Leahy & Conyers Respond To The White House

Daily Kos Staff

Thursday June 28, 2007 · 9:25 AM PDT

2007/06/28 · 09:25

Now that the White House has announced its intention to ignore subpoenas issued by the Senate and House Judiciary Committees, we get the reaction of Senator Patrick Leahy and Congressman John Conyers. Leahy said:

This is a further shift by the Bush Administration into Nixonian stonewalling and more evidence of their disdain for our system of checks and balances. This White House cannot have it both ways. They cannot stonewall congressional investigations by refusing to provide documents and witnesses, while claiming nothing improper occurred.

Increasingly, the President and Vice President feel they are above the law --- in America no one is above law.

And from Conyers:

...the president showed "an appalling disregard for the right of the people to know what is going on in their government."

"The executive privilege assertion is unprecedented in its breadth and scope, and even includes documents that the administration previously offered to provide as part of their ‘take it or leave it’ proposal," said Conyers, in a prepared statement. "This response indicates the reckless disrespect this administration has for the rule of law."

"The charges alleged in this investigation are serious – including obstruction of justice and misleading Congress – and the White House should be as committed to this investigation as the Congress. At this point, I see only one choice in moving forward, and that is to enforce the rule of law set forth in these subpoenas."

Strong words. Now the question is, what will they do about it? More words, empty threats, or action?

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