Contempt DOA? Maybe Not. Here's Pelosi on Tape.

An AP report just out:

Judge reluctant to wade into White House subpoena fight Congress was trying to be diplomatic when it brought an unprecedented lawsuit to settle its subpoena fight against the White House, a lawyer told a federal judge Monday. After all, lawmakers could've just arrested the president's former lawyer for refusing to testify.

The judge's response?

Maybe they should have.

Essentially, the judge (a Bush appointee) said the same thing we've been saying. Congress should have used its own powers to hold the Josh Bolton and Harriet Miers in inherent contempt. Congress should have taken it upon themselves to enforce their own subpoenas.

It gets better:

The judge spent much of the time, however, talking about whether he should issue a ruling at all.

"Both sides have the same argument," Bates said. "Whether I rule for the executive branch or I rule for the legislative branch, I'm going to disrupt the balance."

The article ends with this:

Bates suggested that the two sides might still settle the dispute before he rules, avoiding a final court showdown altogether.

That hinted at one option the judge has that could pre-empt his own ruling: He could order both sides to negotiate further and, if nothing came of it, Bates could just put the case on a shelf until the end of the year. When the new Congress begins its term in 2009, the subpoenas essentially vanish and the case would be moot.

So... our fearless Democrats will have once again engineered a Bush steamrolling.

Except maybe not.

Call me a cynic, but I anticipated this exact sequence of events on a conference call with Nancy Pelosi several months ago.

Let's go to the tape:

Yeah, I didn't like it either when she laughed after I mentioned inherent contempt. And I'm not sure this article bodes well for the period in which Obama is going to bring us all together and help us "heal".

But at least we have Pelosi on the record.

If she breaks her word, it won't be the first time a politician was a little less than truthful with us, but for those of us that really want to see the bad guys get what they deserve... well, letting contempt slide will be a really, really disappointing turn of events.

Comments

[lthuedk 1]

Pelosi and her turncoat, fascist-enabling comrades have forgotten their oath of office. Everything they support from the Iraq invasion on, will be tainted with total disdain for the will of the people. And that from a so-called S.F. Liberal. Start packing.

The oil theft will not work. We are hard at work, as we should be, to right moral wrongs committed by either party, and see the next year as a turning point -to the negative- for any Democrat seeking to retain office. Playing with neo Cons and seeking what they seek will not be a good platform to run on.

http://www.light-to-dark.com/we_are_the_law.html

We as a nation of laws should do what has to be done to lose the betrayers of America. They no longer represent the people but slovenly, conspiratorial, and murderous militant corporatists.

[CatfishJohn]

....the quiche and brie wing of the democratic party doesnt want to so to speak muss up their hairdoes or dirty their fingernails in anything smacking of real confrontat­ion.... spineless is as spineless does....wi­ne tastinge events and hor d'ouevres are not " off the table" you see....pri­orities being such...doe­sn't this congressional cowadice and inertia set the table for obama wanting to sing kumbaya across the aisle and winding up like jimmy carter in 2-3 years????

[Economike]

You'll be the first one the mob goes after because you can spell Quiche and Brie

[conned]

The Democrats are complicit in the overarching agenda. That's what the problem is. They are creating the political theartre of weak opposition, while the Republican seemingly "steamroll" them. The public buys into the plot that we just need more Democrats, but once elected it will be the same thing. Then some Republican troubadores step up and say all the right lines and the merry go round keeps spinning. There really is no choice anymore.

[NoFactsJustTruth]

Exactly. Feinstein and Schumer in the Senate PROVED on the Mukasey vote that it's all orchestrated and it's a lobbyist-bought 'one-party system' that's selling down the river OUR Constitution, OUR citizens and OUR country.

There WILL be enough dem cross-overs to ensure the telecom immunity passes even were Senator Obama to vote against it, which would only then allow mcthird-term to play the 'he's weak on national security' fear card that dems are already so afraid of.

Demicans and republicrats, engineering that "...politi­cal theatre" daily.

[Parthenolide]

Not all the Democrats are complicit. What we are seeing this election cycle is a struggle for the soul of the Democratic party. Are we going to continue the legacy of the corporatist Clintons, or will the progressive majority take back control? The defeatist attitude that "there really is not choice anymore" insures that the corporatist, neo-fascist agenda wins, and 99% of Americans loose.

[brizzle]

You have highlighted a real issue. This isn't about Dems vs. Reps, it's about Rich vs. Poor. It's about those with power and money versus the rest of us...

And which side are you on?

[bigbingtheory]

Nancy Pelosi should be asked to step down as Speaker. She literally laughed at the Constitution. She makes me sick.

[Ephemera]

I second that motion and your sentiment. So how can we make that happen?

[rmreddicks]

Up to her district, mostly. Few wish to give up a Speaker of the House. She ain't speaking for me, I tell ya'. Though we can speak to our reps and demand a change in the leadership.

[Via]

You are exactly right. The Dems will do anything, grovel anywhere to avoid a showdown with Bush. They were hoping to snarl this contempt question up in court so thoroughly that it wouldn't see daylight until next year, when it could die a quiet, unnoticed death.

It will be sad to see what pathetic reason they invent in order to squirm out of this. The 'further negotiation' path, I suspect.

[dexxjones]

they're not trying to be diplomatic. they're trying to kick the can down the road until after the election when somebody will push to "move forward in a bipartisan manner" which is doublespeak for "let them get away with it"

this judge, a loyal bushie, just called their bluff. pelosi seems to want to do anything BUT enforce the rules. she and certain others are a disgrace and belong in prison cells right along side the criminals in the white house. yes i said it. i only wish ms pelosi and the others cared half as much for this country as they all do for israel. yes i said that as well.

[Yish]

Sorry, but what does Israel have to do with this?

I am highly critical of how American politicins have been dealing with the Israeli/Palestenian conflict, but remarks like your's are a serious turn off. To me, it reflects an obsession that many on this site have with Israel -- sorry, makes you sound like a nut and undermines your other points, including some legitimate ones about Israel.

[RnR]

If immunity were removed and suits brought, the discovery process might uncover the depths to which Israel has penetrated our surveillance systems and what information they have.

subscribe to www.waynemadsenreport.com - there's an explanation a few days ago and it's not pretty.

If you frequented sites not "moderated"; if you searched "giyus" or "megaphone" desktop software you'd see that it is not an obsession - the word "obsession" implies being concerned where there is no real reason for concern.

[Titonwan]

Go outside and tell it to the trees. Israel is a sh@t disturber and needs to STFU. We don't have no alliance in the world like we do with them. Why? There's gold involved. Greed and fear are what rule these crooks and it has to stop. Give back all the land that was taken back to the Palestinians and mind your own damned business. Israel has enough nuclear weapons to blow Iran back to the stone age, so I'm not worried about them at all. NONE.