Gonzales is in contempt of Congress. He is knowingly:
- Giving deliberatley misleading answers.
- Claiming he is "unprepared"
- Openly mocking/smirking at hard-line Democratic questions
- Has many times contradicted his OWN testimony from earlier in the day.
- Has refused to be sworn in under oath.
Contempt:
Contempt of Congress is initiated by a resolution reported from the affected congressional committee which can cite any individual for contempt. The resolution must then be adopted by the House or Senate. If the relevant chamber adopts the contempt resolution recommended by one of its committees, the matter is referred to a U.S. Attorney for prosecution.
So has Abu met the standard for contempt?
So what is contempt of Congress:
Contempt resolutions have most often been issued in two categories: (1) for reasons of refusing to testify or failing to provide Congress with requested documents or answers, and (2) bribing or libeling a Member of Congress. Contempt citations are limited to matters which relate to legislative purposes and which fall within the affected committee's established jurisdiction.
Abu has (1) refused to be sworn in and refused to answer key questions, some even without citing "classified" or national security concerns.
So does contempt have teeth?
Several Supreme Court decisions have upheld the contempt authority of Congress, most notably Anderson v. Dunn, decided in 1821. Congress sets the procedures and punishment for contempt by statute. The current contempt statute (2 USC 192) was adopted in 1857, and has been amended several times over the years.
Perhaps we can see how much Samuel Alito respects precedent?
And what is this
2 USC 192 of which we speak?
§ 192. Refusal of witness to testify or produce papers
Release date: 2005-05-17
Every person who having been summoned as a witness by the authority of either House of Congress to give testimony or to produce papers upon any matter under inquiry before either House, or any joint committee established by a joint or concurrent resolution of the two Houses of Congress, or any committee of either House of Congress, willfully makes default, or who, having appeared, refuses to answer any question pertinent to the question under inquiry, shall be deemed guilty of a misdemeanor, punishable by a fine of not more than $1,000 nor less than $100 and imprisonment in a common jail for not less than one month nor more than twelve months.