Chairman Waxman threatens to hold Mukasey in contempt over withholding Cheney's FBI interview about Valerie Plame
By John Amato Thursday Jul 17, 2008 2:30pm
I didn't have a chance to get to this the other day. Mukasey is headed for trouble as outlined by Chairman Waxman in this video. He warns the Attorney General of a Scheduled Contempt Vote over Cheney:
Download | play 
Download | play (rough transcript)
Waxman; ...I have tried to investigate what really happened and the White House has resisted oversight every step of the way.
The committee's inquired has tried to penetrate the cloud surrounding VP Cheney's conduct. But today the President has asserted executive privilege and is withholding from the committee and the American people key evidence about the VP Cheney's actions. During our investigation we have learned that Mr. Libby told the FBI that it was possible that the Vice President instructed him to leak Miss Wilson's identity. That would be an extraordinary breach of trust. There is a key document that could explain what the VP knew and what he did. The report of the VP's interview with officials working from the FBI working for Mr. Fitzgerald. If there is one document that could pierce the cloud hanging over the VP, that is it.
Mr Mukasey decided that a different rule should apply to Republican Presidents than to Democratic Presidents.
The claim of executive privilege is ludicrous.
The President's actions have darkened the cloud over the VP and left important questions unanswered. As the committee considers its next steps, I hope the President and Vice President will also consider theirs. Congress and the American public are entitled to know what role the President and Vice President in the despicable outing of Miss. Wilson
AG Janet Reno provided this committee---the FBI interviews of both President Clinton and VP Gore a decade ago so what's the deal? Waxman is trying to find out what Cheney said to the FBI and is not too happy that Mukasey is blocking access to it. It sure looked like Scooter Libby was getting ready to hang Cheney out to dry unless Bush stepped in and gave him a get of jail card for free. Murray Waas wrote this great article about it a while ago:
Cheney Authorized Leak Of CIA Report, Libby Says
Vice President Dick Cheney directed his then-chief of staff, I. Lewis "Scooter" Libby, on July 12, 2003 to leak to the media portions of a then-highly classified CIA report that Cheney hoped would undermine the credibility of former Ambassador Joseph C. Wilson, a critic of the Bush administration's Iraq policy, according to Libby's grand jury testimony in the CIA leak case and sources who have read the classified report...read on
The Gavel: "Chairman Waxman writes Attorney General Mukasey that the Oversight Committee will vote to hold him in contempt unless the Attorney General produces a copy of the report of the FBI interview of Vice President Cheney in the investigation of the leak of the identity of Valerie Plame Wilson, a covert CIA agent."
Here's the pdf of the letter he wrote Mukasey.
Mr. Fitzgerald removed any doubt about this important point last week. He wrote the Committee that "there were no agreements, conditions, and understandings between the Office of Special Counsel or the Federal Bureau of Investigation and either the President or Vice President regarding the conduct and use of the interview or interviews."
This should get real interesting soon.
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It just takes the cake when congress has to threaten the Lead Law Enforcement Officer of the land with contempt of congress. Goodbye Rule of Law. Nice knowing ya.
Stop with the verbal threats. Fire a couple of rounds at their feet.
Weird, isn't much of the Bush administration already guilty of this and hence liable to arrest?
Did "that week" ............ for the love of god, the persons whole existence is an insult to the living world.
If Congress NEVER actually punishes anyone for their contempt then they deserve it.
Threaten, threaten, threaten!
Talk, talk, talk!
Do nothing, do nothing, do nothing!
This low-life bunch of cowardly democrats makes me sick!
Like Rove's? Quit wasting tax payers money unless you intend to follow through. I'm sick of watching these criminals, Cheney, Mukasey, Rove, et al, thumb thier noses at us. Get em, or shut up and fix a bridge or build a school.
More empty threats from gutless Democrats.
And if these cowards did decide at some point to actually follow through on something, no doubt Barack "The Fraud" Obama and his Corporatist buddies would swoop in with some kind of retroactive immunity for Mukasey, Rove, and the rest of Bush's gang of thugs.
Joe Scarborough was talking about this yesterday morning and he kept referring to Valerie Plame as a "desk jockey". Yet no one else on the show corrected him.
Is being a criminal or having criminal intentions a requirement for serving in the bush administration?
Yes it could become interesting but based on past events, I doubt that it will be. I wish I had more faith but it's all been used up when it comes to this administration being held responsible for anything they have done.
It should get interesting, but it won't. I'm sick of reading strongly worded letters that allude to (but do not actually exercise) Congressional powers.
I have lost all respect for Conyers and Waxman. Every time I read that they are going to hold someone in contempt I just laugh. I think I'll go re-register as an Independent.
word I'll believe it when I see it. it would help if these got more press coverage. a lot of "regular people" don't even know who Don Siegelman is or what happened to him. a lot of "regular people" don't even know Rove was subpoenead.
pissed off patricia @ 9:
Be careful. Joe Scarborough is a 'liberal darling.'
Yea, I robbed you, shot your dog, fucked your sister, so? I am above the law, I have " executive privledge" which I made up so I could do what I please. How long would this bull-shit work if a common citizen tried it. &#%^(**-CEO
They. Will. Do. Nothing.
Is it letter writing time again?
Enough already, stop the talking and starting holding this administration accountable for something already. Gosh Waxman, Conyers you have every right to hold them accountable. Please make us happy and show you have balls.
This just in: Democrats in Congress to forward another sternly written letter to a current/former Bush official. Official to file letter with all the rest in the circular file cabinet in the corner with the big smiley face on it.
Threats? How about some action. This is all just a game. No one is going to jail over this. And W will just pardon them anyway even if congress does decide to ever take action instead of sitting around finger pointing at their "opponents" across the aisle and then going out for dinner and drinks with them as best buddies later.
This happened five years ago and these morons are still pissing around. Our country is a joke. Maybe congress will get to it after the next president is inaugurated. Maybe they'll get around to impeaching W by next August too. Hahaha!
how do i filez inherent contempts??
Maybe they'll make Cheney sit in The Comfy Chair.
Dale @ 21:
And poke him with the Fluffy Pillow. :-p.
Waxman says, "we will also be determined." Hahahahaha! Determined to do....as little as possible.
Another prime example of the need to IMPEACH! Congress has been unwilling/unable to exercise their oversight responsibility from the day they ceded that responsibility and gave Bush the green light to take us into war. Shit or get off the pot!
You think this will get interesting soon? Really? I'm not quite so optrimistic. If I read one more headline that says, "[Democrat] Threatens [Republican Crook] with [Action]," I think I'm seriously gonna hurl. You know what talking a good fight to bullies achieves? That's right . . . jack sh*t, which sums up the achievements of our supposed opposition Congress to a T -- "T" standing for "threat," natch.
Actually, "contempt" is exactly what the spineless, cowardly, piece-of-shit Democraps in Congress have earned.
Stop F*cking threatening these CRIMINALS and F*CKING JUST DO IT!!!!!!!!!!
Waxman's 'actions' will be about as effective as 'looking back the runner' on first base in baseball. You know he's going to steal.
John McCain has had a very colorful life and often tells stories that are not politically correct, for instance; he used to often joke that when in high school he was in a club and since they were so horny all the time they use to vote with their dicks instead of raising their hands, whether it was for what movie to see or who would be the leader. He also likes to tell stories about the time that he was held prisoner, especially about football players he thought about during his interrogations. While John McCain was being tortured in Viet Nam, the other prisoners could not take his constant complaining about how they were being treated better than him so they decided as punishment to anally rape him to show him how much worse it could be. So they tied him up and then got in line. After the first guy finished, McCain defiantly asked "Is that all you got?" After the next guy finished McCain grimaced but again asked "Is that all you got?" The next guy was really big and just as he finishes, McCain has a body trembling orgasm and says "My friends, I would like to thank you for electing me your leader."
I say waterboard Cheney since he claims its not torture. We'll get some confessions then railroad them with a military tribunal. Its the republican way of dealing with enemies.
Yes, but pelosi states that impeachment is off the table - makes everything okey dokey
Ooooh...what's Waxman gonna do next? Use harsh language?
McCain the Liar @ 30:
Even if he doesn't confess. We'll have fun.
*yawn* (directed at the notion that the democratic congress provides any oversight)
pssst, congressional democrats: your "threats" would be MUCH more effective if you actually--EVER--made good on them.
like shampoo directions, the dem congress' modus operandi:
1 watch as america gets screwed
2 waste time, suck up
3 get guilted into acting by grassroots effort
4 talk semi-critically of admin
5 issue threat/write letter to admin
6 back down and give admin everything it wants, plus a nice basket of bon-bons
7 repeat if necessary
We can all thank Franky Feinstein and Upchuck Schumer.
What the heck happened to Scott McClennan? Talk about a splash in the pan.
Uh huh, yea, right... blah blah blah... Beautiful speechifying there Hank.... Near perfect synopsis decribing why Bush, Cheney and all the rest of them should already be behind bars....But you know what?? IT'S STALE, OLD.. Just shut the fuck up, I'm sick of hearing this bullshit! If you useless fucks ever do more than grandstand and make empty threats about holding assholes in contempt or issue sophoenas noone pays attention to.. If you pathetic asses ever got up off the dime and actually had even one of these bastards hauled off in cuffs till they decided to tell the goddamned truth, it would be more than impressive.. It would be a fucking miracle!!!!! Don't hold your breath folks... I sure as hell ain't holding mine waiting on that kind of action......JD
Stevo @ 6:
Waxman and Conyers...both are inept and incompetent to serve in our U.S. Congress.
Do either really believe that by making verbal threats and/or sending numerous "threating/demanding/strongly worded letters" to H. Miers/J.Bolton/Rove and
now Muskay, are really accomplishing anything??? I think not, they are just playing
the usual and cusomary political BS games in hopes that the dumbed down portion of
the American public will support and vote for them.
Mukasey has perhaps grown aspen roots.
There's a good reason why Congress is held in less esteem than Bush. Our congressional leaders are an embarrassment - to the country and themselves. Again, Waxman & Conyers should be going after all the underlings first and *really* threaten them with contempt and jail and they'll flip fasting than a pile 'o flapjacks. Don't these "lawyers" understand the theory of "building a case"?
Sheesh.
Legalize @ 15:
You talk about Conyers and Waxman, well what the hell happened to Leahy? Mr. Huff and Puff where are you? We Democrats are truly screwed. Look at the cream of Demo leadership, Pelosi, Reid, Hoyer, Schumer, Feinstein, and on and on to Mr. Big Change himself Obama. The repubs have labeled all this appropriately.....a dog and pony show. Yea I know we should be calm and wait till the election is over. Fuck that.
Ya ya blah blah I'm sure they'll hold them in contempt, that's what they say every time...
Steve E @ 41:
Schumer and Feinstein twisted a lot of arms to get Mukasey nominated.
Bunch of enablers, the whole pack of em.
jazzcat @ 31:
Know anyone in San Fran?
http://www.michaelmoore.com/mustread/index.php?id=1020
It's a pretty good living for doing nothing-- or worse than nothing.
.
Has anyone ever informed CONgress that they CAN enforce the Rule of Law, themselves...
Anyone... Hello? Lawmakers!?
Or they can choose to fall victim to being impotent!
.
What's new here? The Bush Regime are CIA outing traitors? That's nothing new.
More tongue lashings, sternly worded letters and empty threats from the Democrats? Nothing new here either.
Move along...
Please, please, dem congress, grow a pair, and follow through, puh-leeez!!
Ooooo! Another empty threat punishing contempt from an empty congress.
Keep talking and doing nothing about the criminal Bush regime, maybe the Democratic congress poll numbers will be down to 15% by the end of next week.
http://bravenewfilms.org/blog/46082-don-siegelman-enough-of-the-cover-up...
i would like to see justice for the plame case but also
the siegelman case....something is very fishy their...
siegelman beat the (R) and they didn't like it they had him in jail....he got pretty fast when this getting media traction
Ugh!
Another useless threat?
A note to whomever prepared this video clip -
The audio sounds like it's out of phase.
pathetic.... threats.... ooooo, yea I am sure the AG will get right on finding those docs....
I have seen single celled organisms that had more courage than democrats....
http://bravenewfilms.org/blog/46082-don-siegelman-enough-of-the-cover-up...
Whatever, nothing will come from it or this cave in congress
I'ts all an illusion. This is like some endless stage play
that we all know will not have the right ending or a
happy one so the players drag it out as long as they can.
Waxman, what a fluffer. Send off a stearnly worded letter, then hold your breath till you turn blue. That ought to scare 'em.....
Stop "threatening" with gentle letters, and INDICT, IMPEACH! The American populace now hates these scumbags-- by continuing to protect their pals, the Demos will soon be (if they aren't already) as widely hated.
Progressives need to elect a government that will actually represent them. Democrats are pussies and so are the American people for putting up with this...this...whatever it is...one thing it isn't is representative government. You know and they know this is not why they were elected to a majority. They have represented their lobbyists quite well. Too bad about the American people...they just foot the bill...but that doesn't matter apparently.
Is Obama superman?? We'll see. Think about the power he is up against. America is owned by the one percent at the top. If they can't buy him they will own him in other ways. In other words I have little confidence that Obama will change much. The next Republican however has his table set by G.W. Bush. They will take the Imperial presidency to the next level I am sure. Americans are ripe for total fascism.
I am out of the ability to think these dems can/will do anything of legal substance.
MEMO TO DEMS: Stop using angry words and sternly worded letter of protest and...
F*CKING DO SOMETHING CONCRETE!!!...even Waxman is disappointing me these days.
And Nancy Pelosi's remarks yesterday about Bush were good but...GODDAMNIT IT NANCY-PUT IMPEACHMENT BACK ON THE TABLE!!!
What does it take for Dems to grow a spine and actually turn their words into deeds?
Threats are useless.
If they're not going to do something about it NOW, then they are just wasting our tax dollars, chasing after Dick Cheney, when we ALL know that he gets a blanket pardon in January. And maybe the point of the exercise is the distraction, for the sake of the distraction.
You see, some of you people out there actually thinks that your government is RESPONDING with these hearings, when nothing could be further from the truth. It's just misdirection.
A cynical man might say that all this pussy-footing, and tap-dancing that you're now seeing was all part of the original plan. To some extent, they were ALL in on it from the beginning, and any "opposition" that you see, or have seen, was INSTALLED by the very architects of the plan.
Including the media.
Go ahead. Put Dick Cheney in prison... that won't demolish a single "temporary base" that we've built in Iraq.
We've spent a trillion dollars to secure thirty trillion dollars worth of oil, and there's NO WAY that the Democrats are going to just WALK AWAY from it...
...but don't worry... history will forgive us... because after all, WE'LL BE THE ONES WRITING IT!
Ron Paul 2008
WTH @ 54:
A great comment, better then the rants of myself and others here...thanks!
groucho @ 7:
Thank you. We all know (and so do they) what being held in contempt will get you.
Sh*t or get off the pot, people.
Although neither are expressly in the Constitution
Executive Priviledge and Congressional Oversight are linked.
EP is only for the Chief Executive, not the whole freaking branch.
And you can't claim executive priviledge and not acknowledge Congressional Oversight.
Waxman threatened Muckasey with a letter, hahaha.
The sternly worded letter writing campaing has worked so well why stop now.
NUTS!
Yeah yeah yeah we've heard THAT before.
Mukasey could get up on Waxman's desk and take a leak and congress would laugh!
wagonjak @ 62:
Evolution?
wagonjak @ 62:
I used to listen to these clips but I have since tuned these people out. I didn't even bother to listen to this clip. More of the same blah, blah, blah, empty threat. Blah, blah, blah empty threat. When I hear a member of the Bush regime has been held in contempt and frog marched before congress then I'll listen, not until.
I wish these Dems wouldn't try and swing he d!*&*'s they don't have. Mr Chairman, enough with the TV shows. We need some action.
kscitydude @ 11:
Welcome.
It's amazing the depressing sea change I've seen in the Democratic rank-and-file since the days we were all eagerly awaiting "Fitzmas" a while back. Bush and Cheney have thumbed their nose at the justice system and the very notion of checks and balances, with the willing complicity of guilty (Pelosi, Hoyer, etc.) or powerless (Waxman) Democrats. I'm completely jaded when I hear Democratic pols threaten accountability for the criminals in the Bush Administration, and judging by the cynicism rampant on this thread I'm not alone. I still have to remember how the Republicans cooked a blow job into a "Constitutional crisis" and impeachment. Now with the most corrupt administration in my lifetime, all the Dems can muster is miffed protests and impotent demands which Bush laughingly ignores. President Obama will no doubt drop most or all of the remaining investigations (those not stopped by Bush pardons) in the interest of "looking ahead." Man I could use a drink.
blah, blah, blah.
Save our republic before it's too late.
Vote out all incumbents in 2008!
It's time to throw the bums out of Congress and start over with people who believe in defending our Constitution.
MarktheSpark @ 59:
I have never voted and will never vote for a Republican for any elected office. I have voted for many Democrats, but I have to say that I now find them on the whole more despicable even than the Republicans. Didn't think that was possible, actually, but the Democraps have managed to pull it off. The FISA vote last Wednesday, maybe the most gutless thing I've seen them do (and that's saying something), really put them over the top.
Here's a letter for ya Waxman, "I".
As in...
Impeach, Indict, and Incarcerate the IDIOT!
ITS PRETTY SIMPLE, GUYS!
1) Vote on Inherent Contempt
2) Train the Capitol Police to act like county sherriffs and how to operate guns and handcuffs
3) Crash a couple of Washington dinner parties on a Saturday night.
4) Put the handcuffs on Muckasey and Rove.
5) Detain them in the Capitol basement all weekend -- let 'em stare at Washington's statue so they can see what a "real" President looks like
6) Hold your hearings on Monday and force them to either talk or invoke their 5th amentment rights
7) Public has wool lifted from eyes about what crooks have been running their government, and that Congress finally has balls.
Yawn. I'll wake up when you actually do something.
kali yuga @ 77:
Yeah, but what about YOUR representative?
Bullshit. Waxman will bluster and talk tough, but at the end of the day, he's a Democrat... he'll fold and whimper until January.
ysbaddaden @ 66:
I agree, but if the claim to "executive privilege" granted to each of these assholes
(Miers/Bolten/Rove/Mukasey) by bush-lite did not work, then I feel rather sure he'd try the "national security" BS maneuver.
I already hold Mukasey in contempt. Same with Cheney, Perino, Rice, Rove, Gonzales, Chertoff ...
displssd @ 81:
My Democrap Senator and Democrap Member of the House both voted to gut my Fourth Amendment protections. They don't represent me. Fuck them.
So?
Half the Bush Admin is now in contempt aren't they???
WOW! After reading these comments I'd say that most people are sick of hearing this BULLSHIT out of Waxman and the rest of the spineless in Washington. How many minutes of solid laughing takes place when any member of this administration get threatened with contempt or a subpoena from these gutless wonders in the congress? 2, 3, maybe 5. I'll guarantee you that they don't get very concerned.
If the only thing that stood between us and right wing fascism in the 1940's was the Nancy Pelosi/Harry Reid congress, we would all be goose stepping right about now and Hitler would have a desk drawer full of sternly worded letters.
Watch it, my Democatic colleagues/pussies in Congress- you've cried Wolf so often I think- no, I know - the country has more contempt for your weaknesses than they do for those that tell Congress to F*** Off.
Dennis Kucinich , Ron Paul, Russ Feingold, Gore all showed guts and the country loved and respected them.
This is all big joke now, just to help you stay in your seats.
We get it now.
And we're all ashamed. Still.
*yawn* I'm sure they'll get to that after the vote on Rove.
You know, I sometimes wonder why Reagan never asserted Executive Privilege over the Iran/Contra scandal, and refused to let Poindexter, McFarlane, North, Abrahams and the other rogues gallery testify before Congress. And, better yet, doesn't the fact that they DID testify before Congress in the Iran/Contra scandal serve as a precedent that Executive Privilege doesn't apply to this kind of thing? I don't know, I'm not an expert, but somebody here might know. It's probably one of two things: either a precedent that Executive Privilege doesn't apply to think kind of situation, OR that Reagan never asserted it, and therefore it'd not a precedent.
I would like to see the t-shirt:
I was held in contempt of Congress and all I got was this lousy T-shirt
oh please. ZZZzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz
I have lost respect for Waxman and feel he should be replaced because he is sitting on information that if allowed to be revealed in open court to the public. the information will result in criminal charges being filed against several neocons and former Democratic representatives. I am referring to Sibel Edmonds, a former FBI whistleblower, who served as a Turkish language specialist from 2001-2002. Her case shows credible evidence of high-level U.S. Neoconservatives acting as Turkish spies (amongst other illegal activities.) Foreign Nationals are buying influence into our Foreign Policy as well as involvement in money laundering, illegal arms deals, and drug trafficking.
I feel the outing of Plame is extremely serious, but it puzzles me as to why Democrats don't pick some fights they can clearly win in order to gain momentum? The problem is the Democratic Congress has allowed politics to drive its policy decisions rather than making policy decisions based on its principles and values.
Waxman has even seen all the evidence behind closed doors. Conyers even knows about this. Hell, Republican Senator Grassley said the evidence is solid. Waxman assured Edmonds the Democrats would have the full, open hearings she had been pushing for. Considering the fact that Edmonds is the most gagged person in U.S history courtesy of the Bush Administration, you know she has something here.
Go ahead Waxman and fight for that documented interview which may or may not have enough information you are looking for. Even if there was something to come from Cheney's interview, Waxman would probably just insert the document into the public record, hold a press conference, and tell everyone the Bush Administration is really bad.
Pericles @ 90:
Or what about Nixon in the Watergate hearings? Why didn't he invoke Executive Privilege to prevent Dean, Ehrlichman, and Haldeman from testifying before Congress? Either it doesn't apply, or he didn't invoke it, but either way there's a precedent for this situation.
Oh stop teasing me, Henry. You know what I want for a birthday present this year:
PERP WALK.
Can we hold Waxman in contempt? Or Pelosi?
You know, even if we can't impeach Bush, can we at least impeach Cheney? Isn't he still less popular than Bush and about as popular as Congress?
Waxman: "If you don't give me that report, you'll make me say 'give me that report' again. AND I'll follow it up with a LETTER!"
Whooooo! Sends shivers down my spine!
kali yuga @ 85:
Yep, and yet they keep getting re-elected. So does Lieberman, Conyers, Pelosi, and all the rest of the Democraps.
The downfall of our republic will not be caused because corruption exists. Corruption has always existed. The downfall will be because congress failed to act in a responsible manner to bring everything out in the open to prevent it from happening again.
We are witnessing the undoing of our country and way of life, and unfortunately there is nothing we as individuals can do about it. We exercised our responsibility by voting. It is unfortunate that the people we voted into power have a corporate agenda and have formed a fascist government instead of a country of the people, for the people, and by the people.
I hope I am wrong, but I do not believe I am.
Summation of the whole process and response of Bush and Cheney to the dems:
Stick and stones will break my bones,
but words will never harm me.
Until something changes this is where we are.
Can't they be fined $10,000 a day until they appear?
VietVet67 @ 16:
Do you remember that classic scene from the TV show CHEERS, when Frasier Crane challenged Cliff Claven to a fight over an insult Cliffy made about Lilith? Then they started making rules about places they couldn't hit. Cliff started writing down all the rules, and at the end of the list there was noplace left to hit, and Cliff had writer's cramp. Frasier said "Well let that be a lesson to you! and walked off.
This is clearly the Democratic strategy! Force Bush to write so many writs of Executive Privilege that he gets writer's cramp, then say "Let THAT be a lesson to any President who would dare to step on Congress."
Nice going guys. At this point it goes WAY beyond simple party politics, and the fact that the Republicans are making fools out of the Democrats. What's happening here is that the Executive Branch is setting a precedent for making the Legislative Branch irrelevant, and the citizens of America are going to have to live with the consequences of this LONG AFTER these clowns are gone. A century from now, when some future president signs a bill into law that disbands Congress altogether, we'll know who to thank. WAXMAN, not Bush!
@#$$@ waxman and his BS threats. I am so tired of listening to him and thinking they might actually uphold the law this time. Waxman is a blowhard with nothing to back it up.
displssd @ 96:
No, there is no mechanism for citizens to do that. However, you might want to either a) sue them in civil court, or b) recall them. As far as I know, some of the Congressional seats have a recall mechanism in place. I think if some of the citizens of the Waxman, Pelosi, or Conyers districts started a recall based on this, they might actually pay attention.
GoodScout @ 79:
And between Saturday night and Monday morning, watch the hourly "Breaking News" segments by the MSM:
'Are Democarts abusing their power?'
'Are Democrats out of control?'
'How can the Democrats retain power after a performance like this?'
ALL segments will be hosted by
JoeThe Scar and Pat Buchanan with special guests Gordon Liddy and mAnn Coulter.Oh Snap!!!
Did a democrat just make another threat to a Republican?? NO WAY!!
What will happen next? Will he follow up the threat with a strongly worded letter?
I sure hope so. THAT will really show em who's boss!
Yeah well I guess I'll believe it when I see it.
Impeach Cheney already. 10-1 he'd resign before it got too ugly and showed the cards that leads right to W.
Dale @ 2:
I would start much higher. These scum bags have had their way for much too long. Take out a few of them to show the rest it's going to be the hard way if you don't follow the law. The AG can be impeached. And not enforcing the laws of the country is the first reason to file charges. Congress needs to find one foot and put it down on his neck. Then it needs to find some balls and exercise their constitutional obligation to oversee the executive branch.
Sorry, forgot for a second that we voted in the Democrats in '06. Would have had a better chance with the repigs.
And Kanan, who gives a shit what the "breaking news" segments would have said? Fuck them. Fuck them all. Do your god damned job or get out of the way. There has never been a more perfect reason to overthrow a government, except the do nothing Americans can't find enough time between prime time shows to give a shit about their country.
All this "invoking" or "asserting" "executive privilege" is just more "moving the goal post" by the idiots American voters continues to send to Washington, over and over and over again. Nothing about "executive privilege" exists in the constitution.
I put it in the same category as military adventurism like Vietnam and Iraq that are not really wars because only congress can declare war. Another violation of the constitution.
Until American voters, as George Carlin, stop acting as dumb as a second coat of paint, our nation will never improve.
I don't believe the writers of the constitution had the idea that the president of the U.S. would be somehow immune from breaking the law, let alone the whole branch of government under him. But that's what's going on.
The problem is no longer George W. Bush. The problem all three, corrupt, branches of government.
Doug B. @ 91:
Outstanding idea!
It's almost a badge of honor now -and no one cares.
Nobody takes the Democrats in congress seriously, least of all the Bush administration. We have become a party of buffoons.
Corey Carroll @ 97:
No and No. Cheney is more popular than with Congress. Cheney is a big zero - but his balls are worth more points than the Democratic led Congress.
What's this world coming to? Billo was actually right (!!?) when he called it a dog and pony show. It's time to impeach Mukasey. This contempt and inherent contempt is b.s.
I'm telling you the only way to whip these Democrats into shape is to go on strike. Don't vote. Once these guys start worrying about losing their seats in congress and the gubm't cheese that goes along with it, they'll search high and low for their balls. You're only making things worse if you continue to support these people just because they're Democrats.
groucho @ 7:
True. I appreciate Waxman as much as the next person, but until I see someone "frog-marched" out of the White House in leg irons, it's all hot air.
Ok, we've played nice long enough. Haul their asses here in handcuffs and leg chains if you have to...so tired of such Repugworm stonewalling and hiding under the presidential seal.
yawn....
Put up or shut up, as the saying goes. This rotten administration has been begging for a constitutional crisis. The weak kneed Dem's whimper and fuss, then hide under their beds. Disgusting!
This wussy congress wouldnt know how to hold anyone accountable....even themselves.
They must think STRONG words will make the Bushies think the hand of God is coming down on them when the Bushies know deep down its the hand of men acting like children. And Pelosi is no better. If she werent a woman I would tell her to grow a set. She is the worst Speaker of the House I have ever seen. She and her Calif. tough talk just makes me sick. All the back peddling and "we're out to get'em" words has worn on the american public. We're sick of words....we need action and plenty of it. What makes this congress so afraid of the Bush Administration? Makes one wonder just what is going on in Government.
ALL WORDS AND NO ACTION that is what this congress is. No wonder their approval rating had been circling the bowl and with recent tough talk and no action......they been flushed!
Uh oh, look out Bush administration! Waxman is gettinggggg angryyyyyyy! If you keep this up, he may send you an angry letter telling you just how mad he is!
Wake me when Waxler actually does anything.
Sorry, Wake me whenever Waxman actually does anything.
Being a waxman, does that mean he's a mannekin?
candideinnc @ 119:
Pretty much.
I think we should give the Democrat a little credit. If Rove ignores the sternly-worded letter, it's not like Waxman will just sit there and take it. Waxman will up the ante and send him a harshlyworded letter. If that doesn't work, Waxman will undoubtedly bring the pain with a press release expressing his extreme disappointment with Rove's behavior. There's even the possibiltiy of a non-binding Congressional resolution expressing Congress' vehemnt disagreement with Rove's assertion of executive privilege.
dems legacy is weak and spineless.
Kanan @ 106:
Why is that a bad thing? It would a) give the 24/7 news cycle pundits an excuse to talk about WHO has been abusing their power the most, and to list all the examples, and b) boost Democratic approval ratings, since the voting public (especially the MSM television news crowd) are a bunch of alpha male following chimpanzees. Sadly, we're not in Kansas anymore, the Age of Reason is over. The only way Waxman could get better ratings for the Democratic Congress than sending the Sgt. at Arms after Cheney and Rove would be if he challenged Cheney to a WWF wrestling match on prime time. Cheney could come in with his mask and cape, of course, and enter the ring through the 'bad guy' corner...
How long will he have to turn in the report ?... After the election, when everyone will forget?
Enough with the threats. Fucking DO SOMETHING!
Does anyone take Congress seriously anymore? They threaten and cajole, and then bend over and let criminals run all over them. Oh, yeah, and then they enact legislation to make whatever crimes these people did retroactively legal. Friggin' idiots. How can they expect anyone to respect the rule of law? They're like parents who never discipline their kids, and then wonder why the kids go bad.
A STERN LETTER VIA YOUTUBE!
Most citizens hold the Dem congresscritters in twice as much contempt as they will ever hold a Repug criminal.
Oh, no!!!! Not a THREAT to hold Mukasey in contempt!!! Run for the hills!!! The Democrats are finally... Oooo, look, a shiny object...
FOX is State Sponsored TV @ 38:
Me thinks he always had aspen roots.
Enough with the threats already. DO SOMETHING for God's sake. You sound as stupid as you look with all these empty threats that you never follow up on. Shut the fuck up and DO SOMETHING
congress knows that if it goes to the supreme court, they lose 5-4.
If they really wanted Cheney in prison all they'd need is an oil trail from Cheney's desk to the jail cell. Hide and slam the door when Cheney shows. Mission Accomplished.
"This should get real interesting soon."
Or not. Likely not. I think if Cheney was convicted of outing a spy the death penalty is one possible punishment and that would be too good to be true.
Shit just do it already!
"This should get real interesting soon."
It should? You honestly think so, John? I agree with the vast majority of the commenters here who think this will go nowhere. I hate to criticize someone for their optimism but we've all seen dozens and dozens of these stories since BushCo took over, can you name a single one where the Dems actually did anything? I can't think of any. Not a single example of where the Dems have done more than send a silly nasty-gram that was simply ignored.
I thought the breach of national security was punishable by a stint at Guantanamo???
C'mon get the orange suits ready for Cheney, Rove, Mukasey and Libby and send them away for a quick 6 years of torture - I mean interrogation - without contact with lawyers or anyone else for that matter.
And although I don't see any women at Guantanamo (why is that?) - how about sending Condie there too???
C'mon Democrats - start the ball rolling before this government leads us to another world war!
I really don't give a sh*t whether Rove or Muskasey gets frog-marched to the Senate Crowbar Hilton first, just shut up and issue a fucking inherent contempt citation, a cattle-prod, a taser and a pair of cuffs to the Sergeant of Arms of the Senate and get 'er done. Who the hell do these little rat-fuckers think they are?
I personally don't give a sh*t whether Rove or Mukasey gets frog-marched to the Senate Crowbar Hilton first, just shut the f*ck up, hand the Sergeant of Arms of the Senate an inherent contempt citation, a taser, a cattle prod and a pair of cuffs and leg irons, trot his ass to the White House and get 'er done! And if Mr. "Mission Accomplished, hunt-em-down and smoke-em out" bitches about it, drag his ass along.
Mike the Riverine @ 145:
Sorry for the double post, the site was not refreshing the comments quickly...
I'm sick of this threatening crap from Waxman (and Conyers.) Action speaks louder than words, duds!!!!
Waxman is an American hero...... keep at it...! Hold these guys responsible for all of their actions. When the history books are written, history will judge Mr Waxman more favorably than George W. Bush et al.....
I agree that he (and Conyers) are better than others. My bigger gripe (obviously) has been with Conyers (and Pelosi), because they actually have the power to do something. I should retract my gripe on Waxman, but he has the same power as Kucinich but it's Kucinich that's taken the lead.
Waxman: "...as Congress considers its next move, I hope the President and the Vice President will consider theirs..."
They've considered their "next move" all along, Waxman. To ignore you and tell you to go f*ck yourself. (respectively)
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