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House Panel "Prepares Subpoenas" for CIA Officials
The House intelligence committee looks ready to follow through on its threat:
In a direct challenge to President Bush, a House panel said Wednesday it has prepared subpoenas to force CIA officials to testify about the agency's secret destruction of interrogation videotapes.The Justice Department had blocked the officials from appearing at a closed hearing before the panel this week, citing the department's ongoing investigation into the destruction of videotapes of the harsh interrogation of two al-Qaida suspects in 2002. The CIA destroyed the tapes in 2005.
The House Intelligence Committee's threat marked the second challenge to a White House attempt to shut down independent investigations into the matter, and escalates a fight over which branch of government properly has jurisdiction.
It seems they haven't issued the subpoenas yet. This is more of a last chance threat for the DoJ to back down. Ball's in your court, Mr. Mukasey.
Merry xmas
December 19, 2007 3:45 PM | Reply | Permalink
The subpoenas would certainly carry all the weight of the "strongly worded letter" that has been so very successful in forcing the administration's hand in daylighting relevant information and guaranteeing accountability where there was none before. But I have one question. Who in Congress is actually going to force Bush to do anything, ever? The Vichy Democrats?
December 19, 2007 3:50 PM | Reply | Permalink
Go with it..run with it...we got your back....!
December 19, 2007 3:56 PM | Reply | Permalink
And what do they plan on doing when the subpoenas are ignored? That's the question!
December 19, 2007 4:00 PM | Reply | Permalink
I just hate it when Congress builds up our hopes and then just dashes them. It's become like lucy pulling the football away from Charlie Brown.
The only way Congress will ever get anything out of the Bush Administration is through INHERENT CONTEMPT and throwing the Bush enablers and cover-up artists into prison until they come clean.
Even if they didn't come clean, "We the People" would win because they would remain in jail and could do less harm to Democracy in the USA.
But, no, the Bush team has been spending the last how many years employing illegal wiretaps against Democrats, gaining dirt which can be used for blackmail. How else can anyone explain the Democratic leadership insisting that "Impeachment is off the table" and keeping it off the table no matter how well deserved it is?
December 19, 2007 4:13 PM | Reply | Permalink
why bother? the threats are issued. the Bush administration chuckles (the threat doesn't even merit a laugh), and then Congress does nothing. we all know how this will go. why bother?
December 19, 2007 4:19 PM | Reply | Permalink
Don't blame them for the delay. Reyes spent 2007 learning that there are different types of Muslims.
December 19, 2007 4:19 PM | Reply | Permalink
The subpoenas will be ignored with impunity, a side order of fava beans and a nice chianti.
December 19, 2007 4:49 PM | Reply | Permalink
Mukasey isn't going to back down.
As I've said before, he and the Bush administration, and most likely with support from key Democrat leaders, has an understanding to keep all of this hush hush.
And should the Democrats prevail, even beyond what they hope for in the next elections, these investigations will be allowed to quietly fade away - if not supressed completely;
1) "to pursue them will take away from to many other things important things we (Democrats) need to do",
2) "the country cannot heal if we (DEmocrats) continue to investigate and prosecute the wrong doing, better just to forget it."
Watch and see.
Key democrats have already started the process.
As example, Democratic Majority Leader, Senator Reid (D-Nev.)wanting to give immunity to the illegal spying on Americans committed by the telecom industry.
And one or two Senators, in case law suits go forward, who want to shift the responsiblity for the spying off of the telecom industry and onto the govenment.
You don't have to be a blind conservative not to see it, just an ignorant one to deny it.
December 19, 2007 4:58 PM | Reply | Permalink
AND THIS SHALL BE CALLED THE TIME OF THE GREAT CYNICISM AND LO THE PEOPLE WILL RETCH IN FRUSTRATION AND WONDER AT THE MOTIVATION OF THOSE IN POWER AND YET NOTHING, NOTHING SHALL EVER BECOME OF IT FOR IT WAS WRITTEN THUS BY THE GREAT UNDERDECIDERER RICHARD CHENEY "F U PEOPLE".
December 19, 2007 5:05 PM | Reply | Permalink
Where have we heard this before? Congress "preparing" subpoenas but not "issuing" them. This is just a democrat sideshow because this story refuses to die and is becoming a major scandal. So far, the democrats have NOT done their elected duty in providing real oversight and now want to act as if they were along. Just political gamesmanship by the democrats once again. When this story breaks it won't be because of any effort by the democrats - so don't hold your breath on that one.
December 19, 2007 5:06 PM | Reply | Permalink
> So far, the democrats have NOT done their elected duty in providing real oversight and now want to act as if they were along
> jimijazz;
Didn't democrats just commit a further $70Bn for our Iraq occupation, -> no questions asked???
Okay; no real oversight. Elected duty not done.
December 19, 2007 6:20 PM | Reply | Permalink
Subpoenas? Yeah sure... now maybe the congress will wonder why they waited months to do NOTHING to enforce subpoenas.
I agree that key Democrats are being blackmailed and will try to cover their butts so that they can continue to look the other way.
It is going to require INDIVIDUAL DEMOCRATS like Dodd and Feingold to shove it right down the throats of congress... this lawlessness will continue until INDIVIDUALS stand alone or with the few for the LAW!!
Its individuals doing this now, whistle blowers, a few reporters and a couple of congress persons.
December 19, 2007 6:31 PM | Reply | Permalink
See Newsweek story by Michael Isikoff - claims CIA will now cooperate with House Intelligence Committee
December 19, 2007 7:12 PM | Reply | Permalink
FYI: http://www.newsweek.com/id/80996
December 19, 2007 7:18 PM | Reply | Permalink
The source article does not give the vote in the committee to prepare subpoenas. Was the vote lopsided? I think so. And it was fast. I think we are fast approaching impeachment, of all these folks.
December 19, 2007 11:50 PM | Reply | Permalink