US judge: White House aides can be subpoenaed
26 minutes ago
WASHINGTON (AP) – A federal judge has sided with Congress in its fight with the Bush administration over whether top White House aides can be subpoenaed by Congress.
The House Judiciary Committee wants to question the president’s chief of staff, Josh Bolten, and former legal counsel Harriet Miers, about the firing of nine U.S. attorneys.But President Bush says they are immune from such subpoenas. They say Congress can’t force them to testify.
U.S. District Judge John Bates said there’s no legal support for that stance. He refused to throw out the case and said the aides can be subpoenaed.
This is the same Bush Puppet judge who Kagro X wrote of yesterday…
The House Judiciary Committee subsequently filed suit in federal court, seeking an order compelling the US Attorney to proceed with the prosecution, and somehow — magically! — the case was assigned to former Whitewater Deputy Independent Counsel John D. Bates, the federal judge who dismissed the Plame lawsuit, dismissed the Cheney Energy Task Force lawsuit, upheld the validity of Bush’s signature on an a bill not properly passed in the same form by both houses of Congress, and dismissed the DNC’s lawsuit seeking to force the FEC to rule on John McCain’s attempt to withdraw from his presidential campaign’s public financing commitments.
For him to rule against Bushco is HUGE! For him to rule that subpoena power is back in time to actually DO something with it is amazing! This is truly a crack in the facade. Now to throw cold water on the whole thing.
It can be appealed…and will be. Even if it is not or the appeal is decided quickly, AG Mukasey still would need to “enforce” the subpoenas. Will he? If he doesn’t, that opens HIM directly to a contempt charge…..which he would have to “enforce” against himself.
It is amazing of what value totally corrupting one little Department Of Justice can be in covering your ass if you are a War Criminal!
Apparently Judge Bates is…. by the republican definition , NOT an honest judge.
Iow….he didn’t STAY bought.
Bushco is running out of little Dutch boys.
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Well………..almost everyone
… they can take it to the Supreme Court — the Court would have to accept it, of course.
Seeing this play out so slowly is excruciating. And that’s just what this crew of crooks is banking on, running out the clock.
And inherent contempt is just sitting there to be used.
Couldn’t make a B movie this bad.
One day the first domino has to fall…
I feel bad for Pelosi though.
How will she be able to continue hiding her complicity when it does fall?
figure out some “signing statement” or other and render the entire Constitution outdated and null.
Maybe the judge saw Kargo x’s remarks and didn’t like being called a Bush lap dog. But for whatever reason, I’ll take it!
hear about Judge Bates car accident, btw.
When is he going to have it?
Immediate inherent contempt.
Special prosecutor.
And, I think it adds strength to the contempt of Rove, as well.
Here’s the link to the decision – I found it interesting that Judge Bates cites the decision from United States v. Nixon:
the ruling, if Miers & Bolton still refuse to comply.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/08…
Next up: BushCo!?!