I just heard this on the Thom Hartmann show, and was just dumbfounded.
The Obama Administration is considering extending the executive privilege, granted by George W. BUllSHit to his entire cabinet, into the future. I feel this would be the last, biggest slap in the face to the American people.
Story, and my outrage, and an update from PJ Jefferson, below the fold.
Obama Working to Strike a Deal Over Bush's Advisers' Testimony
Written by Jason Leopold
Monday, 16 February 2009 15:52
By Jason Leopold
Hoping for a negotiated settlement, Barack Obama's Justice Department has requested a two-week delay in a court deadline regarding enforcement of congressional subpoenas demanding the testimony of two Bush administration officials.
The Justice Department was scheduled to file a federal appeals court legal brief on the dispute by Wednesday, but instead sought a delay until March 4 because "negotiations are ongoing" between Congress and lawyers for former White House counsel Harriet Miers and ex-chief of staff Josh Bolten. (emphasis mine)
Democrats in Congress have been seeking testimony from Miers and Bolten about the Bush administration's firing of nine U.S. Attorneys in 2006. To stymie the investigation, President George W. Bush barred the witnesses from cooperating and asserted a broad claim of executive privilege.
Before leaving office, Bush insisted that his executive privilege extended into his post-presidency. Now, Obama's Justice Department has become a third player in the negotiations, faced with conflicting interests - Obama's statements during the campaign that Bush had overreached in his privilege claims while not wanting to undermine the Office of the President.
The full story can be found at The Public Record.
No. No, no, no, no.
NO!
This is outrageous; if this stands, it will truly mark the end of our Democracy, and the paranoia surrounding many conspiracies will become state policy.
I think I need to write a letter. Does this sound good?
Dear President Obama,
I understand that you do not want to undermine the Office of the President. Please note: the previous occupant has already undermined the Office of the President. Nothing you can do will make it worse.
Remember the words of Judge Louis Brandeis: "Sunshine is the best disinfectant." Turn a light on the office, and get it cleaned.
Feel free to add notes to my letter.
UPDATE: Thanks to PJ Jefferson for finding the CBS News Blog about this:
The Obama White House is not challenging whether a valid claim of "executive privilege" can keep former presidential advisor (sic) Karl Rove from testifying in the matter of the U.S. Attorney firings during the Bush Administration.
In a statement provided to CBS News, White House Counsel Gregory Craig says Pres. Obama is "very sympathetic to those who want to find out what happened."
But at the same time, Craig makes it clear that Mr. Obama is not disputing the claim of privilege.
"He is also mindful as president of the United States not to do anything that would undermine or weaken the institution of the presidency," Craig says in the statement.