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You are here: Home / Politics / Former Employees

Former Employees

by John Cole|  July 9, 20071:45 pm| 15 Comments

This post is in: Politics

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Bush says Congress can not talk to them:

President Bush invoked executive privilege Monday to deny requests by Congress for testimony from two former aides about the firings of federal prosecutors.

The White House, however, did offer again to make former counsel Harriet Miers and one-time political director Sara Taylor available for private, off-the-record interviews.

In a letter to the heads of the House and Senate Judiciary panels, White House counsel Fred Fielding insisted that Bush was acting in good faith and refused lawmakers’ demand that the president explain the basis for invoking the privilege.

“You may be assured that the president’s assertion here comports with prior practices in similar contexts, and that it has been appropriately documented,” the letter said.

I guess my only question is whether or not Bush can keep them from testifying if they want to testify. In other words- if they want to testify, can Bush invoke executive privilege and KEEP them from testifying? Or does this only work when they do not want to testify?

*** Update ***

Tim, via AOL IM, informs me that this question has already been asked by Josh Marshall and Atrios.

This means two things:

1.) My original ideas are not very original.
2.) My transformation from good red-blooded American Republican to pink0-Communist “I’m WITH THE TERRARISTS” Atrios lover is complete.

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Reader Interactions

15Comments

  1. 1.

    zmulls

    July 9, 2007 at 1:54 pm

    That would be an interesting confrontational moment. Suppose someone truly *wanted* to testify and was no longer working for the government, and Bush declared they were not permitted to; but the witness’ lawyer told him/her that Bush had no right to do so.

    The witness shows up at the Capitol and…is arrested? Is tossed in jail by a US Attorney? Is physically restrained by Fred Fielding?

    Hmmm…

  2. 2.

    Dreggas

    July 9, 2007 at 2:02 pm

    Taylor claims she wants to testify and would testify but she likes her BFF Bush too much.

  3. 3.

    The Pirate

    July 9, 2007 at 2:17 pm

    Another day, another crime against the republic…

  4. 4.

    Jay C

    July 9, 2007 at 2:51 pm

    1.) My original ideas are not very original.
    2.) My transformation from good red-blooded American Republican to pink0-Communist “I’m WITH THE TERRARISTS” Atrios lover is complete.

    1) Let’s just file this under “Great Minds Think Alike” – after all: this just proves that you have other things to do than obsessively blogpost (you DO, don’t you, John?)

    2) Welcome tovarichsh! The Peoples’ Popular Front of the Population embraces you! (In a purely fraternal way, of course!!)

  5. 5.

    Punchy

    July 9, 2007 at 2:53 pm

    John’s just a big supporter of the big, hairy, smelly The War Against Terror.

    Otherwise known as Bush.

    Heh.

  6. 6.

    uh_clem

    July 9, 2007 at 3:26 pm

    Were Meiers and Taylor still working for the administration, they could presumably be fired for giving testimony.

    But they’re not. So Bush’s request for them not to do so is just that: a request. Now, they’re probably going to grant him his request and refuse to testify, but it’s unclear at this point whether they can get away with refusing.

    We’ll see. But Bush’s has no real power over them beyond persuasion.

  7. 7.

    Jake

    July 9, 2007 at 3:45 pm

    In Taylor’s case Bush could order Blackwater goons to kidnap her. It would be a “Shut Up Someone Who Knows Too Much/Look! A Blonde Woman in Danger! Distract-o-Thon” 2-fer.

    “You may be assured that the president’s assertion here comports with prior practices in similar contexts, and that it has been appropriately documented,”

    Fine, show us.

    And speaking of showing work, has there been anything about Libby’s probation? Filings were due today. All I can find is this unsolicited letter from Fielding to Fitzgerald, in which he appears to be a bit miffed because no one asked the White House what it thought.

  8. 8.

    Psycheout

    July 9, 2007 at 3:53 pm

    The White House, however, did offer again to make former counsel Harriet Miers and one-time political director Sara Taylor available for private, off-the-record interviews.

    Why not just accept this generous offer? Because this isn’t about getting to the truth, it’s about trying to publicly embarrass the President in a time of war in time for the 2008 election.

    Sad, isn’t it? It’s all politics.

  9. 9.

    Zifnab

    July 9, 2007 at 4:20 pm

    So Bush’s request for them not to do so is just that: a request. Now, they’re probably going to grant him his request and refuse to testify, but it’s unclear at this point whether they can get away with refusing.

    I’m sure they wouldn’t go against the Family. I mean, bad things happen to people who talk too much. Harriet Miers is getting on in years. It would be terrible if she took a bad fall. And Sarah Taylor has such a pretty face, it would be a shame if she ran into Dick Cheney during hunting season.

  10. 10.

    uh_clem

    July 9, 2007 at 4:30 pm

    Shorter Bush administration:

    Sure, Meiers and Taylor can talk to you. But only if you’ll allow them to lie. This business of having them under oath and writing things down gets in the way of them telling the story we want them to tell.

    But as long as there are no consequences for lying, sure, ask away.

  11. 11.

    empty

    July 9, 2007 at 6:25 pm

    Uh John, for a very long time the four blogs I visited were BJ, Eschaton, TPM, and Dennis the Peasant. For what its worth.

  12. 12.

    RONALD L. WALDRON

    July 9, 2007 at 9:27 pm

    WHAT THE POLLS SHOW :

    The polls on supporting the atrocities of
    George Bush / Dick Cheney / Aipac & Israel’s
    WAR , shows that only 28% of American people
    support any of the foreign or domestic policies
    of this administration.

    80% of that 28% have less then a seventh grade
    education, listen to talk radio, don’t comprehend
    if they can read & write, live in a double wide
    south of the Mason/Dixon line, and believes
    any thing a preacher tells them about RAPTURE,
    and the end of the world is coming.

    The other 20% have a high school education in
    auto mechanics and wood shop, believe in prayer
    in school, even though they never pray except in
    fox holes or prison, but believe what propaganda
    they hear on Sunday mornings.

    Thankfully 72% of Americans can read, write, and
    understand we need change from trusting the
    hypocrisy of Political & religious leaders of today,
    that are in reality embedded in CORRUPTION
    with organized crime. Bought out by special interest
    and investments in Corporation greed.

    2008 elections will prove interesting. Will the
    polls that show Americans concern actually
    bear it out. OR will the electronic voting
    machines be just another FIX and Fraud
    election. As HAD been the Elections of 2000
    & 2004.

    Florida in 2000—Ohio in 2004. Looks like
    they are setting up Missouri for 2008..

  13. 13.

    WB Reeves

    July 11, 2007 at 9:39 am

    Welcome to the dark side John. Glad to see you have a sense of humor about it.

  14. 14.

    aliceandbob

    July 11, 2007 at 1:15 pm

    Question: Can Bush keep witnesses from testifying?
    Answer: Kind of, yeah.

Comments are closed.

Trackbacks

  1. The Heretik : It’s a Privilege says:
    July 9, 2007 at 3:28 pm

    […] Appropriately is a most ironic word in the Bush Era of Error. Forget about the what in the matter of the attorneys. Bush feels no need to explain why privilege applies.  But can a gentleman president keep a lady from talking?  How many attorneys does it take to find a so called principle to obstruct another investigation?  That’s not a joke.  In this admin, it’s a reality. […]

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