# Leahy: Cheney told (majority) Pub senators they were "not allowed to issue subpoenas"

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/leahy-cheney-told-majority-pub-senators-they-were-not-allowed-to-issue-subpoenas/416384>\
**Category:** Great Debates\
**Created:** [August 21, 2007, 4:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/leahy-cheney-told-majority-pub-senators-they-were-not-allowed-to-issue-subpoenas/416384 "2007-08-21T16:24:50Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 6\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\
**Post date:** [August 21, 2007, 4:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/leahy-cheney-told-majority-pub-senators-they-were-not-allowed-to-issue-subpoenas/416384/1 "2007-08-21T16:24:50Z")

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WRT to investigating the legality of the warrantless-wiretapping program. Story [here.](http://thinkprogress.org/2007/08/20/cheney-leahy-subpoena)

Is this an unconscionable violation of the separation of powers, or just an example of very effective party discipline?

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**Author:** ![Sean\_Factotum](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/50afbb/32.png) [@Sean\_Factotum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sean_Factotum)\
**Post date:** [August 21, 2007, 4:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/leahy-cheney-told-majority-pub-senators-they-were-not-allowed-to-issue-subpoenas/416384/2 "2007-08-21T16:54:03Z")

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Right now it’s only the latter. Unless there are some legal repercussions from the White House after the subpoenas were issued, then it’s just the VP’s management style - forceful, direct, with his attitude of “I know what’s right and you don’t”

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**Author:** ![Frostillicus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e9bcb4/32.png) [@Frostillicus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frostillicus)\
**Post date:** [August 22, 2007, 2:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/leahy-cheney-told-majority-pub-senators-they-were-not-allowed-to-issue-subpoenas/416384/3 "2007-08-22T02:54:11Z")

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It is clear evidence that the Republican-led Congress were even bigger pussies that the current Democratic leaders.

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**Author:** ![marshmallow](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/df705f/32.png) [@marshmallow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/marshmallow)\
**Post date:** [August 23, 2007, 4:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/leahy-cheney-told-majority-pub-senators-they-were-not-allowed-to-issue-subpoenas/416384/4 "2007-08-23T04:22:37Z")

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> [@Frostillicus](#):
>
> It is clear evidence that the Republican-led Congress were even bigger pussies that the current Democratic leaders.

Huh? Why would you call the GOP Congress a bunch of pussies? That doesn’t make any sense to me. They supported the administration and its policies and rode their coattails to success in 2002 and 2004, why would they make a fuss? The Dems _supposedly_ don’t support Bush and friends, or just a weaker version perhaps, so when they give in that does indeed make the Dems pussies. If the Dems wish to continue the policies of the GOP Congress in lockstep they may as well just switch parties and stop giving those silly speeches.

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**Author:** ![BJMoose](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/5fc32e/32.png) [@BJMoose](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BJMoose)\
**Post date:** [August 23, 2007, 1:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/leahy-cheney-told-majority-pub-senators-they-were-not-allowed-to-issue-subpoenas/416384/5 "2007-08-23T13:46:44Z")

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[QUOTE=BrainGlutton]  
WRT to investigating the legality of the warrantless-wiretapping program. Story [here.](http://thinkprogress.org/2007/08/20/cheney-leahy-subpoena)

Is this an unconscionable violation of the separation of powers, or just an example of very effective party discipline?  
[/QUOTE]

It’s an indication that The Dick thinks he is above the law.

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**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\
**Post date:** [August 23, 2007, 5:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/leahy-cheney-told-majority-pub-senators-they-were-not-allowed-to-issue-subpoenas/416384/6 "2007-08-23T17:44:57Z")

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Of course they are allowed to issue subpoenas! He simply is under no obligation to pay any attention.