By John Solomon
How the government's punishing of the exposure of official wrongdoing can linger for years
Independent voices from the TWT Communities
MONTEBELLO, Quebec — The Bush administration yesterday signaled to Senate Democrats that it will provide the legal rationale for its domestic surveillance program if Democrats reciprocate by permanently updating the key law governing foreign spying.
Look who's talking
Look who's talking
Attorneys for Karl Rove's former deputy told a Senate committee yesterday that President Bush will assert executive privilege and instruct her not to comply with the panel's subpoena to testify this week.
Democratic leaders yesterday challenged President Bush's refusal to respond to congressional subpoenas and said they will take steps toward holding the White House in contempt of Congress.
President Bush yesterday announced that he will cite executive privilege and refuse congressional subpoenas issued earlier this month that sought documents related to the firing of eight federal prosecutors last year.
President Bush today announced that he will not hand over documents related to the firing of eight federal prosecutors last year, citing executive privilege.
Congressional Democrats yesterday issued subpoenas for testimony from two former senior White House officials, leading to a likely executive privilege showdown with the Bush administration over the firing of eight federal prosecutors last year.
The White House yesterday said it has hired several lawyers to help with an increasing number of investigations by the Democratic-controlled Congress, some of which the Bush administration calls "fishing expeditions."
Mr. Rove will not appear before the committee this morning, Mr. Fielding said, because Mr. Rove is such a close adviser to the president that he fits into the legal category of "immediate presidential advisor" and is "immune from compelled Congressional testimony."
White House Counsel Fred F. Fielding said in a letter to Congress that Mr. Rove is such a close adviser to the president that he fits into the legal category of "immediate presidential adviser" and is "immune from compelled congressional testimony."
