McClellan Hearings May Be Required, Say Congressmen

***UPDATE***

Think Progress reported this afternoon that White House spokesperson Dana Perino told reporters Friday during a press conference that the White House could possibly stop McClellan from testifying before Congress:

QUESTION: Could the White House block him from testifying, if he wanted to testify? Or how does that work?

PERINO: Conceivably?

QUESTION: Yes.

PERINO: Hypothetically, which I'm not supposed to answer a hypothetical, yes, I think so. The law would allow for that. But by saying that, I'm not suggesting that that's what would happen or not happen.

McClellan himself told CNN's Wolf Blitzer Friday that he'd be "glad" to testify about the Bush White House. That and he doesn't see himself apologizing to George Bush any time soon:

"I don't need to ask for any forgiveness from him because my comments are sincere and honest ... it was tough getting to the conclusions I drew, but they were absolutely the truth from my perspective."

The Politico says House Judiciary Chair John Conyers is considering a hearing on the McClellan book to determine the real facts surrounding the Valerie Plame scandal.

House Judiciary Committee Chairman John Conyers (D-Mich.) said today that he plans to begin discussions with former White House press secretary Scott McClellan regarding his participation in a congressional hearing.

"I find Mr. McClellan's revelations about attempts to cover-up the Valerie Plame leak extremely troubling. Particularly disturbing is McClellan's assertion that he was specifically directed by Andy Card to 'vouch' for Scooter Libby after the investigation had begun, which, if true, could amount to obstruction of justice beyond that for which Mr. Libby has already been convicted," said Conyers.

---
Florida Congressman Robert Wexler wants Scott McClellan to testify before Congress on the events in his book.

Former Bush spokesman Scott McClellan should testify under oath on Capitol Hill about his explosive new book in which he sharply criticizes his old boss, a Democratic congressman said Friday.

Rep. Robert Wexler, D-Florida, said McClellan, who served as the president's press secretary before leaving the White House in 2006, would be able to provide valuable insight into a number of issues that the House Judiciary Committee is investigating.

Comments

[JoJoKewl]

BraveLeonidas See Profile I'm a Fan of BraveLeonidas

By the bye Leo - you guys do realise that '300' was the gayest movie since 'La Cage au Folee' doncha??? All those leather panties above those six-pack abs - woo-woo!

[AMJordan]

I don't think it was as g@y as "Beowulf" or "Priscilla Queen of th Desert" or "To Wong Fu".

[returnofthejedi]

The republicans are acting no different than a criminal defendant in court who's friends and accomplices are turning states evidence on him. Looks like they feel that the man should be loyal to them instead of doing what he feels in his being is the right thing to do. Throw away the key America.

[thegreatgiginthesky]

The White house instead of just letting this blow over decided to go after Scott McClellan and now matters are even worse than when it started. They pissed McClellan off by attacking his character, which makes no sense. All these repukes who are berating him now and calling him a turncoat are the same ones who were kissing his a$$ when he was a press secretary.

[leftLibertarian]

'Bush's Law' allows him to break any law?

Impeach the criminals Bush and Cheney!

[TLV]

Well, ya. He's a Republican all the way. Laws are for those other people - anyone else BUT them.

[KarenZipdrive]

Outing a CIA agent is an act of treason.
I'm glad the wheels in Washington turn slowly--indicting Karl Rove should happen AFTER Bush leaves office. No pardons that way.
And Big Dick Cheney should put his affairs in order as well.

[Phil123]

This is absurd.

The mainstream FAUX news is acting all giddy as if this book is full of smoking guns. NBC did an (unprecedented) 40 minute slot on this on the Today Show. I've never seen them give any author this kind of coverage.

So I read the book. No smoking guns. No specific allegations that Bush lied or did anything illegal. Lots of fair opinion that Bush slanted things to make his case. So what? It would be strange if he didn't. Could you imaging him saying "I've decided to go to war... and let me tell you why this is a bad idea..."

Ridiculous. I hope that Reid and Pelosi waste Congress' time by asking McClellen lots of stupid questions.

BTW, why hasn't Pelosi gotten us out of Iraq yet? Probably because she wastes all of her time holding hearings and passing meaningless legislation. No wonder Congress' approval ratings are even worse than Bush's.

[BlueStateMan]

Read it again.

[john85msy]

You sound like one of those conservative (R)Republicans that was jumping around like a tree monkey when Bill was getting impeached but its nothing when 4,000+ US soldiers dead and 10's of thousands of civilians dead.

[thegreatgiginthesky]

Death and destruction are glorified by Republicans. Since WWII they have wanted a war time president who they could use as their version of FDR. Looks like they are still chasing that dream with McCain.

[tschlak]

Hey Phil - The stuff in McClellan's book and the deception and lies that we *know* for a fact this administration has foisted on the American people is just that: only the stuff we know. Most of us (who can still think ourselves) believe that what's underneath that we *don't* know yet is probably much, much worse.

BTW, the Dem-lead Congress has been hamstrung since the '06 midterms by the obstructionist Repugs who still have enough to block a veto override. Either you can't see this simple fact or you don't want to admit it. The Repugs are getting what they wished for: a do-nothing Congress that they *thought* would make the Dems look bad, but the American people realize it's the Repugs who are the problem, hence losing 3 out of 3 special congressional elections in traditionally hard-core Red districts (1 includes mine, I'm proud to say).

If you hated those election results, wait until the clean sweep in Nov.

[thegreatgiginthesky]

Impeachment at this stage is not possible. The focus needs to be on securing the White house and get veto proof majority in Congress. Then do a complete 180 on the precedence of things and go after Bush and Cheney. These men have to answer for the 4000+ lives that were needlessly wasted on a whim.

For the trolls on here who are claiming that everyone believed that Iraq had WMD's -

Yes everyone believed this, but there was no concrete proof to support this. Just words from obscure sources. As the commander in chief do you not think that it is part of the Presidents job to ensure that the danger exists before sending soldiers in? The fact is any such expedition to prove the WMD intelligence was squashed because that is not what Bush and Cheney wanted to hear. They wanted war and they were going to have it at any cost. This manner of thinking is wreckless and shows a complete lack of competence on the part of the President. The President may be the leader of the military, but that position does not give him the right to use the military to wage a complete unnecessary war.

[returnofthejedi]

Somebody get the brooms out!!!!!!!!!!!!

[MajorKong]

And yet we spent how many years and how much money investigating consensual sex between two adults?

[leftLibertarian]

Phil123- The facts are known. Bush set up a propaganda network to sell a needless war.

Iraq had no WMD, no links to al-Quada, and to think that its third rate military was a threat to the US is absurd. The sad part is chumps like you still believe it.

Bush and Cheney will get a fair trial. And since the evidence is overwhelming, they will end up in prison.

[juangault]

Iraq was about other issues. You bring up the same old lies. But it is true that Hussein had in fact figured out a way to get at Israel, through the use of suicide bombers. For a mere 10 or 20 thousand dollars, he could get a depressed suicidal skinny teenager to take out a half dozen Israeli's. And all that terror drama to boot. This has all stopped, and Iran is not doing the same thing, they see the sign.

But there are other successes about the Iraq war. Oil is profitable again. Haliburton finally got a a feast to retire on, or at least move out of country.

The Blackwater boys are all living comfort eagle, thanks to the taxpayer and the pirates who looted the treasury ship. There's lots of success stories out there, just have to look.

[Phil123]

The facts are that most of the word believed that Sadaam had WMDs, and that he was a major threat. This notion was not conceived by Bush.

In fact, the Clinton Administration told the incoming Bush Administration that Iraq was the #1 threat, and that they would have to be dealt with.

Clinton believed this, Kerry believed this, Gore believed this. Also the Mosad, MI5, Italy, Spain, and half a dozen other intelligence agencies. There is no question that Sadaam had WMDs at one point. He used them. One of the arguments against a military action against Sadaam was that he would kill 10s of thousands of troops in the first wave using WMDs.

The question is what happened to them.

To say that much of what was done in Iraq was not well thought through is correct. But to pretend that Bush fabricated the entire idea that Iraq was a threat, and that he made up the bit about WMDs is delusional.

And to think that somehow Bush is going to be put on trial is very delusional. And I don't take kindly to being called a chump, you chump.

[LA2000]

Bush will just pardon everyone on his way out the door. The hardcore investigation has to start once he is out of office.

[BlueStateMan]

Indeed.

Attorney General John Edwards will have his hands full.

[DannyEastVillage]

even if he does, the investigative and judicial process should go forward anyway. Americans should, need, and are entitled to know just what these slimeballs have done to 'em these seven years. You can't move on ontherwise--not in a meaningful way; and if what has been done is not documented, it can't then be addressed legislatively as it ought to be.

Besides, maybe we can't throw the bastards in jail, but we can put what they've done out there for all the world to see. They've ruined the lives of many; let what they've so carelessly and arrogantly dished out to others come back to them in other ways then.

[nancytheragingliberal]

No way, no how will the WH let him testify. The WH treats the Congress like some pesky fly that they have to keep shooing off. The, "I will restore honor and integrity to the WH," was the biggest lie ever foisted on the American people. The thugs in the WH are beyond what is right and good in a human being. They are drunk with power, and could not give one hoot about the dead teenage soldiers they lied into their War for Oil. Halliburton Dick and George have filled their coffers by the millions in the last eight years. There is a special place waiting in hell for the two of them.

[JoJoKewl]

I'd really prefer that Dubya and the Gang blocked a McClellan hearing. What a mess just before the election! How do you feel about this Sen. McCain???

[BlueStateMan]

They can't do it... it's all bluster, JoJo.

McClellan is just a citizen now... not a member of the Administration anymore & if he WANTS to testify (he does), then NOBODY can stop hi.

"Executive Privilege" applies only to the President & Vice President when asked to testify THEMSELVES.

[JoJoKewl]

Yeah but Dubya writes his own rules. They've never hesitated to interpret the law as they see fit. I hope they go for it in a big way.

[syllepsis]

No, it doesn't. it applies to whoever the President receives 'candid advice' etc. from. It applies to anyone in the Executive Branch who had a private conversation (real or alleged) with the president, VP, or other cabinet official.
As far as Mukasey and Addington are concerned, it applies to whoever they say it applies to.
ONLY IMPEACHMENT can break the wall of executive priviledge.

[whitewaterwillie]

Interesting point. Where does McCain stand on all this? He's trying to run away from Bush, but when push comes to shove we all know who McSame would end up siding with el presidente, just like he always does.

[returnofthejedi]

If the Bush administration tries to block Mr. McCleland from testifying, it will and should be seen as an attempt to circmvent justice and accountability. Why on earth else would the administration not want Scott McClellan to go before congress with what he knows? I guess their argument is that if the truth is ever found out that we've lied, cheated, and stolen that would endanger national security. If they are impeached America will not have the 'protection' of lying warmongerers so that the citizens can sleep well at night. Thisargument is utterly rediculouse and shows the antipathy at which these elitist show towards morality and the rule of law. If not the most criminal, this administration is the most immoral ever.

[masterself]

These people are worst than so-called terrorist, these people are
the lowest of life, the american people hold these scum bags, the death
penaty is the only sentence for this trash.

[masterself]

When the american people takes back it's national security interest from
these murders, we will no longer live in fear on pens and needles, the Bush admin.
isn't that smart , it's just that the american peoople are so so so easy to fool.

[whitewaterwillie]

Yep. The vast majority of Americans are short on critical thinking skills. When you discuss economics, farm policy, foreign policy, etc. their eye's glaze over. However, when they see a story about Rev. Wright on Fox, they think they have the whole picture. My students are the same way. They like to be told what to think, and in my opinion are easily manipulated. God forbid that they have to figure out something for themselves. The American public is no different.

[syllepsis]

Bush and co. never cared about looking truthful. They care about looking stronger than Democrats who are afraid to call their bluff.
Rep. Wexler makes the point that impeachment MUST happen to extract the truth from these criminals:

http://www.care2.com/c2c/share/detail/757344

"This new evidence from Scott McClellan could be the tipping point – but we must move quickly. I will use the McClellan admissions to help convince my colleagues that we must hold impeachment hearings.

Regardless, I will continue to fight for progressive values and our Constitution. I will do everything I can to pursue accountability for criminal actions taken by this Administration and this Vice President. I will be a furious opponent to any expansion of this misguided war, and I will fight against the use of torture by our government and to protect our civil liberties here at home.

Most of all, I will continue my efforts to convince my fellow members of Congress and voters, that we should not be a party of passivity - but that we succeed when we present the public with stark choices that are based on the guarantees in our Constitution, and not on the politics of the moment."

[FrictionSoul]

Bring it on.

[JoJoKewl]

Bring what on??? McClellan hearing? Sounds like a good idea.

[Turnip]

lol.

gotta go. AIPAC called. my coffee's ready.

it's raining. don't forget your tinfoil hat.

[MajorKong]

Michelle Malkin called. She needs help on another Rachel Ray column.

[sparkey]

I remember someone else who commited "suicide". Just remember, Cheney has another hand besides the one he has stuck up Bush's backside. Be careful when you plug in that toaster. As someone else said, "No witness, no case".

[BlueStateMan]

Was the "someone else" who said, "No witness, no case", the SAME "someone else" that committed suicide?

[masterself]

The Iraq war is going GREAT says Mccain, Iraq's citizen are dying everyday
american is bombing iraq cities everyday, american soldiers are committing
suicide everyday, oh yeah the war is going GREAT.

[Dap]

The Pinocchio in Cheif's nose kept growing because he refused to get wise, telling 935 lies.

Harry Shearer " 935 Lies "

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/harry-shearer/935-lies_b_104359.html

[VivaZapata]

Dylan's "Man of Peace" part one
Look out your window, baby, there's a scene you'd like to catch,
The band is playing "Dixie," a man got his hand outstretched.
Could be the Fuhrer
Could be the local priest.
You know sometimes
Satan comes as a man of peace.

He got a sweet gift of gab, he got a harmonious tongue,
He knows every song of love that ever has been sung.
Good intentions can be evil,
Both hands can be full of grease.
You know that sometimes Satan comes as a man of peace.

Well, first he's in the background, then he's in the front,
Both eyes are looking like they're on a rabbit hunt.
Nobody can see through him,
No, not even the Chief of Police.
You know that sometimes Satan comes as a man of peace.

Well, he catch you when you're hoping for a glimpse of the sun,
Catch you when your troubles feel like they weigh a ton.
He could be standing next to you,
The person that you'd notice least.
I hear that sometimes Satan comes as a man of peace.

[VivaZapata]

(part 2)
Well, he can be fascinating, he can be dull,
He can ride down Niagara Falls in the barrels of your skull.
I can smell something cooking,
I can tell there's going to be a feast.
You know that sometimes Satan comes as a man of peace.

He's a great humanitarian, he's a great philanthropist,
He knows just where to touch you, honey, and how you like to be kissed.
He'll put both his arms around you,
You can feel the tender touch of the beast.
You know that sometimes Satan comes as a man of peace.

Well, the howling wolf will howl tonight, the king snake will crawl,
Trees that've stood for a thousand years suddenly will fall.
Wanna get married? Do it now,
Tomorrow all activity will cease.
You know that sometimes Satan comes as a man of peace.

Somewhere Mama's weeping for her blue-eyed boy,
She's holding them little white shoes and that little broken toy
And he's following a star,
The same one them three men followed from the East.
I hear that sometimes Satan comes as a man of peace.

[newunderground]

Uh, There's no such thing as satan. Nice fairytale. Real Scary. ooohhh