Congress Subpoenas White House
Saturday, June 30, 2007
(SNN Washington) Democrats took the first steps Friday in what may end as a Constitutional showdown. In a letter to White House counsel Fred Fielding the Judicial Committees of the House and Senate have demanded an explanation on why the White House claimed Executive Privilege on subpoenaed documents.
The White House countered the request for actual information with an offer of private, off-the-record interviews. This would allow White House officials to sidestep potentially embarrassing topics and instead talk about things less damaging to the administration, like the weather and the importance of clearing every last piece of brush from a ranch.
This action is considered a courageous move by Democrats. The Vice President has often stated that anyone questioning the methods of the White House is allied with terrorists. He also condones the secret arrest and imprisonment of terrorist allies in foreign prisons. It is unlikely that John Conyers will find enough time to harass Bush and Cheney when he is being tortured in a third world prison.
