Think Progress

House committee may subpoena Ashcroft.

By Amanda Terkel on Feb 23rd, 2008 at 4:24 pm

House committee may subpoena Ashcroft.

Both former attorney general John Ashcroft and New Jersey U.S. attorney Chris Christie have refused to testify before the House Judiciary subcommittee about a lucrative federal monitoring contact Christie awarded Ashcroft. Yesterday, however, the committee revealed that it has scheduled a hearing on Feb. 26 to vote on a motion to subpoena Ashcroft.



51 Responses to “House committee may subpoena Ashcroft.”

  1. Uncle Ho says:

    It doesn’t matter on the outcome of the vote to subpoena Ashcroft, it will be ignored under “executive privilage”.

    When will the gutless Democrats ever order their arrests, in handcuffs, and make them do the perp walk? I ain’t gonna hold my breath on this.


  2. SkepticRising says:

    So what? Like all the others, he’ll come in and bob and weave and lie his tuchas off and nothing will happen. Feh. Congress no longer has any authority or credibility.


  3. McWars says:

    Future Headlines:

    House approves subpoena

    House sends mean letter to Ashcroft, the White House and Justice Department.

    Ashcroft refuses to comply.

    House committee approves contempt citation.

    Republicans walk out before full vote, extra large diapers bought in advance.

    Full House approves contempt citation.

    Bush InJustice Department refuses to prosecute.

    Barack H. Obama takes office, directs contempt citations of Miers, Bolton, and Ascroft to U.S. Attorney for Prosecution.


  4. burro says:

    And the cow jumped over the moon.


  5. Marie says:

    The stonewalling of committees and subpoenaes must come to an end. No one is above the law, including former AGs.
    Bush&Co like to think that their sh*t doesn’t stink so to speak, and they don’t have to subject themselves to the lowly citizen or their representatives in congress. They must not flaut the law, but democracy demands that they abide the law.
    The congress has shown timidity to the point of doing real harm to the nation, the Constitution and our democracy.
    They must haul the offenders before them, and if they don’t come in willingly, federal marshalls can bring them in to court where they can be charged with contempt, fined or jailed, and made to testify.


  6. Marie says:

    McWars at #3,
    I hope we see that day.
    Obama is a professor of the Constitution, so the lawlessness of those you have named, and many others, should be in his crosshairs.


  7. Lefty Patriot says:

    Comment by Frank M — February 23, 2008 @ 4:48 pm

    you mean that’s what the American people deserve, only scorn and lawbreaking from the “conservatives”. Your treason will not go unpunished.


  8. ScrewBush says:

    That’ funny. I’m sure Mr. Ashcroft will forward his subpoena to the White House so the Boy-King can use it to wipe his butt with. I’m sure Lil’ Bush is running out of that special TP Karl gave him with the US Constitution printed on rolls of extra soft cotton.

    At the end of the day, the House Dems will enter some really mean things into the Congressional record and that will be that. I guess the appearance of upholding the Constitution is better than doing nothing at all.


  9. jb says:

    American people need to stand for the rule of law, not to mention truth and honor, especially in a time of war, even if the war is illegal and amoral.


  10. jb says:

    Turning a blind eye and letting lawbreaking by our “leaders” will weaken our country to the point of destruction. It is treason to stand by traitors.


  11. ScrewBush says:

    To the person above who thinks President Obama will do something about these criminals. OMG. Get a clue. Our political system runs off of BIG money from the very rich who expect things to run smoothly. They are not paying for impeachment or anything resembling justice. Just don’t rock the boat and keep the tax laws and earmarks going their way and next time around they’ll drop some big bucks into your campaign.

    As long as political campaigns are driven by cash, corporation will get what they paid for, and all we’ll ever get is hope.


  12. The Republic of Stupidity says:

    Those who engage in partisan witch-hunts and useless investigations only hinder the war and weaken our nation.

    Comment by Frank M — February 23, 2008 @ 4:57 pm

    So we can trust this one will do EXACTLY what he’s told when the new Dem president takes over on Jan 20, 2009. I look forward to his groveling obedience.

    Fetch, Frankie… fetch… good doggie. Roll over, sit…

    Ooops, he’s licking his own…


  13. SkepticRising says:

    #10 Frank M America’s leaders need to not stab the American people in the back. This is not a time of war, this is a time of the occupation of a foreign nation by a rogue administration. The American people have a right and an obligation to oversee their government. They owe us allegiance, not the other way around.


  14. jb says:

    Asscrap was never much of a leader. Ignored warnings and allowed 9-11, to busy pushing abstinence and covering marble statue titties. Ignorant dumb fools like him should be the one living under the bridges. Worthless piece of crap, not to mention TRAITOR.


  15. delafield says:

    Obama reminds me of W. Bush and Karl Rove. Did anybody see this crap that Obama is pulling?

    http://www.cnn.com/2008/POLITICS/02/23/clinton.mailings/?iref=hpmostpop


  16. Xisithrus says:

    So when did you stand by Bill Clinton Frank?

    The quickwest way I know of to weaken a nation is be debasing its dollar, which Bush/Greenspan/Bernanke have done quite well. You alos have a record budget and record deficit under the decider.

    You have a bigger government. Why havent you recognised you HAVE been scorned Frank?


  17. jb says:

    Party over country is the creed of the Traitor.


  18. joe cantwell says:

    …I’ll have no President then.
    Comment by Frank M — February 23, 2008 @ 5:14 pm

    yes but you will have this:

    http://foxnewsporn.com/

    enjoy frankie!


  19. Xisithrus says:

    I’ll have no President then. Comment by Frank M — February 23, 2008 @ 5:14 pm

    GOD your a hypocrite. You just sat here and tried to lecture people on how they are supposed to support Americas president. Now its only if its a (R) one. And guess what 70% of Americans dont feel as if YOUR president is doing a good job and of that 70% many are Republican.


  20. jb says:

    Hey Frank, Love it or leave.


  21. FearandSmear says:

    Frank says:

    I’m sure we may get democrat president, but as far as I am concerned, I’ll have no President then.

    Well, perhaps then you’ll begin to experience what the last 7 years have been like for the OTHER 3/4 of America, Frank.

    But likely not. You’ll probably just continue to stew in your own putrid juices and ferment.


  22. SkepticRising says:

    #18: But, Frank,

    “American people need to stand by their leaders, not to stab them in the back – especially in this time of war.”

    So you not only don’t actually believe in democracy, but you don’t believe your own spasmodic platitudes, either.

    That’s some real clear thinkin’ there, Frankster. Hoo-haw!


  23. jb says:

    What’s with this administration? I thought the GOP was the party of personal responsibility. Instead we get partisan cronys that refuse to testify to Congress and if forced they lie and “can’t recall”. Why on earth would anybody continue to support such criminals?


  24. Xisithrus says:

    So when Bushies war is handed off to a [possible] Democratic president, he wont support that president in a time of war.

    I saw a sign in a neighbors [R] yard.

    It said:


    Support our troops – Hold our leaders accountable


  25. Xisithrus says:

    Sen [R] Coburn’s comment came at the beginning of remarks at a weekend town hall meeting in Muskogee.

    “I will tell you personally that I think it was probably a mistake going to Iraq,”

    Frank?


  26. Lefty Patriot says:

    I’m sure we may get democrat president, but as far as I am concerned, I’ll have no President then.

    Comment by Frank M — February 23, 2008 @ 5:14 pm

    so you’ll have had no president for three terms, then. got it.


  27. gummitch says:

    #14: As I’ve said before, I firmly believe that terms “democrat” and “President” are mutually exclusive. I’m sure we may get democrat president, but as far as I am concerned, I’ll have no President then.

    Comment by Frank M — February 23, 2008 @ 5:14 pm

    Da! When Obama is elected in November, Frank will be packing his bags for Putin’s Paradise, where he will fit in very nicely. Frank will panic without an authoritarian in power to tell him what to think and what to believe.


  28. Jim says:

    Subpoenas are undoubtedly necessary, but until Democrats in Congress grow a collective spine, none of this will matter. The White House won’t cooperate, and the House Republicans will try to spin it as a partisan witch hunt. The Democrats are going to have to go this alone, and they’d better be prepared to stand their ground and have these people arrested, if necessary.


  29. McWars says:

    McWars at #3,
    I hope we see that day.
    Obama is a professor of the Constitution, so the lawlessness of those you have named, and many others, should be in his crosshairs.

    Comment by Marie — February 23, 2008 @ 4:50 pm

    Thank you, Marie. We should never see any of Bush’s stonewalling as a loss on our part, but as deferred success.


  30. McWars says:

    Da! When Obama is elected in November, Frank will be packing his bags for Putin’s Paradise, where he will fit in very nicely. Frank will panic without an authoritarian in power to tell him what to think and what to believe.

    Comment by gummitch — February 23, 2008 @ 5:44 pm

    And he’ll be posting A LOT more at VDare.


  31. Xisithrus says:

    The surest way to corrupt a youth is to instruct him to hold in higher esteem those who think alike than those who think differently.
    ~Friedrich Nietzsche

    Maybe Frank M would feel more at home in Cuba, with Castro, like Limbaugh did.


  32. delafield says:

    Hey Gummitch. Didn’t you know that Obama is exactly the same as George Bush and Dick Cheney? Actually, I think Obama is worse than Bush.

    http://www.cnn.com/2008/POLITICS/02/23/clinton.mailings/?iref=hpmostpop


  33. joe cantwell says:

    Comment by delafield — February 23, 2008 @ 5:57 pm

    nice try troll.


  34. delafield says:

    Obama reminds me of Ralph Nader. Both of them are financed by the Republican Party.


  35. MapleStreet says:

    OK. I’ll give Congress that they need to lay a strong paper trail of consistent contempt before they bring charges (otherwise, if they bring a charge and can’t make it stick, they look bad).

    But how many subpoenas must be refused before they get enough evidence to press forward? Plus, if they don’t do anything in the next 10 months, any action they make next year or later has the strong potential to look like sour grapes rather than justice.

    At this point they have almost every high ranking Bush official refusing a subpoena. Can’t they at least say RICO yet ?


  36. gummitch says:

    Obama reminds me of Ralph Nader. Both of them are financed by the Republican Party.

    Comment by delafield — February 23, 2008 @ 6:06 pm

    Check your meds or quit smoking crack. Or both.


  37. delafield says:

    Gummitch, your tin foil hat is cutting off the circulation to your brain.


  38. bilbobaggins says:

    So why do they have to vote as to whether to subpoena someone? If they refuse to appear, it seems to me that a subpoena would be automatic. And, what difference will it make. They will ignore the subpoena and then congress will dither for 5-6 months as to whether to find them in contempt of Congress. And then nothing happens. They found Bolton and Meiers in contempt and nothing has happened to them.

    I am so sick and tired of this lily-livered congress. What more do they want to know that we have their backs. 60-70% polling isn’t enough, apparently.


  39. bilbobaggins says:

    Pfft. Stonewall. That’s what the liberals deserve. No answers, only scorn.
    Comment by Frank M

    Anyone want to bet if it was a Democrat refusing a subpoena issued by the Republiscums, Francine would be having a hissy fit. I almost hope that the Obama administration pulls the same $hit on the Republiscums. I know he won’t, because he is a man of honor, but it would be fun watching the Republiscums throwing hissy fits about how the Democrats were obstructing justice.


  40. alpuz3 says:

    Im pretty damn tired off all the Frank Ms in this world.
    So few doing so much damage.


  41. Saint Augustine says:

    Those who engage in partisan witch-hunts and useless investigations only hinder the war and weaken our nation.

    Comment by Frank M — February 23, 2008 @ 4:57 pm

    This a**hole troll is of course referring to the Siegelman situation. Abuse the troll away.


  42. RUCerious says:

    My fondest hope would be that Francine Never, Ever, Again, has a president.


  43. RUCerious says:

    Until the Congress figures out that inherent contempt is the ONLY thing that will wake up these bastards, nothing will happen.


  44. Doc Rock says:

    Bring back Kefauver!


  45. The Republic of Stupidity says:

    Can’t they at least say RICO yet ?

    Comment by MapleStreet — February 23, 2008 @ 6:10 pm

    Oooh! Oooh! Me! Call on me! I can!

    RICO! RICO! RICO! RICO! RICO! RICO! RICO! RICO! RICO! RICO! RICO! RICO! RICO! RICO! RICO! RICO! RICO! RICO! RICO! RICO! RICO! RICO! RICO! RICO! RICO! RICO! RICO! RICO! RICO! RICO! RICO! RICO! RICO!

    (Shi-ite… I’ve bin sayin’ this fer MONTHS now!)


  46. The Republic of Stupidity says:

    Comment by satirev — February 23, 2008 @ 7:39 pm

    Ooooh… the New and Improved Perp Walk 2008???

    I LIKE it!


  47. williamf says:

    Congress…suck it up and get some courage. The American people expect you to have some guts. Keep fighting on the issue of tele immunity and get ashcroft of his ass and doing the right thing. You know, the idiot is an attorney, move to get him disbarred. If he is an officer of the court and enforcement of the subpoena is sought he has to show up. Executive privilege is bullshit…go fight it. Take Bush to task and shake him up. Get in there and go bare fisted with ‘em, no holds barred. What is “it” that keeps the congress from fighting this fake cowboy and his band or thieves?


  48. woodguy says:

    Those who engage in partisan witch-hunts and useless investigations only hinder the war and weaken our nation.

    Comment by Frank M — February 23, 2008 @ 4:57 pm

    Man, you must have really been upset about the witch-hunt and useless investigations into Bill Clinton’s private life. Of course we
    weren’t in a budget busting useless war then, the economy was the best ever and he enjoyed an approval rating of 60%+, so I guess the circumstances were different.


  49. Ms_Joanne says:

    Maybe it’s better if they only issue subpeonas now…Bush can’t pardon until a conviction is handed down. Hmmm…food for thought.


  50. The Republic of Stupidity says:

    Hmmm…food for thought.

    Comment by Ms_Joanne — February 23, 2008 @ 10:24 pm

    Oooooooh… subpeonas… I like it!


  51. rocks911 says:

    Oooooh, a committee has scheduled a hearing about a motion, that’ll teach em.

    Laughable.



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