name of our republic, take this to it's logical conclusion: Impeach. Indict. Remove. Prosecute. Convict. Imprison. The whole lot of criminal running that White House mob. Then, when done, tell Dick, "Go fuck yourself!"
[...] cooperate, yes I’ll go that far,’ said Sen. Patrick Leahy.” Crooks and Liars has the video. 2:00 pm | [...]
To fully understand the issue, could somebody please explain to a German the actual meaning of the expression
I know the words but I don´t have the slightest idea of the meaning in this context. What will the possible outcome be if they are held in contempt of Congress? Thanks!
Of course, Tim the Clinton Cock Chaser went right to the criminal Bush mis-administration's defense--as he always does.
And they wonder why the blogsphere consider's them illegitimate clowns and stenographers for the elite.
Prosecution of a contempt of Congress charge is going to be tough. Prosecution must be by a politicized DOJ, by a politicized USA for Washington, DC, tried by judges appointed by Reagan and the Bushes.
Tim Potato Head is a Republican stooge.
As for contempt of Congress, see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Contempt_of_congress In one form, the matter is referred to a US Attorney who must turn it over to a grand jury. In the current situation, this could be problematic. However, there is a civil version where it is handed over to the courts, who reissue the order. If it is then ignored, the person may be held in contempt of court under the judicial branch and would be more likely to get whomever is involved locked up. No doubt, this is a serious threat.
Pat: Go after them AND DON'T STOP!!
RobertD @ 45:
Any good attorney is going to tell you that no matter how strong your case and compelling your evidence... when you enter a court room it is going to be a crap shoot to a great extent.
Pelosi discussed this in a phone interview with a blogger recently and I think it is at the heart of her "impeachment is off the table" stance. None of us like her position, but when you think about it, it is a real consideration.
A ruling by SCOTUS that validates the "Unitary Executive" bullshit theory that will effectively end the separation of powers doctrine and effectively turn us from a Republic to a monarchy or dictatorship. You've got four justices that support it and four justices that oppose it and a swing voter who flip flops... making it a 50-50 chance that it would get through.
Its a dangerous time for the Republic for sure!
If they don't cooperate, we'll, we'll we'll...........talk some more cuz impeachment is off the table ya know.
The dems will have this country for 8 years at least if they nail Bushco. They need to get their butts in serious gear, this stuff should be splashed on CNN with several press updates a day... not flying under the radar.
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