This is far from over. Looks like the WH will appeal again. It's stall time. What little Bush's legacy has, he is finito.
Raw Story:
The Bush administration had already indicated it would appeal but Justice Department lawyers said Wednesday that they will ask the court to step in quickly and temporarily put Miers' appearance on hold while the appeal plays out. It's a risky move for an administration that has spent years trying to strengthen the power of the presidency.
If the appeals court refuses to temporarily block the testimony, it would essentially be endorsing Bates' ruling against the Bush administration. Miers likely would have to comply with the subpoena, setting a precedent that would give Congress new teeth in its investigations and weaken future presidents.
On the other hand, if the appeals court temporarily blocks Miers' testimony, it could allow the Bush administration to run out the clock before a new Congress comes to Washington and the case becomes moot. In that situation, Bates' order will have been weakened and future presidents will have more wiggle room.
The Bush administration could have taken other steps to avoid a showdown at the appeals court. Even if it appealed Bates' ruling, it could have negotiated a deal with Congress in which Miers and Bolten provided some information voluntarily and lawmakers agreed to withdraw the lawsuit.
But House counsel Irv Nathan said negotiations have been "completely useless."
"We have not found willing partners on the other side of the table," Nathan said in court Wednesday, telling Bates that "we're being dunced around here."
Justice Department attorney Carl Nichols called those statements misleading but declined to elaborate. He said the Justice Department would file documents with the appeals court by Thursday asking the judges to step in.
Raw Story:
The Bush administration had already indicated it would appeal but Justice Department lawyers said Wednesday that they will ask the court to step in quickly and temporarily put Miers' appearance on hold while the appeal plays out. It's a risky move for an administration that has spent years trying to strengthen the power of the presidency.
If the appeals court refuses to temporarily block the testimony, it would essentially be endorsing Bates' ruling against the Bush administration. Miers likely would have to comply with the subpoena, setting a precedent that would give Congress new teeth in its investigations and weaken future presidents.
On the other hand, if the appeals court temporarily blocks Miers' testimony, it could allow the Bush administration to run out the clock before a new Congress comes to Washington and the case becomes moot. In that situation, Bates' order will have been weakened and future presidents will have more wiggle room.
The Bush administration could have taken other steps to avoid a showdown at the appeals court. Even if it appealed Bates' ruling, it could have negotiated a deal with Congress in which Miers and Bolten provided some information voluntarily and lawmakers agreed to withdraw the lawsuit.
But House counsel Irv Nathan said negotiations have been "completely useless."
"We have not found willing partners on the other side of the table," Nathan said in court Wednesday, telling Bates that "we're being dunced around here."
Justice Department attorney Carl Nichols called those statements misleading but declined to elaborate. He said the Justice Department would file documents with the appeals court by Thursday asking the judges to step in.
1 comment:
Let's see if the new Administration has the guts to remove a corrupt Supreme Court Judge and the one who is mentally ill. Ok keep the gay Judge and the Chief Justice who has a mistress but lets clean house. Now Musk Rat and his Deputy Fat boy will have to answer to their time of corruption. Gonzo needs a lawyer and Karl needs a pardon. I can't wait to see Bush's list of the people he will pardon it will be the longest list in history.
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