# Congress will interview Rove and Miers . . . but not under oath. **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [March 20, 2007, 8:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/congress-will-interview-rove-and-miers-but-not-under-oath/396763 "2007-03-20T20:19:45Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Billdo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/billdo/32/315_2.png) [@Billdo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Billdo)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2007, 4:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/congress-will-interview-rove-and-miers-but-not-under-oath/396763/41 "2007-03-21T04:53:01Z")
[QUOTE=jayjay] We need another independent prosecutor law enacted. The problem with a contempt of Congress charge is that the DoJ has to execute it…I don’t see that happening… [/QUOTE] My earlier sarcastic comment about being the US attorney to handle it aside, I have no doubt that there are sufficient professionals in the Department of Justice who would handle the request to enforce a subpoena duly and properly authorized by Congress. If the administration interfered with their functioning (think Nixon’s Saturday Night Massacre), I have no doubt that Congress would be quick to consider impeachment to protect their power of investigation, if nothing else. ---
**Author:** ![if6was9](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/e47c2d/32.png) [@if6was9](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/if6was9)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2007, 5:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/congress-will-interview-rove-and-miers-but-not-under-oath/396763/42 "2007-03-21T05:49:48Z")
[QUOTE=BrainGlutton] Well, it looks like what we have here is a [constitutional showdown:](http://www.forbes.com/markets/feeds/ap/2007/03/20/ap3535428.html) Go into your corners and come out fighting! [/QUOTE] IANAL, but what exactly is the administration’s constitutional position? Executive Priviledge can’t cover… EVERYTHING they do or that they don’t want to tell you and if you don’t like it, eat doody. ---
**Author:** ![Tapioca\_Dextrin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Tapioca\_Dextrin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tapioca_Dextrin)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2007, 9:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/congress-will-interview-rove-and-miers-but-not-under-oath/396763/43 "2007-03-21T09:42:04Z")
[ [QUOTE=POTUS] ](http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2007/03/20070320-8.html)The initial response by Democrats, unfortunately, shows some appear more interested in scoring political points than in learning the facts. It will be regrettable if they choose to head down the partisan road of issuing subpoenas and demanding show trials when I have agreed to make key White House officials and documents available. I have proposed a reasonable way to avoid an impasse. I hope they don’t choose confrontation. I will oppose any attempts to subpoena White House officials. As we cut through all the partisan rhetoric, it’s important to maintain perspective on a couple of important points. First, it was natural and appropriate for members of the White House staff to consider and to discuss with the Justice Department whether to replace all 93 U.S. attorneys at the beginning of my second term. The start of a second term is a natural time to discuss the status of political appointees within the White House and with relevant agencies, including the Justice Department. In this case, the idea was rejected and was not pursued. [/QUOTE] 'Cause we all know that demanding show trials is a bad thing. :dubious: And that [partisan rhetoric](http://edition.cnn.com/2007/POLITICS/03/20/us.attorneys.firings/index.html) is especially bad. [ > [@](#): > > the Senate on Tuesday voted 94-2 to pass a bill that cancels a provision of the Patriot Act that allowed federal prosecutors to be appointed and serve without confirmation by the Senate. > > U.S. attorneys can be fired without cause, but critics of the firing of the prosecutors said the administration abused the Patriot Act in circumventing the usual confirmation procedure. > > Under the bill, any prosecutor with an interim appointment would have to be confirmed by the Senate within 120 days. If that didn’t happen, a federal judge would make a permanent appointment ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2007, 11:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/congress-will-interview-rove-and-miers-but-not-under-oath/396763/44 "2007-03-21T11:25:03Z")
[QUOTE=Billdo] My earlier sarcastic comment about being the US attorney to handle it aside, I have no doubt that there are sufficient professionals in the Department of Justice who would handle the request to enforce a subpoena duly and properly authorized by Congress. If the administration interfered with their functioning (think Nixon’s Saturday Night Massacre), I have no doubt that Congress would be quick to consider impeachment to protect their power of investigation, if nothing else. [/QUOTE] And I have no doubt that Gonzalez is being being kept on for the sole purpose of running interference if this happens. ---
**Author:** ![BobLibDem](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/boblibdem/32/3149_2.png) [@BobLibDem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobLibDem)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2007, 11:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/congress-will-interview-rove-and-miers-but-not-under-oath/396763/45 "2007-03-21T11:46:30Z")
[QUOTE=Frostillicus] In Karl Rove’s defense, he cannot safely testify under oath, since he would immediately burst into flames upon laying his hand on a Bible. [/QUOTE] Flames maybe not. I’m betting that great clouds of sulfur would be released as he touched the Bible, setting off the smoke alarms and sprinklers. For the good of the Capitol Building, we can’t risk that! This whole idea of being interviewed with no record, no transcript, no oath, and no penalty for lying is ridiculous and shows just how deranged Bush is for offering it up as if it was a reasonable compromise. I think Congress should employ all those “non-torture” techniques that Gonzalez approved for the Gitmo detainees. ---
**Author:** ![35340](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/3/8baadc/32.png) [@35340](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/35340)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2007, 1:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/congress-will-interview-rove-and-miers-but-not-under-oath/396763/46 "2007-03-21T13:30:17Z")
[QUOTE=Tapioca Dextrin] And that [partisan rhetoric](http://edition.cnn.com/2007/POLITICS/03/20/us.attorneys.firings/index.html) is especially bad. **Under the bill, any prosecutor with an interim appointment would have to be confirmed by the Senate within 120 days. If that didn’t happen, a federal judge would make a permanent appointment** [/QUOTE] **Which** federal judges? Link to information about judges and by whom the were appointed (sorry, Wiki) > **[Judicial appointment history for United States federal courts](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Federal_judicial_appointment_history)** > > The appointment of federal judges for United States federal courts is done by a commission of the President of the United States, following nomination to and confirmation by the United States Senate. The tables below provide the composition of all Article III courts which include the Supreme Court and the Courts of Appeals at the end of each four year presidential term, as well as the current compositions of the District Courts and the Court of International Trade, categorizing the judges by the... Circular references - money to Republicans, appointments sent back down the line: [http://www.salon.com/news/feature/2006/10/31/money\_trail/index\_np.html](http://www.salon.com/news/feature/2006/10/31/money_trail/index_np.html) Been stacking the deck a while, perhaps. Not in anticipation of this, but to further the One Nation, Under God and One Party ideal. ---
**Author:** ![Mollie\_Magill](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mollie_magill/32/20882_2.png) [@Mollie\_Magill](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mollie_Magill)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2007, 2:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/congress-will-interview-rove-and-miers-but-not-under-oath/396763/47 "2007-03-21T14:11:24Z")
[QUOTE=EddyTeddyFreddy] Wheeeeee!!! Anyone else getting “What did the President know, and when did he know it?” blasts from the past? 😃 [/QUOTE] Funny - I started getting flashbacks as soon as AG channeled Tricky Dick by uttering the famous words, “Mistakes were made.” ---
**Author:** ![saoirse](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/5daacb/32.png) [@saoirse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/saoirse)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2007, 2:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/congress-will-interview-rove-and-miers-but-not-under-oath/396763/48 "2007-03-21T14:22:08Z")
[QUOTE=Polycarp] I’d strongly support a War on Declaring Wars on Abstract Concepts! 🙂 [/QUOTE] I’m sure your masters in the Government of Reason would like that very much. wouldn’t they? ---
**Author:** ![RTFirefly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c77e96/32.png) [@RTFirefly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RTFirefly)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2007, 2:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/congress-will-interview-rove-and-miers-but-not-under-oath/396763/49 "2007-03-21T14:37:24Z")
[QUOTE=Maus Magill] Funny - I started getting flashbacks as soon as AG channeled Tricky Dick by uttering the famous words, “Mistakes were made.” [/QUOTE] No, “Mistakes were made” was Reagan. OTOH, this part [from yesterday](http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2007/03/20070320-8.html) reminded me very much of Nixon’s claim that he wasn’t concerned about himself, but was concerned about how a weakened Executive privilege might hamper future Presidents: > [@The Boy King](#): > > THE PRESIDENT: Some have, some haven’t. My choice is to make sure that I safeguard the ability for Presidents to get good decisions. > > Michael, I’m worried about precedents that would make it difficult for somebody to walk into the Oval Office and say, Mr. President, here’s what’s on my mind. And if you haul somebody up in front of Congress and put them in oath and all the klieg lights and all the questioning, to me, it makes it very difficult for a President to get good advice. ---
**Author:** ![Siege](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/dbc845/32.png) [@Siege](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siege)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2007, 4:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/congress-will-interview-rove-and-miers-but-not-under-oath/396763/50 "2007-03-21T16:00:34Z")
> [@](#): > > (from **Brain Glutton** ’s link) > “We will not go along with a partisan fishing expedition aimed at honorable public servants,” When I read this, my first thought was, “Doesn’t that describe a lot of what the Republicans did to Clinton during his administration?” Oh, yes. Clinton committed adultery, therefore he isn’t honorable. Presumably, if we don’t give Rove and Meiers the chance to lie under oath they will be honorable until proven dishonorable. ---
**Author:** ![jayjay](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jayjay/32/6765_2.png) [@jayjay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jayjay)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2007, 4:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/congress-will-interview-rove-and-miers-but-not-under-oath/396763/51 "2007-03-21T16:01:25Z")
Which is ironic, because if he HAS been getting good advice at any point in the last six years, he sure wasn’t listening to it… ---
**Author:** ![Cervaise](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cervaise/32/16693_2.png) [@Cervaise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cervaise)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2007, 4:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/congress-will-interview-rove-and-miers-but-not-under-oath/396763/52 "2007-03-21T16:06:42Z")
[QUOTE=jayjay] Which is ironic, because if he HAS been getting good advice at any point in the last six years, he sure wasn’t listening to it… [/QUOTE] Beat me to it. If he thinks he’s getting good advice now, I’d hate to see how much worse he could do without it. ---
**Author:** ![Mollie\_Magill](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mollie_magill/32/20882_2.png) [@Mollie\_Magill](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mollie_Magill)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2007, 4:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/congress-will-interview-rove-and-miers-but-not-under-oath/396763/53 "2007-03-21T16:15:41Z")
This just in: The House Sub-Committee just approved getting subpeonas. ---
**Author:** ![Syntropy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/65b543/32.png) [@Syntropy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Syntropy)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2007, 5:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/congress-will-interview-rove-and-miers-but-not-under-oath/396763/54 "2007-03-21T17:05:39Z")
Did anyone catch John Bolton on the Daily Show last night? He attempted reinforcing every one of the President’s talking points from yesterday and Jon Stewart neatly skewered him and served him up. Actually laughed in the man’s face when he started talking about “accountability for actions.” ---
**Author:** ![if6was9](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/e47c2d/32.png) [@if6was9](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/if6was9)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2007, 5:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/congress-will-interview-rove-and-miers-but-not-under-oath/396763/55 "2007-03-21T17:31:14Z")
[QUOTE=Siege] > [@](#): > > (from Brain Glutton’s link) > “We will not go along with a partisan fishing expedition aimed at honorable public servants,” When I read this, my first thought was, “Doesn’t that describe a lot of what the Republicans did to Clinton during his administration?” Oh, yes. Clinton committed adultery, therefore he isn’t honorable. Presumably, if we don’t give Rove and Meiers the chance to lie under oath they will be honorable until proven dishonorable. [/QUOTE] Ironically, isn’t that JUST what the admin did to the original USA’s in question? :dubious: ---
**Author:** ![Mighty\_Girl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/7bcc69/32.png) [@Mighty\_Girl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mighty_Girl)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2007, 5:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/congress-will-interview-rove-and-miers-but-not-under-oath/396763/56 "2007-03-21T17:50:55Z")
[QUOTE=Shayna] The loathing I have for this man knows no bounds. [/QUOTE] I guess giving him a blowjob is out of the question then… Would anyone give that poor man a blowjob and put him out of his misery? ---
**Author:** ![Onomatopoeia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/onomatopoeia/32/4145_2.png) [@Onomatopoeia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Onomatopoeia)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2007, 5:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/congress-will-interview-rove-and-miers-but-not-under-oath/396763/57 "2007-03-21T17:51:20Z")
[QUOTE=Maus Magill] This just in: The House Sub-Committee just approved getting subpeonas. [/QUOTE] Linky please ---
**Author:** ![Mollie\_Magill](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mollie_magill/32/20882_2.png) [@Mollie\_Magill](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mollie_Magill)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2007, 5:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/congress-will-interview-rove-and-miers-but-not-under-oath/396763/58 "2007-03-21T17:59:07Z")
[QUOTE=Onomatopoeia] Linky please [/QUOTE] Here’s the [CNN](http://www.cnn.com/2007/POLITICS/03/21/us.attorneys.firings/index.html). ---
**Author:** ![MovieMogul](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f08c70/32.png) [@MovieMogul](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MovieMogul)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2007, 6:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/congress-will-interview-rove-and-miers-but-not-under-oath/396763/59 "2007-03-21T18:00:22Z")
[Here’s the AP one](http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070321/ap_on_go_pr_wh/fired_prosecutors;_ylt=ApuBD8lXjxfm_jPtF.IgHMys0NUE) ---
**Author:** ![Onomatopoeia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/onomatopoeia/32/4145_2.png) [@Onomatopoeia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Onomatopoeia)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2007, 6:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/congress-will-interview-rove-and-miers-but-not-under-oath/396763/60 "2007-03-21T18:21:43Z")
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