Monday, July 09, 2007

Question: should Congress and the White House keep secrets from each other?

Examiner.com--

Presidential executive power is an issue that Congress and President Bush will be battling over when Congress returns from vacation.

Monday was the deadline for the White House to explain why President Bush is refusing to comply with a congressional subpoena for e-mails and other documents involving the firing of eight federal prosecutors last winter.

Bush said in a previous interview regarding subpoenas for White House staff to testify, that Karl Rove and former counsel Harriet Myers would be available for interviews, however, will not testimony under oath.
" "We will not go along with a partisan fishing expedition aimed at honorable public servants," "{MSNBC March 20, 2007}--

Bush declared executive privilege on the documents subpoenaed by congressional committee's arguing that they would damage the confidential nature of advice given the president.
" "There comes a point where the White House has to say, 'Hey, look there are certain confidential things in the White House that we're not going to share with Congress, just like there are certain confidential things in Congress that we're not going to share with the White House,'" Hatch, R-Utah, said on CBS' "Face the Nation." "

Not complying with the subpoenas could result in contempt of Congress.

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