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Conyers Tries to Talk Rove Down from Ledge of Contempt Proceedings
Following the letter sent by Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Patrick Leahy (D-VT), House Judiciary Chairman John Conyers (D-MI) sent his own demand for the testimony and documents following the ruling yesterday in House Judiciary Committee v. Harriet Miers et al.
In a letter to White House counsel Fred Fielding, Conyers called for "quick compliance" with the ruling and an answer to the subpoena issued to White House Chief of Staff Joshua Bolten for documents relating to the politicization of the Department of Justice.
Conyers also wrote to Miers attorneys, reminding him that the ruling meant his client was "legally required to testify" in answer to Congress' subpoena.
Lastly, Conyers penned a missive to Robert Luskin, Karl Rove's attorney, informing him that his client had been held in contempt of congress by the House Judiciary Committee, but that in light of the recent decision, he hoped that it would not be necessary to carry out the contempt proceedings:
. . .[T]he "precise legal issue" raised by Mr. Rove's claim of immunity from our subpoena as a former White House official was before Judge Bates in Committee on the Judiciary v. Miers. Yesterday's decision in that case provides an unequivocal answer. . . In his letter to me of July 29, 2008, Committee Ranking Member Lamar Smith also noted the pendency of the District Court case and stated that "mr. Rove assuredly will abide by the court's decision when it issues." I trust that this is correct and that there will be no further need to enforce the subpoena through contempt proceedings in the full House, and have directed my staff to contact you immediately so that we can make arrangements for Mr. Rove to testify in September.
The last two posts on Harriet Miers contain the same error. Miers is made possessive by adding an apostrophe and an 's'. (Not just an apostrophe. Miers's.)
I realize noting this makes me a jerk.
August 1, 2008 3:24 PM | Reply | Permalink
I disagree. It's people that resent being corrected that are the jerks. One of the characteristics of intelligent people is that they are much more willing to admit it when they are wrong. That's known as learning.
August 1, 2008 6:59 PM | Reply | Permalink
Congrats to Conyers and Leahy for starting to do what should of been done EIGHTEEN plus months ago . . . Better late than never.
August 1, 2008 9:02 PM | Reply | Permalink
Given the timing of upcoming elections, it may be apropos to begin looking at the folowing questions:
(1) Do contempt of congress citations survive the installation of the next session of Congress?
(2) Does executive privilege survive the election of a new executive/ Does it lodge with the President on whose behalf it is asserted or can it be waived/reversed by a newly-elected replacement?
In other words -- could a President Obama and his Attorney General act on unresolved findings of contempt from 2008?
August 23, 2008 7:36 PM | Reply | Permalink
Its been 2 years since DEMS won back the House. Conyers AND PELOSI have done nothing in bringing Miers,Bolten,Rove,Bush,Cheney etc; to heel like the dogs they are. They are procrastinating and seem to be waiting for the clock to stop. I'm friggin sick and tired of this baloney after so many years of saying that they would have immediate proceedings. Pelosi, never says anything about any of this and she has been a complete disaster as speaker. Remember when she said she would do something about bringing the troops home? She did nothing and it is my belief then as it is now that she was completely full of shit. She practically tells Kucinich to go fu*&( himself with impeachment hearings and has thrown roadblocks in front of him since Jan 06'. She reeks of grandstanding just like Conyers. How much more proof and balls do these 2 lamoes require to call the seargeant of arms to bring some of these clowns in? After so many years in the minority they have turned to mush. Both will be remembered for doing jack shit when they had the chance to do something about the dirtiest bunch of criminals who have governed this country for 8 years.
August 3, 2008 5:27 AM | Reply | Permalink
This has gone on far too long. Just put Rove(TURD BLOSSOM) in a Orange Jump Suit and Legg Irons. It will work on Miers. ( Orange Jump Suit, And Legg Irans)
August 6, 2008 4:30 AM | Reply | Permalink