As Chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, Senator Patrick Leahy is the one man in America most responsible for oversight of the Bush administration’s Department of Justice. In order to carry out his oversight responsibilities, it is vitally important that Senator Leahy be given accurate information about the Justice Department’s activities.
It is therefore alarming that even Senator Leahy’s request for copies of two Justice Department documents regarding interrogation policies has been denied by the Bush administration — after delaying consideration of the request for over a month. The Bush administration justified its non-disclosure of Justice Department memos to the Senate Judiciary chair by asserting disclosure would “help the terrorists learn how to resist questioning” — then attached photocopies of different documents that were already a matter of public record to give it the appearance of being forthcoming.
This kind of stonewalling should not surprise us. After all, when Senator Leahy displayed the temerity to ask Vice President Dick Cheney about war profiteering back in 2004, Cheney’s response was limited to the three words, “Go Fuck Yourself.” This latest move is part of a longstanding push by the Bush administration to declare that it is above oversight and above the law. With Democratic control of the Senate, will Bush’s push for unaccountable authority prevail? We’re about to find out.
No problem. Just write-up the subpoenae and serve them hot. ‘Go fuck yourself’ is contempt of Congress when directed at the chairman of the Senate judiciary committee in response to a summons to testify under oath..
To add to Davidco’s statement: which are grounds for impeachment. I love that word, impeachment. Just kinda rolls off the tongue.