Leahy: Cheney Told GOP-Led Congress It Was ‘Not Allowed To Issue Subpoenas’

[swag]

Source: Think Progress

Today in a press briefing, Sen. Patrick Leahy (D-VT) revealed that the White House had missed its 2:30 PM deadline to turn over documents to the Senate Judiciary Committee regarding legal justifications for the National Security Agency’s eavesdropping program. The Committee had already pushed back the original July 18 deadline twice after the White House requested more time.

Leahy said that the administration’s stonewalling amounted to “contempt of the valid order of the Congress,” and pointed out that these subpoenas were passed by broad bipartisan votes. In fact, the Senate Judiciary Committee in the conservative-led 109th Congress, chaired by Sen. Arlen Specter (R-PA) also attempted to ask questions about the program’s legal justifications. But Vice President Cheney personally barred him from issuing subpoenas:

"In fact, we were about to issue subpoenas then and one of the senators came to our meeting and said that the vice president had met with the Republican senators and told them they were not allowed to issue subpoenas.

Not quite sure that’s my understanding of the separation of powers, but it seemed to work at that time."



Read more: http://thinkprogress.org/2007/08/20/cheney-leahy-subpoena/

[L. Coyote]

1. So, do they still listen to the 4th branch of USG?

[swag]

2. Arlen Specter and his GOP colleagues were suffering from Stockholm Syndrome,

or maybe it was battered spouse syndrome.

[aquart]

3. Or dyslexia that prevented them from reading the constitution?

[swag]

6. To paraphrase Dick Cheney,

Reagan showed the Constitution doesn't matter.

[aquart]

9. Dear Ronnie, whose legacy is beggars and infomercials.

[HowHasItComeToThis]

10. RONALD WAS THE MOLD FOR REPUBLICAN FAILURES

:hurts: :hurts: :hurts: :hurts: :hurts: :hurts: :boring: :boring: :boring:

[frylock]

4. okay. great. so now what?

is that it? any mention of another extension? were there any arrests? why is this news?! FUCKING DO SOMETHING ALREADY!!!

[PurpleChez]

39. exactly my thought when I saw the story at iWon news...

will someone actually DO SOMETHING??? Will anybody FOLLOW THROUGH??? Or will they all just bend over and let the Chimp roger them one more time for good measure, and then thank him for being so charming while he did it?

[Seabiscuit]

41. They can't do anything until Congress returns from vacation. Then it's crunch time -

either they hold those responsible for the stonewalling in contempt of congress or they prove once and for all that they're nothing more than useless airbags acting as tools of the Bush crime family.

[OzarkDem]

52. Another excuse

and what excuse for inaction will they come up with when Congress returns? They'll have another one, you can count on it.

[Seabiscuit]

60. Agreed. The Dems have become the party of lame excuses.

At least in Washington.

[rodeodance]

5. Looks like the Cheney assertion happened a few years ago. Specter LISTENED to

Cheney at that time but leahy has to meet with full committee in Sept.


.....QUESTION: Is your impression they’re dragging their feet?

LEAHY: Well, you know, a lot of these questions were asked by the former chairman a couple years ago, and we haven’t gotten an answer.

In fact, we were about to issue subpoenas then and one of the senators came to our meeting and said that the vice president had met with the Republican senators and told them they were not allowed to issue subpoenas.

Not quite sure that’s my understanding of the separation of powers, but it seemed to work at that time. Now have an issue. And interestingly enough, I pointed out that every single one of these subpoenas, they have been issued by a bipartisan vote. There have been no close votes on them.

So I would hope they’d do it. And, if not, the full Judiciary Committee will have to sit down and determine whether to seek contempt from the full Senate.

[alllyingwhores]

23. LEAHY: "So I would hope they’d do it."

Maybe if you really really really hope hard. I think that pretty much sums up the Dems response each and every f_king time!

I'd think we're way beyond "oh, they're just being weak". In fact, I think we're way beyond "they're just f_cking complicit!"

[Sancho]

7. We have a dictatorship now...

It's time to put a stop to this and impeach *, the VP, and AG!

Enough is enough.

[Hydra]

11. small problem

if we're as far ahead in the dictatorship thing as I think, it's too late to impeach.

"Boss, Congress is voting to impeach you!"
Bush: "Tell them I'm declaring a state of emergency and they're suspended!"
"What should I tell them is the emergency?"
Bush: "I don't care! Tell them my ranch is on fire!"

[Catshrink]

34. That's what this is leading to.

The unitary executive means dictator. Little Georgie did say it would be easier to govern if we had a dictatorship -- as long as he was the dictator. Looks like he spilled the beans.

[orleans]

8. what a bunch of dickheads. and they listened to the biggest dick of all. n/t

[guitar man]

12. that's just about enough

to justify a revolution :grr:

Congress better get it together or it might be time for a call to arms for the citizens...

[bamacrat]

15. I agree, this goes against everything our country was founded on.

It's taken 230 years but we now have what we were trying to escape, a king.

[guitar man]

18. that's right

a king, and a piss poor one at that. :grr:

Congress is the People's house and no matter what political party is in the majority, it's their duty among other things to keep the executive branch in check and subordinate to the will of the people. We have lost control of these employees of ours in the White House. It is the duty of congress to fire them on our behalf.

[bamacrat]

55. I have always wondered why and how our Congress can do the things it does.

Especially when a majority of people are against it. They DO NOT represent us, they represent the backers of their campaign, aka. corporations. A majority of Americans oppose the war, it continues, a majority or people favor the legalization on marijuana for medical use, and only slightly less favor full legalization, it's illegal. The majority of Americans are not rich, they give tax breaks to the rich. Why even have them at all if they only represent their funders and not the people who voted for them? I was born under Regan, I remember Bush 1, and was only 9 when Clinton was elected, and I have yet to see Congress, Senate or any government body for that matter represent the will of the people. They seem to act as our parents, knowing what is best for us. Its maddening.

:mad::wtf:

[Ikonoklast]

13. Maybe Deadeye Dick had his 12-gauge with him

And was just casually pointing it at them, you know, just to 'get their attention'.

[sce56]

59. Maybe it is called Blackmail?

http://www.voxfux.com/features/bush_child_sex_coverup/franklin.htm
The Franklin Child Sex Ring Implicating the Bush Whitehouse


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The following archive paints a chilling portrait of what is really going on in the upper echelons of the ruling elite here in America. The story involves children from orphanages in Nebraska being flown around the United States by top Republican officials in order to engage in child sex orgies with America's ruling elite. It is a fact that during the 1980's, child sexual services were provided by top Republican officials to key, bureaucrats and diplomats but most importantly, there is a chilling proximity of all of these events and personalities, to the President of the United States at the time, George H.W. Bush. And there have been victims who claim that the President himself engaged in the activities. It is a tale of child sex, murder, espionage, blackmail, and huge payoffs. And all the players are involved. From the White House to the CIA to the media barrons to the Republican elite - right down to the orphanages where they procured their victims.

This story was the second biggest scandal of the 1980's which was completely obliterated by the Bush White House - A complete coordinated blackout by the ruling elite in cooperation with the American television networks. (The biggest scandal being the Bush involvement in the attempted assassination of President Reagan) Since the elite who own the television networks in America are the same elite who feast off the carcass of the American population - just like the Bushes do and who sit on the same boards of the same corporate cartels as the Bushes do - most Americans will never hear of this explosive story. But thanks to the Internet all these suppressed news facts are re-surfacing. Perhaps the most chilling aspect of this horrific tale is that such realities can be so completely obliterated by the powers that be so that, even though these are simply the very biggest most explosive stories of our time - you will never know that they happened. That is why www.voxfux.com exists. To bring you the hard cold truth about what is really happening to our world. To inform you about who these people really are who rule America.

Fortunately not all people are in on the crimes of the elite. Once and a while a person comes along who is human and who fights and resists this evil force which is destroying the human race. In this case, former republican Senator John Decamp was involved in the production a documentary called "Conspiracy of Silence" it was to air May 3, 1994 on the Discovery Channel. This documentary exposed a network of religious leaders and Washington politicians who flew children to Washington D.C. for sex orgies. As the story goes, at the last minute before airing, there was a massive effort from key Washington politicians who were implicated in the scandal to exert pressure on the channel to threatened the TV Cable industry with restrictive legislation if this documentary was aired.

Almost immediately, the rights to the documentary were purchased by unknown persons who had ordered all copies destroyed. A copy of this videotape was furnished anonymously to former Nebraska state senator and attorney John De Camp who made it available to retired F.B.I. chief, Ted L. Gunderson. While the video quality is not top grade, this tape is a blockbuster in what is revealed by the participants involved. You can view the online video below.

The Franklin Cover-up Scandal

The Child sex ring that reached Bush/Reagan Whitehouse






Boy prostitutes 15 years old (and younger) were taking midnight tours of the Whitehouse. There are 19 more Washington Times articles in full text about this case available here at


It has been speculated that you have a party and get your targets to attend then slip them a mickey and say they had to much to drink then take them to a bedroom and get them posed in very compromising positions with these kids the pictures put them in the BFEE pocket! Jeff Gannon aka Johnny Gosh is rumored to be one of those kidnapped kids used in the pedophile ring.

[Marnieworld]

14. and they call congress 'obstructionists'

:eyes:

[c2farr]

16. What EXACTLY

possesses a person to JOIN the Republican Party of Evil? It seems like a thing people should be FORCED into, like solitary, or hell.

[redqueen]

58. Many are born into it...

same reason most people commonly fall into whatever religion they subscribe to.

Or they make some money and get greedy.

Or they're just bigots/idiots. :shrug:

[Roland99]

17. But yet "impeachment is off the table"

:mad:

[Fovea]

25. And therefore it is time to take harry and nancy's seats

away from that table, and give them to someone who has read the constitution and the federalist papers, and takes them seriously.

[niceypoo]

29. The feeble democrats will fold before the bumbling Bush/Cheney/Gonzales machine...

...and the insurmountable 25% approval rating that Bush mightily wields. The Democrats will issue a, "strongly worded statement," and then forget about it as they timidly sign more of our rights away to the fascists.

[wordpix]

57. hey where are the LEADERS among Dems running for Pres? Won't they step up?

I guess not one except Kooch. (Kucinich)

[donkeyotay]

19. Know how we like to call the dems weeners and all?

Why are the republi still except from this treatment? I mean, what are they after all, but a bunch of ass-kissing, limp noodle yes-men...oh, did I say "men"? I mean obedient little poodles who have sold their country out.

[djjimz]

48. Thank you, donkeyotay

I am a proud democrat and I recent all this bad mouthing of us.
We should be a party united and not let a few nit-wits decide whether we stand or fall.
We will win in November of '08 despite the wolves in sheep’s clothing and their inane predictions of doom.
:dem:
And JUSTICE will be done!
Bushco will be held accountable.
KEEP THE FAITH!

[grasswire]

50. thank you

I don't know why Democrats are assigned all the blame for the failures of REPUBLICANS to respect the Constitution.

If half as many people started yapping at Republicans, we might get somewhere.

[donkeyotay]

62. Oh, I am not opposed to ridiculing Dems when they are spineless.

I do it. But I keep going back to the odd fact that the Republicans have not been held accountable for any of their policies, their philosophy, and their role in enabling this administration to destroy our country. Whether it was being yes-men for the war or not questioning electronic voting, torture, spying and the out of control spending, the corruption on Wall Street, the crumbling infrastructure, the mortgage pump and dump . . . you name it, they've been in control for 6 years and the country looks like they drove it into the ditch. They suck. No one calls them on it.

[Prisoner_Number_Six]

20. Next, coming up after the break,

dead silence and a screenful of static.

[rgbecker]

21. September 15th....

Bring your pitchfork, scythe and shovel.

[ccpup]

22. um, I'm a fairly patient person

willing to give the benefit of the doubt to most people, but even I'M feeling like Leahy is acting like a worthless piece of "I'll write another stern letter and hope they cooperate" sh*t. Jesus Christ on a Cracker, slap the Contempt Charges on those slimy, dishonest repugs and get it over with! If Leahy wonders why those fence-sitting voters doubt whether the Dems will act decisively in a crisis, all he needs to do is look in the f*cking mirror.

Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr :mad:

[Sarah Ibarruri]

24. (sigh) and the only comment is, "their failure to comply gives me little comfort."

Why is everyone so afraid of this fat heart patient called Dick Cheney?

Please somebody, explain to me what's going on. I feel as if I am in the Twilight Zone or the Third Reich.

[rucognizant]

30. WHy???????????????

Because he shoots his friends in the face!:( :mad:

[AndyTiedye]

49. Because of MIHOP -> Martial Law -> Game Over

[dbt]

26. The Republics would have bought that, but how do we explain

the DEMOCRATS apparently falling for it?

:shrug:

[Solly Mack]

27. So do something about it

[peacetalksforall]

28. Leahy needs to hold a hearing with witnesses being Frist, Spector,

and every damn one of the Senators who were sitting on the Judiciary Committee (if that's the Comm that we're dealing with here). Plus Cheney - with Cheney going on the first panel alone with his lawyers.

Yes, Congress is ours. The Republicans who listened to Cheney defied us, cheated us, deceived us. And Dems can't do a repeat.

All you religious fundamentalists - can you not figure it out - this is not the way the country works - your other half of your voting base - country club Republicans know better - you have to get up-to-date.

[creeksneakers2]

31. Letting Bush delay just made this all worse

It sent a signal to the Bush cabal that Leahy is afraid of them or at least respects them.

Its inconceivable that the White House can't find documents. When somebody attacks the Bush administration, within twelve hours they have a list of everything the attacker has done wrong in his life and a twisted, focus group tested smear job launched with a sophisticated organized campaign. But they can't find a legal document in their own files? How can Leahy accept such utter bullshit?

I'm not sure if Leahy's committee has the power to find contempt without a vote of the full Senate. If it goes to the full Senate, a contempt move would probably fail. Democrats only have 51 votes if Lieberman is counted, and Lieberman will never vote for it. One Senator cannot show up to vote due to illness. That leaves 49. Maybe Specter would cross and make it 50. The Bush cabal would go full Linda Blair with claims that if the spy program is exposed by complying with the subpoena the terrorists will find out ways to avoid detection and strike us. Judging by the last FISA issue, more Democrats could cave. If the committee can't do it, contempt will take more than just willingness from Leahy.

Win or lose, Leahy has to do all that he can to find Bush in contempt. While he is, the real hope is still with the House, and John Conyers.

[treestar]

53. Maybe what the Democrats are afraid of

is the voters, in the sense that if this is brought to the fore - that Bushco is claiming these powers - the people won't reject it? IOW, they don't think the voters are that attached to Constitutional principles in light of terra, terra, terra. It sure is possible to find a lot of morans out there who think the government is supposed to "protect them" and needs the "tools" to do it and that if they have nothing to hide, blah, blah.

I'm not sure I agree, but could see where they think it would happen.

Being a lawyer, I know that it is not always possible to comply with deadlines, but also realize that Bushco is the kind of player who would never give anyone else any mercy, and as my mentors always said, "What goes around comes around." The Democrats are the type who give others mercy in the first instance, so it goes against their grain to be "assholes" even to people proven to BE the assholes when the shoe is on the other foot.

[Sedona]

32. Can you say "Obstruction of Justice"?

"In fact, we were about to issue subpoenas then and one of the senators came to our meeting and said that the vice president had met with the Republican senators and told them they were not allowed to issue subpoenas."

[Sam Ervin jret]

33. subpoenas? spying? Isn't that legal now? I wonder if the congress knows?

What was that old saying? "What's good for the goose....." We can only hope the congress knows (finally) that it has six whole months to legally get some information on this bunch of criminals and will do so. I, for one, would love to be able to legally and without oversight be allowed to study the private emails/messages/records/books of all the Bush/Cheney/Card family/friends/business members. Wow! Sign me up for overtime! Pour the Coffee! And let's get to it!

[Lasher]

35. Welcome to Press the Meat. I am your host Lapdog Potatohead Russet

RUSSET: I'm here with our first guest, Senator Arlen Spectre. Senator, there are those who allege that President Cheney told you that you could not issue subpoenas. Is that true?

SPECTRE: Well, Tim, at that time I expressed my grave concerns in public while doing Lord Vader's bidding when it came time to vote and to block meaningful measures in the Judiciary Committee.

RUSSET: So is it true that The Prince of Darkness told you that you were not allowed to issue subpoenas?

SPECTRE: For the public record, I sincerely care about the power of Congress to express righteous indignation while kissing the Unitary Executive's ass.

RUSSET: So did Dick Fuddd say that or not?

SPECTRE: Tim, I am an independent free thinker who knows the tax cuts worked. Iraqis used their WMDs to team up with their al Qaida allies to attack us on 911 but I think we should continue to accomplish our mission by spreading freedom and democracy in the region. Now stop asking me questions I didn't furnish to you before. That's not fair.

It will never happen. Tater Head and all the rest of the pundits are on the Bush team, just waiting the the next fax from the propaganda ministry to see what they are to say.

[minnesota_liberal]

36. Arrest the Shrub!

He's guilty of Contempt of Congress.

[classysassy]

37. Law and order

where are those republican Law and order lovers."

[Cha]

38. Repuke senators...

:silly: "whatever the dick a death says..it must be right.."

[lovuian]

40. Amazing Specter thinks that covers him that Cheney said

No subpoenas

I'm speechless at Senators who know the LAW let Cheney rule them

Speechless

[appleannie1]

42. Well then, I guess Cheney is not part of our government so we

should stop paying his salary and send him home.

[rodeodance]

43. Leahy threatens Bush aides with contempt

Forum Name General Discussion
Topic subject AP: Leahy threatens Bush aides with contempt
Topic URL http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=389x1628260#1628260
1628260, AP: Leahy threatens Bush aides with contempt
Posted by BuyingThyme on Mon Aug-20-07 09:45 PM

Leahy threatens Bush aides with contempt

By JESSE J. HOLLAND, Associated Press Writer 14 minutes ago

WASHINGTON - A top Senate Democrat on Monday threatened to hold members of the Bush administration in contempt for not producing subpoenaed information about the legal justification for President Bush's secretive eavesdropping program.

"When the Senate comes back in the session, I'll bring it up before the committee," said Sen. Patrick Leahy, D-Vt. and chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee. "I prefer cooperation to contempt. Right now, there's no question that they are in contempt of the valid order of the Congress."

...

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070821/ap_on_go_co/democrats_subpoenas_10

[VP505]

44. Then what?

Leahy tell Bu$h, We are only gonna tell you three more times to comply, or we'll hold our breath until we turn blue?

"When the Senate comes back in the session, I'll bring it up before the committee," said Sen. Patrick Leahy, D-Vt.

[theHandpuppet]

45. Yep, that's my question, too.

Little wonder Darth Cheney thinks all the huffing and puffing from Congress is a total joke -- because that's all it is.

And we thought electing a Democratic Congress was going to make a difference. I guess the joke was on us.

[LiberalFighter]

46. What is needed is an effigy of that scumbag Cheney burned at the Mall

[BlueJac]

47. So, please tell me when to quit laughing.................More hot air...

I know he did not grow a set in two weeks, or is that the mustard from the expanded wiretap program they let pass! He must be coming out of the fear corner he has been in since getting the hot intel before the votes! An attack is coming! But, the funny thing was the attack was from within. Oh shit, they should of read the amendment!!
More incompetence!

[lurky]

51. Stop! Or I'll say stop again!

[progressoid]

54. OK. Then inhenent contempt charges huh?

[wordpix]

56. "...and then Cheney told us to throw away the Bill of Rights and then

he said the US Constitution is just a goddamned piece of paper."

Whoops, Geo. Bush said that about the Constitution.

http://www.counterpunch.org/leupp12142005.html

December 14, 2005
Bush and the Constitution
"Just a Goddamned Piece of Paper"

By GARY LEUPP

Doug Thompson, publisher of Capitol Hill Blue, says he's talked to three people present last month when Republican Congressional leaders met with President Bush in the Oval Office to talk about renewing the Patriot Act. That act, passed by legislators who hadn't read it, in the immediate aftermath of 9-11 (when most people were shell-shocked and lawmakers in particular disinclined to use their brains), has of course been criticized as containing unconstitutional elements. All three GOP politicians quote their president as saying: "Stop throwing the Constitution in my face! It's just a goddamned piece of paper!"

[Major Hogwash]

61. Cheney is not above the law, this is obstruction of justice, plain and simple.

But, what will Leahy do now?
That's the real question.

[sarcasmo]

63. That makes it official, we are living under a Dictatorship.