Leahy sets new due date for WH subpoenas.
In a letter to White House Counsel Fred Fielding today, Senate Judiciary Chairman Patrick Leahy (D-VT) set a new return date of August 20 for subpoenas served to the executive branch in June. After the White House missed the original due date of July 18, Leahy granted them an extension until Aug. 1, which they also missed. Leahy writes:
Despite my patience and flexibility, you have rejected every proposal, produced none of the responsive documents, provided no basis for any claim of privilege and no accompanying log of withheld documents. I had been requesting this information for an extended time before issuing the subpoenas.
I am setting as the new return date for these four subpoenas August 20,2007, at 2:30 p.m. I look forward to compliance with the Judiciary Committee’s June 27, 2007 subpoenas to the White House Office, the Office of the Vice President, the National Security Council, and the Department of Justice.
Read the letter HERE.
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94 Responses to “Leahy sets new due date for WH subpoenas.”
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This is like watching a monkey hump a football.
At first it’s funny, then it just gets sad.
August 8th, 2007 at 2:05 pmMoving the goal posts again. Why should the WH responsd, Senator Leahy?
August 8th, 2007 at 2:07 pmLeahy, you sad little man, they’re completely ignoring you. They’ve called your bluff over and over, and you still think they’re buying it.
August 8th, 2007 at 2:08 pmthe letter should say “I am setting as the LAST return date for these four subpoenas…”
August 8th, 2007 at 2:10 pmUh, so what? Really? So what?
August 8th, 2007 at 2:12 pm“Bin Laden Determined to attack inside United States” - he ignored that too and where did it get us?………………….I can imagine the heading of his letter was “Last Warning before I chew your balls off.” Never underestimate the man that helped fell Nixon.
August 8th, 2007 at 2:13 pmnew due date
he… hehe… hehehe… hehehehe
hahahahaha… hahahahahaha… hahahahahahaha…
HAHAHAAHAHhhhAhAhAhAHHAHAHHah!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
…
BwhAhAhHAhHAhhahahHHAhahHahaHahHAhahahAhHAH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
August 8th, 2007 at 2:14 pmPathetic. Time to throw the baby out with the bathwater.
August 8th, 2007 at 2:14 pmThis is like parents who continually threaten their kids with consequences without backing any of it up with actual action. They lose all credibility and the kids just do whatever they damn please. Leahy has completely lost credibility and the WH knows they can just continue to ignore, obfuscate, and, quite frankly, flip Congress the bird. It’s really, really sad.
I told my husband last nite that, while I realize that governments don’t last forever (e.g., the Roman empire, the Ottoman empire, etc.), I never in a million years thought that I would see the failure and disintegration of my government in my lifetime. I fear for my children and grandchildren unless something drastic is done.
August 8th, 2007 at 2:15 pmofercryinoutloud, leahy, stop pussy-footing around and slap ‘em with inherent contempt… you know goddam good and well they AREN’T going to respond, no matter how much sugar you pour on…
And, yes, I DO take it personally
August 8th, 2007 at 2:15 pmIt’ll be interesting to see what happens if these supenas are also ignored. It’s beginning to look like the current members of Congress are rapidly turning that branch of government into an irrelevancy.
August 8th, 2007 at 2:15 pmOh God…Another threat of oversight. Not gonna happen, it’s not gonna happen. We’ve seen this play before. We know how it’s going to end.
August 8th, 2007 at 2:17 pm“Yawn”
August 8th, 2007 at 2:17 pmIt’ll be interesting to see what happens if these supenas are also ignored.
Comment by veive
They will write another letter, of course. =P
August 8th, 2007 at 2:19 pmBetween this repeated crap and the passage of the new NSA spying laws… I have completely lost faith in the Democrats. DC needs to be completely gutted, maybe then we could find somewhere to build a spine.
August 8th, 2007 at 2:21 pmThat’s it, Senator, you keep writing those incredible letters full of really stern language. I’m bettin’ just like you that this Administration will finally cave in out of fear and total guilt and finally give you what you want.
Afterall, they’ve been reasonable enough to you Congressional members in the past. No reason to think they’ll just keep ignoring your pleas and deadlines………….
August 8th, 2007 at 2:21 pmwhy does sen leahy keep backpedalling? there has to be a strategy he is using. look he’s a senator so he has to have some wits about him. anyone care to discuss?
August 8th, 2007 at 2:23 pmIt looks like he has no choice. And the WH knows this. He’s moved. That’s an admission he has no power.
WH will most likely never respond. What’s Leahy going to do: Write another letter. The WH doesn’t care.
August 8th, 2007 at 2:26 pmrefresh!
August 8th, 2007 at 2:26 pm“Stop! Or I’ll… say stop… again?”
August 8th, 2007 at 2:26 pmIt’s hard to backpedal when you’re lying supine, or bending over for that matter.
August 8th, 2007 at 2:27 pmwhy does sen leahy keep backpedalling?
Because he’s a wuss.
Hey Leahy…
Go Fcuk Yourself!!!
August 8th, 2007 at 2:27 pmRefresh II!!!
August 8th, 2007 at 2:27 pmshould we give Leahy 6 months before another decision is made about this? I think not. The Dems have lost time and the political advantage. Neither party has shown the courage to truly lead this country.
August 8th, 2007 at 2:28 pmMr. Leahy,
With all due respect, seriously, comply or else what?
You’re a paper tiger. You and your subpoenas have become a joke. . . . a very sad, sad joke.
August 8th, 2007 at 2:28 pmThe Republicans play hardball, and the Democrats play whiffle ball.
August 8th, 2007 at 2:29 pmAnd this is the same Gonzo who will be responsible for authorizing, monitoring, and keeping Congress informed on FISA ????????
August 8th, 2007 at 2:29 pmLather rinse repeat. The Democrats are complicit and the Republicans are dangerous. Now what???
August 8th, 2007 at 2:30 pmWrite Senator Lahey and tell him what you think about his cowardice. You can write him here:
http://leahy.senate.gov/contact.cfm
Use the city and zip of one of his offices in his state and you will be able to send him a message. I just wrote him and told him that he needs to step aside and give his job to a Democrat who has the balls to stand up to Bully Boy Bush.
August 8th, 2007 at 2:31 pmGo Fcuk Yourself!!!
Comment by Gregory of Nazianzus
Take your own advice Mr. Pee.
And why the daily name changes, twit?
August 8th, 2007 at 2:34 pmWe can recognize your inane drivel no matter the name you post under.
Mr. Leahy,
We the people demand a Constitutional showdown . . . something that you and your peers are so frightened by that you cannot govern.
While not pretty, necessary.
Get on your snark, body armor and patriotism and do battle.
It’s your job.
August 8th, 2007 at 2:35 pmAugust 20th ay?
:|
What year?
August 8th, 2007 at 2:37 pmsuch forcefulness.
August 8th, 2007 at 2:39 pmthe white house will surely respond now.
or maybe not
(why doesn’t he just make the date for September so he can chant the Republican mantra: “September! September! September!”)
The Senate has the ability to send their Sargent at Arms Police to arrest those like Miers, Rove, and others and put them in their jail until things get resolved. Now all we have to do is send out the police. We know the WH is not going to give an inch until forced by the Senate to do something. No more talking or threatening … just do it.
August 8th, 2007 at 2:41 pmI am setting as the new return date for these four subpoenas August 20,2007, at 2:30 p.m. I look forward to compliance with the Judiciary Committee’s June 27, 2007 subpoenas to the White House Office, the Office of the Vice President, the National Security Council, and the Department of Justice.
And if you don’t comply this time, I will hold my breath, stomp 3 times and then send another letter. Again.
August 8th, 2007 at 2:42 pm>>The Republicans play hardball, and the Democrats play whiffle ball.
>>Comment by ForTruth — August 8, 2007 @ 2:29 pm
I don’t think the Democrats have any balls at all!
August 8th, 2007 at 2:45 pmI think Leahy is overreacting to the White House’s counter-spin argument of “we’re being reasonable; we’ve offered a framework whereby Congress can learn what it needs to learn, so sterner measures are unduly harsh”. The first paragraph of the letter mentions a telephone conversation where the Whitehouse claimed it needed more time (until Aug. 1). I’m hoping that Leahy has set Aug. 20 so when Bush does not comply, he has a bulletproof defense against the attacks which will fly when he takes the next step.
Leahy is also pushing a major reinforcement of the FOIA law. Perhaps he wants that to get through before starting contempt proceedings. This is overly hopeful on his part since the President has amply shown he will neglect to implement the law.
I guess I can wait 12 more days if it will result in an adamant position.
I still fear that, as Krugman says, this administration has changed the paradigm and the Democrats are still trying act honorably within the old one. They need to wake up and see that the Republicans are not bargaining in good faith and that further negotiations are counter-productive.
August 8th, 2007 at 2:45 pmNobody will look back and say “It was the Dems or the Reps that allowed our country to fall” but fall it will if the abuse of power goes unchecked. There is a reason for 3 coequal branches of govt. For a democracy to succeed it takes active involvement of all citizens. We’ve become to comfortable with others making the decisions for us.
History will show the decay of the Great American experiment came from within. Apathy.
August 8th, 2007 at 2:48 pmConsequences . . .
We see none. Idle threats backed by no consequences.
Miers is licensed in Texas. Has any effort been made to disbar her for ignoring a subpoena? In most, if not every, state, ignoring a subpoena would get an attorney disbarred.
Rove . . . what do we know about his family, finances or business transactions. Not a thing. Do you think that he’d respect any of those aspects of his perceived enemies? Not a chance.
When are we ever going to see a family portrait of Mary Cheney and her baby?
Fight fire with fire. Subpoenas not backed by the valid threat of enforcement are just worthless pieces of paper that allow those issuing them to hide behind an excuse. “We tried, but they just refused to comply. What is Congress to do?”
Fight fire with fire . . . therwiser, yif Americans have any backbone at all, ou’re fired.
(Perhaps thats the idiology, Americans expect so little, you’re reelected)
August 8th, 2007 at 2:50 pmBoy, typing really went askew. Sorry.
August 8th, 2007 at 2:51 pmreally, honestly, what the hell.
August 8th, 2007 at 2:52 pmI remember one time I was hiking throught the woods and a chipmunk started squeaking at me from a nearby tree. It startled me at first but then I started to laugh at him because he was just so darn cute trying to be tough and all.
August 8th, 2007 at 2:54 pm“dont MAKE me write *another* letter!!!!”
August 8th, 2007 at 2:54 pmDear Bush administration;
August 8th, 2007 at 3:00 pmPlease answer these subpoenas by January 20th, 2009. Or else.
Patrick Leahy
dlit,
Then, post giggles, you laid down and took a nap on the soft moss under a giant tree. Chippee came and bit your ass while trying to retrieve your Butterfingers bar. After a painful series of rabies shots and removal of your left buttock . . . you vowed never to go hiking again . . . to raze the forests and kill all wildlife.
Lesson learned. You became a republican.
August 8th, 2007 at 3:01 pmHow completely embarrassing.
August 8th, 2007 at 3:02 pmAs a “troll”, despised on this site, I was going to say: “All Bush has to do is hold out 16 more months, and all will be well.”
But you “progressives” have all said basically the same thing…and got to it much faster.
August 8th, 2007 at 3:02 pm“Do not cross this line!
August 8th, 2007 at 3:09 pmOK, do not cross this line… ok, this line? This line?”
to raze the forests and kill all wildlife.
Lesson learned. You became a republican.
Comment by rockyroad
I don’t know if you “know” what a real republican thinks then. I know for a fact since I go hunting and fishing with a few that they are concerned about the way the “neo-cons” view our natural resources….after all whre are they going to hunt and fish?
August 8th, 2007 at 3:09 pmAs a “trollâ€, despised on this site, I was going to say: “All Bush has to do is hold out 16 more months, and all will be well.â€
Comment by O. Bigfoot — August 8, 2007 @ 3:02 pm
As a “trollâ€, despised on this site, I was going to say: “All Bush has to do is hold out 16 more months, and all will be hell.â€
August 8th, 2007 at 3:09 pmI fixed it.
All Bush has to do is hold out 16 more months, and all will be hell
Did you know that brimstone can be a useful as a horsefly repellant?
August 8th, 2007 at 3:11 pm“I am setting as the new return date for these four subpoenas August 20,2007, at 2:30 p.m. “
Ok, now I’m confused. I thought that Congress was on vacation for the month of August. Are they telling the White House to have their people show up to an empty chamber? What gives?
August 8th, 2007 at 3:13 pmIt’s extraordinary that we’re all having a similar reaction to Leahy’s announcement.
I didn’t think that Leahy and Democrats could look any more toothless after the weekend capitulation to Bush’s FISA demands, but in direct proportion to Bush’s audacity is Leahy’s befuddlement.
Senator, go home, sit by your pool, have some more of those drinks with the little umbrellas, but don’t come back to Washington in September thinking that the voters are going to fall for the Democrats as being the champions of the constitution.
August 8th, 2007 at 3:15 pmShorter Pat Leahy:
“I have asked you nicely not to mangle my merchandise. You leave me no choice but to…ask you nicely again.”
August 8th, 2007 at 3:20 pmhttp://www.leahyforvermont.com/contact
Tell Patrick how you feel. No phony zip code needed.
August 8th, 2007 at 3:25 pm#49 The wildlife. Duh.
August 8th, 2007 at 3:26 pmOK, Leahy, this is it. They are forcing your hand and you will have to exercise your senatorial powers.
August 8th, 2007 at 3:28 pmYou cannot be like the benevolent parent who continually threatens a wayward child with empty words of punishment to come — you have to deliver it.
It seems that they will not reconvene until the day after Labor Day. Offices that support the Senate remain active during adjournment, except on weekends and national holidays (at least they did when I was but a lad.).
August 8th, 2007 at 3:31 pmToo bad, seems like Leahy is learning well from “Magic Bullet” Specter
August 8th, 2007 at 3:34 pmTo be followed with a succinct F.U. and then another new date. Wake me when recess is over.
August 8th, 2007 at 3:35 pmAnd then what
August 8th, 2007 at 3:35 pmhttp://www.huffingtonpost.com/ huff-wires/ 20070808/ romney-iowa/
Romney is and his brood are the chickenest of the chickenhawks.
August 8th, 2007 at 3:36 pm#49 The wildlife. Duh.
Comment by rockyroad
When you post soemthing…it should make sense. At least try…
August 8th, 2007 at 3:37 pmAnd if you don’t produce, we’ll have a hearing on the matter! That’ll scare ‘em…
August 8th, 2007 at 3:47 pmThis is the last time I tell you this is the last time. Yeah, right.
August 8th, 2007 at 3:59 pm“We want a response by August 20, and we really really really mean it this time!”
August 8th, 2007 at 4:04 pmHow long will the White House continue with its sadistic game of keep away while Leahy continues to try, in vain, to obtain their cooperation? The only question is that of when the Boosh Circle will eventually extend its collective middle finger at Leahy, daring him to do something about it.
So once this occurs, who would do anything about it? Gonzo? The Neocon Supremes?
Maybe Leahy, will, concidentally of course, receive another anthrax-filled envelope in the mail (remember in 2001, when the the Bushies were pressing for quick passage of the Patriot Act, at a time when Daschle and Leahy were the only two members of Congress who potentially stood in the way — and guess which two of the 535 members received a “surprise” in the mail?).
All that said, we should probably give Leahy credit for trying. After all, can anyone think of anything Holy Joe has done in his role at Chairperson of the Senate Homeland Security Committee?
August 8th, 2007 at 4:05 pmSHORTER LEAHY: ‘because you completely ignored all prior dates given you, I’m going to give you a new date.’
August 8th, 2007 at 4:15 pm.
Dear Senator Leahy,
August 8th, 2007 at 4:17 pmWake me up when something actually happens.
I’m fatigued from all the promises.
I’m giving up and going back to bed now.
Thanks for giving it the old college try……
#63 I keep trying to respond but the gatekeepers here at Think Progress apparently want no references to DC’s little hunting disaster posted. Tried three times. Sorry, can’t respond.
August 8th, 2007 at 4:18 pmWhen will the Senate actually do something about the continued reticence of the administration?
August 8th, 2007 at 4:37 pmWe’re waiting.
And, when the Bush Administratin ignores the August 20 deadline, the good Senator will…. Extend the deadline to September 15. Or October 31. or January 10. or June 2009. Or July 2010. Or…
Bush wins another one, by default.
August 8th, 2007 at 4:45 pmDear Mr. Think Progress:
We are truly a beautiful bird. Some might call us tastey . . . we just think that we’re speckled, perfect.
Why would your VP want to clip our wings, cage us so we can’t fly and then release and shoot us?
Hardly a fiar fight would you say?
Oh yeah, and that snarl . . . spooky.
Thank you for giving us voice. We’ve heard about those foldks in Gitmo. Scary.
August 8th, 2007 at 4:54 pmI think Leahy has a secret weapon up his sleeve: if the administration ignores him again (likely), he will… write another letter!!!
August 8th, 2007 at 5:22 pmThere is no basis for any claim of executive privilege. Also executive privilege can’t be used to avoid testimony altogether. If Taylor claims that Bush was never part of the discussions in the USA firings then he can’t claim executive privilege. Bush can only claim it if he was part of the discussions.
August 8th, 2007 at 5:39 pmIf they “miss” the 8/20 deadline, what’s Leahy going to do?
Write another letter?
When are the Dems going to figure out that the Repubs stopped being decent a long time ago?
August 8th, 2007 at 5:47 pm“Stop…or I’ll yell STOP again!”
At some point, people might start getting the idea we’re being played by our own people, yes?
August 8th, 2007 at 5:52 pmI am a civilian federal employee not employed at the white hourse and have been for 28+ years…what do you think would happen if I ignored a subpoena? Would I be given deadline after deadline?? Not!
August 8th, 2007 at 6:05 pmWhen the government that’s supposed to be Of, By, and For the People fails to respond to the needs of The People or the requirements as set by Law, what The People to do?
If this were any other nation on the planet, something would have been done to contain the Toy Emperor and his Henchmen.
Alas, there is no one in Congress willing to properly carry out their appointed duties.
If ever there was a nation in desperate need of revolution… [think about it]
August 8th, 2007 at 6:29 pm#79 You’re looking at the rule of law vs. the rulers.
They are not looking for a fair fight. They are seeking to clip our wings, cage us and beg for us to “bring it on.”
Unofrtunately, Congress is only too willing to provide the clippers. Thought process: “They’ve lied and lied before, but now, we can trust ‘em. We’ve subpoenaed their tardy sould.”
Yes. I’m going to Disney World . . . then looking for Canadian citizenzhip in the Cinderella castle.
Nowhere in the world are these folks believed.
This admin has no credibility except here in the heartland, where people apparently don’t avail themselves of the international press. So sad for us. Here, where an endorsement by Brittany Spears soothes hearts. Go dubya, you got yourself, Brittany, Laura and Barney, your poor helpless dog.
August 8th, 2007 at 6:48 pm“patience and flexibility”
We are truly doomed.
August 8th, 2007 at 7:07 pm…Leahy would’ve done better throwing them cigarette butts…
…then at least the bushites would’ve shown him…
.. their red swollen a*sholes…
August 8th, 2007 at 7:55 pmI’m tired of this!!!! How long will the democrats make themselves look like such utter fools.
Sh*t or get off the pot!!!!
To say the very least I am completely underwhelmed. To say the most I hate them more than I hate the republicans.
August 8th, 2007 at 8:50 pmwell, at least both sides can laugh @ yet another toothless subpeona.
August 8th, 2007 at 9:05 pmHwck my alarm’s going off for the third time in as many days for no apparent reason.
What a pain.
August 8th, 2007 at 9:19 pmI have no overseas friends. I don’t make international calls. Why the heck has my alarm been going off for the past three days?
It never did before.
Never. Six years. Never.
August 8th, 2007 at 9:25 pmSince Bush came into power in 2000, I’ve had four computers crash into pieces of irretrievable junk. I’ve bought new computers and had my home rewired only to get more of the same.
Call me paranoid . . . but the same s**t keeps happening.
Now, new computer and all, I get shut down on the hour and my alarm keeps going off.
WTF?
August 8th, 2007 at 9:36 pmNaturally we will all be offered this sort of delay when a subpeona is served. How many laws of the land are there out there floating around,
August 9th, 2007 at 3:33 amThis Congress should stop clowing around and open that jail they have down in the basement.
It is time to put our Senator from Wisconsin Russ Feingold in to do the job. Send the Sargent of Arms to put them in jail. No more pussie foot around.
The Dems need to get a spine. Help! Help! Senator Feingold!!!!
August 9th, 2007 at 9:15 amToday is Auguat 9. that means we have eleven more days until…..
Senator Leahy sets another deadline!
This time he should set his deadlines at six month intervals. That way he will only look like a toothless wimp twice a year.
August 9th, 2007 at 10:15 amYo Yossarian -are you really Jake the Troll come back to haunt this site ?
Billy P.is right -this is a chess match -and if your were paying attention you would know there were a whole lot of other stuff going on that well bear fruit.
Listen up trolls, you all are going to be real surprised when all the RICO indictments are issued for BushCO come 2009 -when Dubya cannot pardon anyone .And come Sept/Oct -the VEEP & Gonzo will be IMPEACHED & will have the trial in the Senate starting to take off..
Meanwhile lay off Josh & tpm - this is not faux noise.
http://www.tpmmuckraker.com/archives/003887.php
i’ve given this some thought today. I remain gloomy and sick about last weekend’s cave-in over the FISA act. I look at leahy now and I wonder whether he even realizes that his investigation has become mooted and laughable as a result of his own party’s collapse. even if Judiciary can prove they broke the the law, as we know they did, congress has given them an ex-post-facto ‘get out of prosecution free card.’ so where does this leave us?
well, it’s back to basics. its up to the netroots to plan NOW for the 6-month re-enactment deadline. and maybe we can use leahy and his committee cohorts to good effect. we need to make the public aware of just what a threat to each of us this expansion of FISA is. leahy needs to turn his investigation into a lengthy civics lesson on why joe & jane middle-america are at risk of rogue wiretapping and eavesdropping acts by the feds now. he has to summon constitutional scholars from the left and right — there are some strong rightist voices out there now, like turley and fein and barr, who agree this sucks and would say so - would say it’s anti-conservative. the panel’s message has to be simple and incessant: YOU are being spied on by the bushies. YOUR emails are being amassed and inspected. YOUR kids’ emails IM’s to their friends abroad are being read. YOU are being spied on. jackbooted NSA types; black helicopters. the whole thing.
it’s all we have - old-fashioned political shoe leather, with the netroots spreading the word. this is a VITAL push. and if we fail — well, we live in a country where the majority thinks this form of government intrusion is A-OK and we’ll have to deal with that. (personally, i’m going to start using the post office again, and those disposable cell fones.)
well, there we have it.
August 9th, 2007 at 11:00 amRICO is such sweet solution. It will never happen.
Dems are chickens**ts. Congressional dems quake at the first Bush shudder. Ugh.
August 9th, 2007 at 3:33 pmand it you cross this line, oooh, you’ll be sorry
and it you cross this line, oooh, you’ll really be sorry
and it you cross this line, oooh, you’ll be sooooo sorry
and …
inherant contempt, it’s not just for breakfast anymore
August 10th, 2007 at 12:48 pmif, if, if
August 10th, 2007 at 12:48 pm