White House under attack, justified?

Is the fire that Congress is lighting under the White House justified?

President Bush and his nutty remaining supporters don’t believe in a the ‘Just Cause’ theory for International warfare but what about internal strife? Should Congress be barking up this tree? I guess it depends on who you ask. People who are still fuming over the infamous White House ‘lie’ about infidelity that cost tax payers bunch of change. If you ask them, they want to see blood, (not literal) and they want impeachment already.

Republicans are probably mostly disappointed, jaded, disenchanted and just throwing their hands up in the air. For all of the huffing and puffing, the truth is– they just wanted to be loyal to the President, and it didn’t hurt that Bush was championing their policy. The people in the center or disinterested in the politics of it all simply want the truth. Can you think of a single person that trusts our government?

In God we trust…. but government, heck no!

Think hard, just try and name one person that has 100% faith in Bush, his appointees, the feds, the patriot act, and our country’s ability to take care of its own should something bad happen. Do you feel more or less secure, more or less afraid, are you more or less jaded? Most importantly: Is the President, Dick Cheney, Alberto Gonzales, Karl Rove, Katrina disaster and relief management, Habeas Corpus, Conflict of interests (Haliburton), Tenet (medal of freedom to terrorist sympathizing unAmerican scapegoat?).. the list goes on– are these all figments of the democrat’s imagination? Are they alarmist conspirators, conspiratorial in nature, justified or a bit of all three? I think Americans that aren’t sitting on either extreme just want resolution, and without some kind of ‘trial’ if-you-will, I’m not so sure Americans will ever get it.

White House trend of suspicious behavior raising ire of Congress, public

The White House recently shielded Dick Cheney from the media frenzy over assertions by the National Archives that classified documents are being with held from the Information Security Oversight Office. A handful of documents that are considered “classified” have been locked down for ‘national security’ reasons and may not be released until well after this President is out of office. For proponents of accountability and upholding our rule of law, this is a serious issue that the government is refusing to cooperate with standard operating procedures. What is even more difficult for legal scholars and historians to understand is the seemingly redefining of the Vice Presidency.

President and Vice President “Above the Law?”

Comedians and analysts were quick to chime in this redrafting of our constitution and our new “fourth branch” of government since Dick Cheney neither falls under the Executive branch -or- Legislative branch due to his “special role” as Vice President. The White House reasons that because Vice President Cheney has his hands in the Congressional cookie jar (once a year or so when a tie happens) and also serves under the president’s executive umbrella he becomes a hybrid that neither answers to the Executive or Legislative but also participates within those branches. How he can do all of that at the same time is beyond the comprehension of most intellectuals, so now the showdown with Congress begins.

White House troubles growing exponentially with every passing day

“Today the White House has ended its charade of empty proposals and revealed its disdain for checks and balances,” Leahy said. “… Increasingly the president and the vice president believe they are above the law. In America no one — no one — is above the law!

Legislature not amused by the Executive’s stonewalling

“We’ll take the necessary steps to enforce our subpoenas, backed by the full force of the law, so the Congress and American people can get to the full truth behind this matter.”

White House says it will not cooperate, invokes Executive privilege

White House Counsel Fred Fielding informed Leahy and House Judiciary Committee Chairman John Conyers of the president’s decision in a letter that said the administration “will not be making any production in response to these subpoenas for documents” and had informed two former aides to do the same.

“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,” 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.”

Fielding wrote that Bush was invoking executive privilege in order to guarantee that presidential advisers could speak with the president without fear of having their candid opinions and frank advice brought into the public arena. The committees are investigation the firing of several U.S. attorneys last year and whether political considerations were behind them. The controversy has led many Democrats — and some key Republicans — to call for the resignation of Attorney General Alberto Gonzales.

Alberto Gonzales has created quite a mess, the White House’s defiance and appearance of impropriety is inflamming the situation and developing the stage for a judicial showdown. Anyone want to challenge the assertion that President Bush has become a lame duck, still? Anyone at all?

Gonzales and several other officials have testified before one or both of the committees, and the Justice Department has released thousands of documents about the firings. Democrats say the documents and testimony so far have indicated White House involvement in the process, and so have sought further documents and testimony from the president’s office.

Bush had offered to have several aides and former aides — including former White House Counsel Harriet Miers and former Deputy Assistant to the President and Director of Political Affairs Sara Taylor — testify in private with no oath and no transcript.

Tax Payers, rejoice!

Guess who is going to pay for the investigation, Judicial proceedings, legal fees? Thats right, your tax dollars are hard at work! Oh, don’t forget the time that this will take to complete, if you thought our President and Congress would face an uphill battle trying to get anything accomplished in 2007 because of gridlock, you were right!

Start thinking about the 2008 elections early, because this story is going to be the focus of our media for some time to come. Not to mention the many stories that will spawn out of this single issue and stories off the findings and ’scandals’ that will come about from the forthcoming investigation!

Fred Soto is an Attorney and Entrepreneur from the Silicon Valley.
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