White House Obstructing Plame Investigation

Source: Huffington Post

December 3, 2007 11:11 AM

The Bush Administration is actively blocking Congress' investigation into the outing of once-covert CIA agent Valerie Plame, according to House Oversight Committee chairman Henry Waxman.

In a letter sent today to Attorney General Michael Mukasey, Waxman notes that "White House objections are preventing Special Counsel Patrick Fitzgerald from disclosing key information to investigating officials." Among the documents being withheld are interviews taken from White House officers during Fitzgerald's investigation into the leak of Plame's identity.

"Over the summer, Mr. Fitzgerald agreed to provide relevant documents to the Committee, including records of interviews with senior White House officials. Unfortunately, the White House has been blocking Mr. Fitzgerald from providing key documents to the Committee," Waxman writes to newly appointed Mukasey. "I ask that you personally look into this matter and authorize the production of the documents to the Committee without any further delay."

Read the full letter here. Emptywheel has more here.

Read more: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2007/12/03/white-house-obstructing-p_n_75088.html

Attorney General Michael Mukasey has any integrity and/or respect for the rule of law.

trying to force easily hackable dre's on the state so they can continue stealing elections. We have now got far worse than Gonzales in that he is a smidgen smarter than Gonzo and is starting with a clean slate. I hope this new disaster to distract our attention will haunt Feinstein and Shumer till they die.

No way he follows though on this. If he couldn't answer a simple question about water-boarding, do you really think he's going to put bush&co. on the meat-hook over Plame?

why need shithead's blessing?

The argument is that the information was gathered as part of an investigation and has to be subpeona'd. There is some validity to the argument of process.

However, there is NO reasonable reason that the administration should be allowed to block this testimony.

Unfortunately (for King George), this time the house and senate are not buying it.
Their reason is that if King George had nothing to do with the outing, then he
can't claim executive privilege.

I'd bet my last dollar that they will do everything they can to obstruct, for
as long as possible.

the executive branch of government is all "the president" so anything related to the executive branch can be considered privileged.

see how those two traitors votes really fuck`d the whole investigation......

For keeping this criminal cabal in office and not doing your jobs in insisting we have someone that will be an AG and not a Bush whipping boy! Or doing your jobs for a different boss (the cabal that's in charge now!)

...folds on this, I will plenty pissed off at Feinstein and Shumer. We will never let them forget it.

-Paige

If they gave a damn they wouldn't have allowed him to even be nominated. I know it's hard to accept, but we don't have a representative government anymore, be it Repub or Dem.

voted for Mukasey? I think that they voted the way they did to make damn sure that the criminals would get away with their crimes.

Why would they? What's in it for them?

-Paige

Chuckie might be looking to a time beyond now when a nice cushy corporate position is waiting for him.

$$$billions$$$.

Nobody who was involved with the Iraq WMD deception is going to survive politically. They'll try to get off on the Iran deception by claiming they were involved in a "successful" deception campaign waged to pressure Iran to stand down in Iraq.

If I were a neocon, I'd be soiling my pants right now.

They'll sacrifice one group to spare the other.

Oh, yeah - let's get the party started!

Since Attorney General Michael Mukasey couldn't determine whether water boarding is a form of torture or not, I'm sure he will have a problem with authorizing the release of information that could be used to kick the Bush administration in the ass.

considering it's a no-brainer.

aversion to sarcasm thingies?

But I think my aversion to them showed up later in life. Like during the Reagan years.

this question when he was getting approved

Its all going to get real messy

Blessings from across the Atlantic to my fellow DU. What a beautiful and special day for all the righteous and positive irits. Sun is shining, weather is sweet....Sing and dance...Whatever your pain or dilemma, focus on doing good in the face of the demonic plague called "The RULE of International Morality is missing".

In the face of this craziness, we need to find some iritical/spiritual peace. This will allow us to maintain some semblance of order...heal/release positive energy around us... LOL ..my fellow Americans u have been had....They all worship the same master...Queen Elizabeth II of England. All of their crimes must be covered. Who does it benefit??? The cabal is closely linked to UK.

IMAGINE GLOBAL PEACE

FORTRESS AMERICA

ALL REASONED OUT

HOUR OF DECISION

IMPEACH RECALL THIS RICO GOVT AND CONGRESS

MAN THE BARRICADES

OUR CHILDREN AND ANCESTORS DEMAND MORE FROM US

LOVE AND "LIGHT"

undertaking, these are criminals through and through, and they need to disbanded.

Lest they get knocked down like a Humpty Dumpty egg.

The AG will put it on revue which should take say 2 years or so.

it means Waxman and Fitz have been tap dancing - and that they have something to dance about. I've seen plenty of speculation about this but nothing solid until now. Dare to hope ??

Yeah, I'll get right on that...

Oh hey, I looked up waterboarding. It appears to be some kind recreational watersport. It's not illegal unless done behind the wrong kind of boat and/or nude.

Thank you for approving me.

I'm betting the dog eats his homework.

to hand them over to the senate. Am I misreading the statement from Waxman. He states that Fitz is the one who is "frustrated" in his attempt to hand over the documents he has in his possession due to some as to yet untested privilege the president wishes to assert.

Hand over the papers Fitz. If the Pres. wants to assert his privilege make him take the offensive. Make him PROVE the papers are of such a content that they are not to be seen by the people's representatives. For once, it seems, we have the ball in our court in the "you can't see it" debate. Usually they have the papers and we have to prove that the papers are relevant and not "dangerous"(to anyone but the guilty) to see. We must usually make this argument without ever having seen the papers or without any person on the side of the argument for disclosure who has seen them and has custody of said papers.

In this case we have the papers in the custody of a neutral party, an officer of the court, who has already agreed to their disclosure. What is the problem? Other than an overly active BULLY mentality defending the "privilege"of a president over the RIGHTS of the PEOPLE.

Time to make him and his protectors put up AND shut up.

Patrick Fitzgerald has to get permission from the DOJ to give any documents at all, let alone a subpoena asking for them from Congressman Waxman's committee.

I'm sure the permission is being held up at the former. After all, we can't have this stuff just being given out, can we?

Julie
still president for life of the PFEB

If people go back and read the transcript from the press conference on the day Libby was indicted, they will find the answer.

Patrick Fitzgerald is not the problem. He is not part of the problem. The problem is the Department of Justice, which is stonewalling. Congress will have to take this up a step to get answers.

He did his job and did it well. It's up to Congress and of course, "We the People" to push them.

get permission from the DOJ and who is the Almighty DOJ???

and a subpoena from Congress is a subpoena

what if the DOJ says no to the subpoena from Congress

this just gets into craziness

Please read the writings of our wonderful H2OMan and go to www.firedoglake.com and read their archives. There is a procedure. If we believe in the rule of law, we'd better obey them, or we're not better than those we distrust.

Any employee of the DOJ must get permission from the Department of Justice in order to share the results of an investigation with a government committee. That committee needed to issue subpoenaes for that information as well; they evidently did not do so until quite some time after requesting it.

Julie

p.s. By the way, the correct title is Special Counsel. The Independent Counsel law expired.

but in this case LAW is being obstructive to the truth

:sarcasm:

After all, it's much more important that Mr. Fitzgerald immediately surrender whatever information he has (at great personal and professional cost, I might add,) than it is that the law is obeyed and followed so the information coming forward is actually imparted in a fashion that won't COMPROMISE THE WHOLE INVESTIGATION IN THE FIRST PLACE.

Of course, we all know that you know better than anyone else what exactly has to happen here.

Julie

possession of the files.

As to obeying the laws lest we be no better than those who we distrust - after exactly how many back stabbing, law burning, rule ignoring, use the constitution for TP, RULE OF LAW bending ADDINGTON years do we get to give that 'ole lyric a break?

I know, Take the High Road.

I know. I know we are all tired, frustrated beyond belief and completely sick of the machinations of the White House and their minions in this area. The issue is, though, that the initial request for information asked for PJF's "opinions" in this matter. He can't give them. He needed a subpoena, they needed to get the Justice Department to let him surrender the files in the first place (I believe even if they're with Judge Walton, it has to come from the original source -- please correct me if I'm wrong,) and that created a few months' holdup by itself.

We still have to obey the law. The other side is salivating over the prospect that we will screw up, they'll pounce, and any investigation at all will be moot as a result. The Oversight Committee enjoys advantages that this case wouldn't get in any courtroom -- the information can't get graymailed out, for instance.

God, let's hope this time, it'll work.
Julie

we wouldn't have America

In Les Miserables a poor man stole a loaf of bread
Yes he BROKE the LAW

but it doesn't mean the LAW IS RIGHT

Using the LAW as a reason for stopping a traitor outing a CIA agent isn't RIGHT

Bush didn't obey the LAW outing PLAME
Bush didn't obey the LAW wiretapping people

but on our side we need to follow the LAW

WHOSE LAW???

And no this one thing I'm going to speak out on injustice even if I am called Stupid for doing it
There is Traitors in the Whitehouse and Justice Department
Gonzalez leaving his job says it all and this is a man who was Bush's counsel and Attorney General
He is up for charges on dismissing lawyers for working on putting Republicans in jail
so these are times where the Legal system is corrupt and is not enforcing the LAW
They are BREAKING IT

So excuse me for being a wee bit suspicious at Fitz and if we ever get the transcripts on Cheney and Bush's closed door talk session we may see how far Fitz went into prosecuting the LAW
but until the rest of us know what Bush and Cheney said in those close door private sessions with Fitz we DON"T KNOW what all the FACTS are

and that is what WAXMAN wants to know too
and here is the fact
Noone has yet to go to jail for outing a CIA Black OP

and is that the Law working no its the Laws protecting traitors
Fitz gave them the scapegoat but did he really get his man
NO... now Waxman has to do it

Na na na na,


what you gonna do about it

These fuckers are just sitting there knowing no one is going to touch their sorry asses.

:eyes:

Now now now now now now now.

I mean ... WTF? In the Court of Public Opinion bush&co. have already been convicted and we still have these lack-luster calls for documents we know they'll never get.

When bush made his dumb-ass statements about "I doubt we'll ever find the leak-er. This is a big administration and there are a lot of senior officials", one could argue, in the light of the information now known that THAT was "obstruction of justice"! Since it is widely known that everyone around bush knew what was going on he either knew and lied, or didn't ask like he said he would and that inaction itself is obstruction. He can't have it both ways. So if this is so evident to any lay-person what the hell is all this other crap? There is already enough evidence to bring charges against bush and it's self evident and in his own words.

So enough with the "requests" and "letters" - we don't have anymore time to waste. DO SOMETHING!

and CONFLICT OF INTEREST

Libby more than anyone else had the goods on Cheney, Bush, and Rove.

Avoiding a prison term by testifying truthfully to Fitzpatrick was Libby's best chance to avoid that prison term -- EXCEPT for being set free by the criminal he was protecting.

Are we cowards bring led by cowards? Criminals are in the White House and there is no one to enforce the law. The law is being used to keep descent down. I say that is the quintessential definition of fascism. :dem:

Chartruse. I can't believe it. Actually I can't believe this farce never ends. Truly being away from the computer is a good thing.

I'm sick of that moran,damnit!

The Bush Administration is blocking a lot of things isn't it?

That clown makes me sick!!!

and her whores are worthless.Grow a spine you spineless crooks.

the rage that any thinking American feels when seeing or even thinking about those crooks.

K & R

Try to envision a situation in which something actually comes of this. Do it in a group.

Envision Waxman and Conyers enforcing more contempt citations.

Envision Pelosi allowing votes on the citations.

Envision Conyers starting impeachment hearings.

You owe it to yourselves.

Peace,

IL

Such a great flick

They get away with to much, and the wimpy Democrats let them because this is an "election year".

You know, alot of people don't like Democrats because they are "wimps" and they are playing right into that.