Halt or I’ll Yell ‘Halt’ Again
Posted on | August 20, 2007
More saber-rattling from Senate Judiciary Committee chairman Patrick Leahy, who still isn’t charging the White House with contempt for its stonewalling of Congressional investigations.
The Vermont Senator said he’ll begin contempt proceedings in the Judiciary Committee if the Bush administration does not comply with the subpoenas by the end of the current congressional recess. A majority of Judiciary Committee members would have to endorse the decision to begin criminal proceedings before the full Senate could consider pursuing prosecution.
“The time is up,” Leahy told a few dozen reporters in the Judiciary Committee’s hearing room. “We’ve waited long enough.”
However, the White House has been granted a de facto extension for compliance because contempt hearings could not begin until Congress reconvenes after Labor Day. Leahy did not specify which administration officials could face charges.
Leahy said he hoped the White House and committee would be able to avoid criminal charges by working out an agreement over access to the requested documents, but he criticized the administration’s unwillingness to negotiate or lay out reasonable accommodations in the past.
“The only accommodations we tend to get from the White House is, ‘Do it our way and we’ll be happy,’” Leahy said.
Years of this nonsense have taught the Dems how to slow-walk an investigation, and Leahy is there with another chance. This time he really means it. Really.
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