Leahy Threatens Bush Aides with Contempt Charges: This Move Always Works Way Better on Law and Order

Secret documents on secret government wiretaps. Cheney has 'em. Democrats want 'em. Who do you think is going to win this fight?

Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Patrick Leahy (D-VT) threatened yesterday to hold members of the President's administration in contempt for failing to produce subpoenaed information (aka valuable blogmeat) about the administration's warrant-less wiretapping program. Said Leahy,

"I prefer cooperation to contempt. Right now, there's no question that they are in contempt of the valid order of the Congress."

The Justice Department, National Security Council and the offices of the President and Vice President have been under subpoena since late June for failing to produce documents relating to the National Security Agency's legal justification for a controversial (and, let's be honest, illegal) federal wiretapping program.

The reasoning behind the refusal is two-fold, a combination of "you can't make me" assholery and a fear of being caught having done something bad. But the real problem is neither Bush nor Cheney nor the corrupt system itself. It's an indifferent public that, frankly, includes us:

Maybe Leahy and the Democrats just need a better slogan for their cause. "There's no question they are in contempt of the valid order of the Congress" doesn't exactly trip off the tongue. We suggest, "They're trying to take our porn!"

"Leahy Threatens Bush Aides with Contempt" - AP

Comments

[cashguy1111]

Blah Blah Blah. Try the President, Cheney, Rumsfeld, and a few others for war crimes. Period. Find some balls you so called leaders. You held hearings on Whitewatwer, Watergate, and Iran Contra. This is much more serious. Balls needed people. Courage. Anyone know the definition?

[cashguy1111]

Blah. Blah. Blah. Leahy threatens. He also has threatened other actions as have his collegues. Bush says f--k you to them all and does what he wants. It's his bat and ball and no one can stop him from playing his way. The Democrats and Republicans had their chance to cut off funding for the war but everyone was too scared. Why? Anyone still worried about the morale of the troops? If money was coming out of our pockets directly each day the war would be over in a heartbeat. But, lets talk about Paris. from cashguy1111

[enoughalready]

The solution is to impeach Gonzales for a start. The justice department is a pawn of the White House.

[Mike O.]

Misspoke: Sandy Burglar...

You may criticize now.

[Mike O.]

Where is the outrage at the actual criminal acts of Henry Burglar, and William Jefferson et al.

These things we know to be true, unlike the conjecture and fantasy of 'impeachable offenses'.

You all need to get lives.

[rwe]

Here again Leahy won't bring contempt charges and Pelosi and Reid and their lapdosgs Durbin and Murtha won't bring impeachment charges etc BECAUSE THEY KNOW THERE ARE NONE TO BRING!!!

[Independent voter]

bush and cheney spit in Leahy's face and all he does is flap his lips.

This old guy has no fight left in him - just a sense of moral outrage. There will not be any contempt charges.

[jazzman]

Action talks. Bullshit walks. The Democrats should just shut up unless they're willing to go to the mat for their principles. Right now it's "Impeachments off the table," and roll over votes to authorize the extension of the war and allow the President and his AG Gonzales to do even more spying on the American people. Sorry Dems, we're tired of the talk, just start walking the walk. Up to now it's been bluster and fizzle.

[dotmafia]

Leahy you're a fu*king joke -- Since you and your party have no guts to take back your precious country -- I suggest you throw in the towel now and just let the Nazis have their way and take over/destroy the world.
_

[SparXaFire]

Sparxafire!

Pelosi for president??? Puh-leeeeeese... She has risen to No. 1 on my list of people in the U.S. govt. who are criminally not doing their constitutional duty. How dare she take impeachment off the table? I mean I get it, "pelosi for president" means you want bush/cheney impeached. But Pelosi is The One Not Doing It. She is a mealy mouthed cowardess.

[Novista]

Patience is a virtue. Trust is a virtue until proved unwarranted.

Yes, Leahy and Waxman have done some good work with hearings and stern letters. And we're still no further ahead. Indeed, we're five years behind on some elements of 'trust'.

When Waxman had closed hearings on an FBI whistleblower situation, and allegations were confirmed by independent witnesses, and then the only outcome is, the wrongdoers in the department are promoted and the person who brought the charges has lost her job and further, is under a gag order ... the question becomes: when does trust end and when do we get accountability?

[pelosiforpresident]

Impeach.

[anastasiabeaverhousen]

Sen. Leahy: If the excrement doesn't hit the oscillating unit this time, you are toast.

Sorry for the mixed metaphor.

The only choice the voters will have is: don't re-elect ANYONE. Stick to Dems, but vote these invertebrate sons of bitches OUT OF OFFICE.

[Gonzalez]

Talk, talk, talk, this all the democrats do. I still say they don't have the guts to go after Bush. They know that if anything goes to the Supreme Court, Bush will win. The democrats did this to them selves in the senate by not standing up to the republicans and stopping the nominations of Roberts and Scalia. i still say they have no courage!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Doofus]

Go ahead with contempt charges, and then
go after Cheney for 'obstruction of justice',
which certainly seems like it should qualify
as a High Crime for impeachment proceedings.

In other words, do *something*, please.
Or get off the pot.