'War' between the White House and Congress is breaking out over a number of scandals where Bush Co. has decided it can do whatever it wants, and not have to explain its actions, or motives.
The White House has refused to play ball by handing over key documents that the Democrat-controlled House and Senate Judiciary Committees claim will shed further light into how Bush Co. came to decide to fire a number of federal prosecutors it believed held views and opinions that were not in line with how they wanted to run the courts.
The White House clearly intends to go down to the mat with the Democrats over this matter, and seem quite happy to let it go into the federal courts to be sorted out.
As with so many of the White House-related scandals now filling the pages of American newspapers, and swamping the news talk shows, it all comes down to how Bush Co. views the "separations of power" that are supposed to hold it in check, and accountable to the American people.
But the Democrats just don't get it. Bush Co. doesn't care. They will do what they want, when they want, and how they want. And if the Democrats, and a growing number of dissenting Republicans don't like, then to hell with them.
From Raw Story :
The White House, under attack from Congress for allegedly firing federal prosecutors based on political affiliation, asserted executive privilege Thursday and said they could not turn over documents that could shed light on the prosecutors' firings.In a letter to the chairmen of the the House and Senate Judiciary Committees, President George W. Bush's attorney asserted that White House would not turn over subpoenaed documents for former presidential counsel Harriet Miers and former political director Sara Taylor.
"With respect, it is with much regret that we are forced down this unfortunate path which we sought to avoid by finding grounds for mutual accommodation," White House counsel Fred Fielding wrote. "We had hoped this matter could conclude with your committees receiving information in lieu of having to invoke executive privilege. Instead, we are at this conclusion."
Thursday was the deadline for surrendering the documents which had been subpoenaed by Congress June 13. The White House also asserted that Miers and Taylor would not testify next month, as directed.
If neither side will budge, "the stalemate could end up with House and Senate contempt citations and a battle in federal court over separation of powers," according to the Associated Press.
