I wonder if a judge would hear the case if DOJ refuses and the Judiciary Committee prosecutes. Is a resolution enough to create jurisdiction?

Is there any chance at all that any of these cases make it through to fruition before Bush's term ends, or that any of these matters may be pursued even after this admin leaves office? My hunch is no.

And where to find out more about the lawsuit/backup plan for when the DC US Atty refuses to pursue their contempt resolution?

You'll notice there is no specific "deadline" Pelosi included in the letter, either for the DOJ AG to respond, or for the grand jury to be empaneled, or for the US Atty to "think about" the letter.

The issue has changed from whether Congress will or will not be a separate branch of government with power to enforce a subpoena; to whether the AG will or will not respond in the absence of any legal requirement to respond by a specific data.

Each time he's asked, he could answer, "We're still reviewing it." And the House response: "Oh, OK. Take your time. We're not going to impeach you."

Remove Pelosi as Speaker, and let's get some real leadership in the Speakership position to start real action.

Remember when a contempt citation was a "big Deal"?? How many early antiwar and leftists had to spend thousands, and years of their lives , fighting these? I just saw a special on Pete Seeger and it reminded me of what the ramification of these meant.

I guess the difference here is, the accused REALLY DO have contempt for anything not neocon.
So they get a pass based on sincerity I guess.

I guess she has to go through the motions, but it would have been nice if she'd given a deadline for action and warned that the Congressional power of inherent contempt would be exercised after the deadline.

This is not a deadline, but a request:

If, however, you intend to persist in preventing Mr. Taylor from carrying out his statutory obligation to present this matter to the grand jury in the District of Columbia, we respectfully request that you inform us of that decision within one week from today, so that the House may proceed with a civil enforcement suit in federal district court.

- What happens if the DOJ AG doesn't respond?

- What happens if its never?

A more credible letter would have included the following deadline, "Unless you agree to act within seven [7] days, we will start impeachment proceedings against you."

There is no deadline, nor are there any clear consequences if the DOJ AG refusese to act. A co-equal branch of government doesn't request anything. It assert power: "Respond, or we will assert power to punish you."

Speaker Pelosi is further cementimg her tenure as a failure. She certainly isn't helping those female politicians coming behind her. The Democrats were given the majority in both Houses because they were charged with ending the war in Iraq. How's that going? The administration has done everything ignoring them but spit in their faces. This "crying wolf" by sending "strongly worded letters" Is causing laughter just as the people in the fairy tale. Because it is. They were elected to take CHARGE. A situation they have no clue to initiate. I doubt if Leahy has enough money left to buy paper to send "strongly worded letters." I hope the electorate is as charged up this time to change both houses to Democratic control and NEW members and leadership. Pelosi lost me when impeachment was taken "off the table." Her duty, and the rest of their duty, is to uphold the Constitution. And they are all derelict. The public can't impeach but we can change the players. I hope it happens.

I would guess that "respectfully request" is D.C. speak for a deadline. But you never know with this Dem leadership.

The Dems are so scared to rock the boat. Haven't they noticed that they didn't pass the FISA bill and they're getting away with it? I don't hear anyone but partisan right wingers making any kind of hubbub about it. It's like they keep expecting the public to smack them, when the public is actually with them.

I suspect she's doing what she thinks she needs to do to keep the Dems united - including, unfortunately for us, the Blue Dogs.

some may be wondering, "How long might a delay be; and what could we expect after this delay?"

The latter question is easiest: Another strongly worded letter. The former is the interesting question.

To answer that, Consider this:

"Given that three months have passed since your office first received this request, I am writing to ask that you provide the information to the Committee. . ."

Did you catch that: Three months passed, and then the Congress wrote another letter, requesting more written answers. The issue would change from the original contempt citation, to whether or not the AG had or hadn't provided a written response. You can thank the worthless DNC leadership for their failure to challenge the worthless RNC leadership.

In the case of the contempt citation, even if the DOJ AG does nothing, we're looking at another series of delays, then a rude awakening in the Speaker's office, "Wow, it's been three months, and they still haven't responded, let's send another letter."

The US Congress doesn't show it is interested in fully performing as an independent branch of government. Strikingly, the majority party, by definition of its being the majority, has the [wait for it] majority of support of Americans. It appears they're looking for the impossible: Support from the RNC to impose power. That will never happen. The DNC needs to stop waiting for what it already has: Majority support.

The public needs to openly discuss brining charges of malfeasance against the speaker, and broaden the indictments to target the DNC and RNC leadership for alleged oath of office violations, 5 USC 3331. This can be done at the State level. Your State AG's need to hear from you: They have the power to independently prosecute against Members of Congress indictments related to their failures to ensure the states' right to a constitutional enforcement mechanism are fully enforced. State AGs can also prosecute a istting President or Vice President.

“I don’t give a goddamn,” Bush retorted. “I’m the President and the Commander-in-Chief. Do it my way.”

“Mr. President,” one aide in the meeting said. “There is a valid case that the provisions in this law undermine the Constitution.”

“Stop throwing the Constitution in my face,” Bush screamed back. “It’s just a goddamned piece of paper!”

I’ve talked to three people present for the meeting that day and they all confirm that the President of the United States called the Constitution “a goddamned piece of paper.”

"Fool me once, shame on — shame on you. Fool me — you can't get fooled again."

"Sure a dictatorship would be easier"

Mukasey is exactly what Bush wanted.

Nancy, get impeachment back on the table!

This is the Rubicon of our Republic.

If Congress has no subpoena power, it is worthless. There is no legislative branch.

I recall Ralph Nader saying in 2000 that there wasn't a dimes worth of difference between the two parties.

Well, we lost our democracy. This country's increasingly becoming a steaming piece of crap.

Some of the recent postings suggest that the Democratic leadership are to slow to act.

Could it be that Pelosi and Leahy are just prodding along, gathering evidence to be used later after the election?

Rather than rallying the Republicans to defend the criminal GOP or allowing a Presidential pardon, the Democratic leadership persistently, and methodically, shows this Administration blocked every attempt to show cooperation.

Instead, this Administration, showed no remorse, therfore it deserves, NO MERCY, when judgment is meted out, there will be no mitigatng factors.

There is no Staute of Limitations for violating your oath.

Lets hope, the next Administration, doesn't pardon or excuse this current Administration's violations.

Resistance
From your lips to Higher Power's ears . But I have little faith anymore that Madam Speaker is actually bidding her time until after the 2008 election . Point of fact it appears that some of the Democratic lEADERSHIP IS ACTUALLY COMPLICIT IN THE WAR CRIMES , RE WATERBOARDING.
What we need is one state attorney general to stand up and file impeachment proceedings in Congress - how do we do that ???