How will the Bush Administration act if the Dems take Congress?

[Frank]

@John Mace

On what charge? See, the thing is, Bush is still in charge of the FBI, to the extent that that body is political in nature. Congress doesn’t arrest people, nor do they charge people with crimes.

I seem to have read–somewhere along the way–of people being sent to jail for no crime other than a liberally interpreted Contempt of Congress charge.

[BrainGlutton]

@What the .... ?!?!

Not really… if I remember the good old days of Clinton scandal hearings, it was difficult for the majority to be the exclusive issuer of subpoenas.

The Pubs have been the majority in both houses of Congress since 1995 (except for 2001-2003 when control of the Senate was evenly divided).

Furthermore, IIRC, those subpoenas were issued by the Office of the Independent Counsel, which no longer exists, the authorizing statute having expired in 1999.

[John_Mace]

@Frank

I seem to have read–somewhere along the way–of people being sent to jail for no crime other than a liberally interpreted Contempt of Congress charge.

I’m skeptical. I think they’d have to be testifying in front of Congress under oath. BTW, I have a lot of contempt for Congress-- hope that doesn’t land me in the pokey.

[ElvisL1ves]

@Little Nemo

They were told that no plans were being made for that possibility because everyone in the White House is confident that the Republicans will keep control of Congress.

Now normally this might just be a case of public optimism - never admit the possibility of defeat and all that. But with the Bush administration you have to wonder if maybe it’s the truth.

Probably the former, just election-season bravado. They’ve also denied rumors that they’re beefing up the WH legal staff to deal with an expected upcoming stream of subpoenae. No way they’re all in the same amount of denial.