Bush Aide Stonewalls Senators

Frustrated Senate committee doles out subpoenas

(NEWSER) - Patrick Leahy came out swinging against the Bush administration's "sweeping assertions of secrecy and privilege" today, issuing subpoenas to the White House, Dick Cheney's office, the Justice Department, and the NSC. The documents demanded by the Senate Judiciary Committee relate to the warrantless wiretapping of terrorism suspects and the controversial approval of the program. More»

Sara Taylor respects former boss's executive privilege claim

(NEWSER) - Former White House political adviser Sara Taylor never discussed the ouster of nine US attorneys with President Bush, she told the Senate Judiciary Committee today. The subpoenaed Taylor said little else about the Justice Department scandal, citing executive privilege, but waffled occasionally between discretion and disclosure—for instance apologizing for having called one fired attorney "lazy" in an email. More»

Bush invokes executive privilege in Senate probe of US attorney firings

(NEWSER) - The White House shot down attempts to subpoena internal documents concerning the US attorney firings today by invoking executive privilege. Though not a surprise, the refusal moved the chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee to accuse the administration of "Nixonian stonewalling." If the committee doesn't back down, the Times reports, the next step is a Congressional resolution on contempt citations. More»

Attorney general receives first subpoena in firing scandal

(NEWSER) - The Senate demanded all e-mails pertaining to Karl Rove's role in the disputed firing of eight U.S. attorneys from Alberto Gonzales today, setting a May 15 deadline for the attorney general to turn them over. Patrick Leahy, the chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, which issued the subpoena, disputes the White House's claim that the e-mails have disappeared. More»

Slate runs down the Bush team's most dubious legal claims

(NEWSER) - In her second annual roundup of the Bush administration's most egregious legal arguments, Dahlia Lithwick of Slate offers her top 10 doozies:

1. The United States does not torture
2. State-secrets privilege used to shield almost anything.
3. Almost anything Alberto Gonzales said.
4. The nine US attorneys were fired for cause.
5. Anyone who talks to the president is barred from congressional testimony by executive privilege.