Today's Article
George W. Bush
told his former legal
counsel to break the
law.
told his former legal
counsel to break the
law.
The American Spark
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House Committee Head Says Miers May Be Held In Contempt
By Cliff Montgomery - July 13th, 2007
Former White House counsel and Supreme Court nominee Harriet Miers was scheduled to appear before the
House Judiciary Committee on Thursday to discuss her role in the firing of eight federal prosecutors.
It was not a request. Ms. Miers had been issued a subpoena to testify before the House panel.
On that day, neo-conservative "legal expert" Harriet Miers showed her true respect for the law--at least when
she's the one being questioned. She simply refused to appear, and thus broke the law like a common thief.
House Democrats therefore had no choice on Friday but to declare that counsel-turned-criminal Harriet Miers
may be found guilty of contempt. The panel also issued a new subpoena to the Republican National
Committee (RNC) for White House emails.
Tuesday is the deadline for both responses.
Miers may be found in criminal contempt of Congress if she doesn't declare by Tuesday that she will appear
before the committee, states a letter received by her attorney from Committee Chairman John Conyers (D-MI).
Though Miers apparently claims she was instructed by Bush to defy the subpoena, it will be she--not our
self-appointed Duce--who may pay the penalty for the criminal act, Conyers wrote.
"Ms. Miers could not legally be compelled by the White House to disregard the subpoena, but instead made
her own decision to disregard it," Conyers correctly pointed out to Miers' lawyer, George Manning.
Conyers reminded Manning that his client's' failure to "promptly mitigate her non-compliance could subject her
to contempt proceedings."
The strong, terse letter was just the first step toward implementing such actions; the final contempt ruling
would first have to be approved by the Judicial Committee, and then by the full House.
But everyone's blood is up, and Americans don't much care for outright tyrants on their shores.
There is one catch: If indeed a House majority approves the contempt order, Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA)
must then refer the issue to the U.S. attorney serving the D. C. area, Jeff Taylor--a Bush appointee.
Two experienced Democratic aides told Associated Press that both panel members and House honchos are
readying for a Miers' contempt proceeding if she fails to positively respond by Tuesday.
Leave it to the Bush Administration to pick precisely the wrong moment for a congressional fight to the death.
Losing ground on Iraq, the "war on terror", the economy, health care, and most else, our little Caesar now
decides that he's going to tear out of the Constitution those parts establishing a congressional
check-and-balance on the Executive Branch.
The treasonous act is just the tip of the (un)constitutional iceberg for this White House. It's part of a broader
fight on whether we elect a president or a master every four years--from Bush's destruction of the Fourth
Amendment outlawing "unreasonable search and seizure," to his insistence that he's "the decider" on Iraq, as
if U.S. citizens and Congress have nothing to say about the fate of their own troops, or their own nation.
Conyers also fired a subpoena to the RNC for emails sent by White House officials through RNC-sponsored
email accounts. Among other things, the emails may deal with the controversial U.S. attorney firings.
White House legal counsel Emmet Flood told RNC lawyer Robert Kelner on July 9 to keep virtually all of those
emails from the House panel, "without prior authorization to the White House."
Congress is investigating whether the Bush Administration primarily demanded the prosecutor firings to clear
room for attorneys considered to show proper "loyalty to the president and attorney general," according to one
Justice Department email.
Members of Congress wish to question current and former White House officials on any role they may have
had in the dismissals. A growing number of Congresspeople--Democrats and Republicans--have called for
Attorney General Alberto Gonzales to resign.
Like what you're reading so far? Then why not order a full year (52 issues) of the The American Spark
e-newsletter for only $15? A major article covering an story not being told in the Corporate Press will be
delivered to your email every Monday morning for a full year, for less than 30 cents an issue. Order Now!
By Cliff Montgomery - July 13th, 2007
Former White House counsel and Supreme Court nominee Harriet Miers was scheduled to appear before the
House Judiciary Committee on Thursday to discuss her role in the firing of eight federal prosecutors.
It was not a request. Ms. Miers had been issued a subpoena to testify before the House panel.
On that day, neo-conservative "legal expert" Harriet Miers showed her true respect for the law--at least when
she's the one being questioned. She simply refused to appear, and thus broke the law like a common thief.
House Democrats therefore had no choice on Friday but to declare that counsel-turned-criminal Harriet Miers
may be found guilty of contempt. The panel also issued a new subpoena to the Republican National
Committee (RNC) for White House emails.
Tuesday is the deadline for both responses.
Miers may be found in criminal contempt of Congress if she doesn't declare by Tuesday that she will appear
before the committee, states a letter received by her attorney from Committee Chairman John Conyers (D-MI).
Though Miers apparently claims she was instructed by Bush to defy the subpoena, it will be she--not our
self-appointed Duce--who may pay the penalty for the criminal act, Conyers wrote.
"Ms. Miers could not legally be compelled by the White House to disregard the subpoena, but instead made
her own decision to disregard it," Conyers correctly pointed out to Miers' lawyer, George Manning.
Conyers reminded Manning that his client's' failure to "promptly mitigate her non-compliance could subject her
to contempt proceedings."
The strong, terse letter was just the first step toward implementing such actions; the final contempt ruling
would first have to be approved by the Judicial Committee, and then by the full House.
But everyone's blood is up, and Americans don't much care for outright tyrants on their shores.
There is one catch: If indeed a House majority approves the contempt order, Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA)
must then refer the issue to the U.S. attorney serving the D. C. area, Jeff Taylor--a Bush appointee.
Two experienced Democratic aides told Associated Press that both panel members and House honchos are
readying for a Miers' contempt proceeding if she fails to positively respond by Tuesday.
Leave it to the Bush Administration to pick precisely the wrong moment for a congressional fight to the death.
Losing ground on Iraq, the "war on terror", the economy, health care, and most else, our little Caesar now
decides that he's going to tear out of the Constitution those parts establishing a congressional
check-and-balance on the Executive Branch.
The treasonous act is just the tip of the (un)constitutional iceberg for this White House. It's part of a broader
fight on whether we elect a president or a master every four years--from Bush's destruction of the Fourth
Amendment outlawing "unreasonable search and seizure," to his insistence that he's "the decider" on Iraq, as
if U.S. citizens and Congress have nothing to say about the fate of their own troops, or their own nation.
Conyers also fired a subpoena to the RNC for emails sent by White House officials through RNC-sponsored
email accounts. Among other things, the emails may deal with the controversial U.S. attorney firings.
White House legal counsel Emmet Flood told RNC lawyer Robert Kelner on July 9 to keep virtually all of those
emails from the House panel, "without prior authorization to the White House."
Congress is investigating whether the Bush Administration primarily demanded the prosecutor firings to clear
room for attorneys considered to show proper "loyalty to the president and attorney general," according to one
Justice Department email.
Members of Congress wish to question current and former White House officials on any role they may have
had in the dismissals. A growing number of Congresspeople--Democrats and Republicans--have called for
Attorney General Alberto Gonzales to resign.
Like what you're reading so far? Then why not order a full year (52 issues) of the The American Spark
e-newsletter for only $15? A major article covering an story not being told in the Corporate Press will be
delivered to your email every Monday morning for a full year, for less than 30 cents an issue. Order Now!