U.S. Reps. Alan Mollohan, D-1st, and Nick Rahall, D-3rd, voted for a resolution "recommending that the House of Representatives find Harriet Miers and Joshua Bolten, Chief of Staff, White House, in contempt of Congress for refusal to comply with subpoenas."
The measure prevailed 223-32, with Rep. Shelley Moore Capito, R-2nd, joining 162 other House Republicans in a boycott of the vote.
As The Associated Press explains, "Republicans said Democrats should instead be working on extending a law — set to expire Saturday — allowing the government to eavesdrop on phone calls and e-mails in the United States in cases of suspected terrorist activity."
The White House was similarly unimpressed, calling the resolution "unprecedented" and "outrageous."
"It is the first time in 25 years that a full chamber of Congress has voted on a contempt of Congress citation," AP reported, "and the White House quickly pointed out that it was the first time that such action had been taken against top White House officials who had been instructed by the president to remain silent to preserve executive privilege."
Capito spoke to MetroNews amid the boycott. "The measure approved by the Senate is stalled in the House, where Capito says political forces are in a dangerous game of tug-of-war," it reported. "She lays the blame squarely at the feet of House Speaker Nancy Pelosi."
Capito spoke to the Charleston Daily Mail as well.
AP also noted that "The contempt debate sparked an unusually bitter scene even in the fractious House. Democrats accused Republicans of marring the Capitol memorial for their fallen colleague Rep. Tom Lantos, D-Calif., by interrupting it with a protest vote."
15 February 2008
They Voted For You: Contempt of Congress
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4 comments:
Contempt of Congress is a crime? Better start printing out 300 million warrants...
*rimshot
Surely there are improtant ways congress can mess up all of our lives instead of just concentrating on these two people. If they get especially ambitions, they could even "provide for the common defense" by passing the legislation to continue allowing us to listen to Al Queda's phone calls in the U.S.
I believe
Chris has confused a 'state of mind which lacks respect' with the willful refusal to follow lawful and legal instructions from a lawfully instituted body. Also congress is clearly trying to get at the truth and these contempt citations are clearly for that purpose and not focused solely persecuting two hapless flunkies. Capito has aligned herself with the political forces to whom she is beholding at the expense of the democratic principals at the heart of the law.
The problem is that they are listening to EVERYONE'S phonecalls, internet activities and such. Clearly UNCONSTITUTIONAL!
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