TURLEY: WH Stonwalling May Force Congress To Charge BUSH WITH IMPEACHABLE OFFENSES

[kpete]

Legal expert: White House stonewalling may force Congress to charge president with criminal offenses
David Edwards and Muriel Kane
Published: Wednesday June 27, 2007

Keith Olbermann announced on Wednesday's Countdown that the White House is refusing on grounds of executive privilege to honor Senate subpoenas and release documents relating to its warrantless wiretapping. In addition, Vice President Cheney's chief of staff, David Addington, has sent a letter to Sen. John Kerry (D-MA) saying Cheney's office will not comply with oversight by the National Archives because it is not "an agency."

Olbermann then turned to law professor Joanathan Turley, who agreed tentatively that the administration might move slowly enough to "run out the clock" on its time in office. "But there is one thing that might concern them about the court," Turley said, "and that is, you know, for many years, since we first found out about this program, some of us have said that this was a clearly criminal act that the president called for. ... If we're right, not only did he order that crime, but it would be, in fact, an impeachable offense."

"Both sides, both Democrats and Republicans, have avoided this sort of pig in the parlor," Turley continued. "They don't want to recognize that this president may have ordered criminal offenses. But they may now be on the road to do that, because the way Congress can get around the executive privilege in court is to say, we're investigating a potential crime."

.....................

"This administration, I have to say, has a certain contempt for the law," said Turley. "They treat it like some of my criminal defendents used to treat it. ... They come up with any argument that might work. ... It's a sort of shocking development. ... But at the end of the day, they will lose, and they're making the situation worse."


The following video is from MSNBC's Countdown, broadcast on June 27.

http://rawstory.com/news/2007/Law_Scholar_Wiretap_subpoenas_may_open_0627.html

[liberal N proud]

1. What hasn't bu$h done that he should be impeached for?

[midnight]

8. I know what your saying, and I'm thinking that it is the spying

on American's is the crime they want to discuss with the White House via the subpoenas this time.

[Spazito]

2. OH MY! I do love this....

"...the way Congress can get around the executive privilege in court is to say, we're investigating a potential crime."


Very interesting!

[DemSoccerMom]

31. I agree it's interesting in theory,

but do you (we) think Congress has the "balls" to try this?

[Spazito]

33. Well, it would take the forcing of a Special Counsel to investigate

because Gonzales would have to recuse himself from the investigation as he is one of those to be investigated, it would resemble the recusal of Ashcroft and the appointment of Patrick Fitzgerald in the Valerie Plame case.

It seems to me Congress is, slowly, too slowly for some, getting it's subpoena "ducks" in a row pointing toward the above, imo. They are certainly feeling the heat from the left and even the general public given Congress' poll numbers are as bad as bush's numbers.

The question I have is will time run out before? On that, I don't know.

[Gregorian]

3. I gasped when I heard it. "A clearly criminal act".

That was the first moment in all of these years when I realized we finally had made progress.

[MannyGoldstein]

6. Attack On The 4th Amendment - Couldn't Be Clearer

I noted with interest when Arlen Specter was first asked about warrantless wiretapping a year and a half ago. Specter said, flat out, that it was unacceptable. When asked what the remedy was, Specter's first words were "Impeachment's a remedy" - then, realizing what he'd just done, he tried to cover his tracks.

Warrantless wiretapping is not just illegal - it's flamingly anticonstitutional, and it's been well-visited by the courts and Congress, so there's no wiggle room at all.

[orleans]

4. thanks for posting the link. i saw it tonight, & wanted to hear him again. n/t

[pocoloco]

5. "at the end of the day, they will lose"

If I could believe this I could sure get more sleep!

[lonestarnot]

7. When I got the email from Ted, I figured the jig was about up.

[loudsue]

22. What e-mail, lonestar? Ted who? n/t

:kick:

[lonestarnot]

9. Must be damn busy. I can't get there yet.

[karlrschneider]

10. Jon Turley is a brilliant guy and he's not really even a liberal.

But he's one fine damn American and he has a lot of gravitas. I wish he'd team up with John Dean and make a LOT of noise about this.

[hisownpetard]

27. Did you know that Jonathan Turley

is a former teacher of Keith Olbermann?

[karlrschneider]

39. No, I sure didn't. That's interesting! And welcome to DU

:D
:toast:

[hisownpetard]

43. I'll drink to that! (Thanks for the welcome. I love it here). n/t

[lovuian]

11. Impeach HIM or stand up in courts in future and explain why

you let a criminal walk in the white house knowingly

your a criminal too

[midnight]

15. lovuian you ask the quesiton that should be asked by our

media right now. What a brilliant statement. Why is a criminal walking around in the White House?

[Purveyor]

12. Congess? Who's Congress? Certainly not our 'spineless' POS Congress... eom

[Poiuyt]

13. The Democrats bring up impeachment?

[spanone]

14. Turley is a good guy and appalled by these freaks.

[Gold Metal Flake]

16. Keep writing and calling Congress to impeach Cheney

Keep the heat on. Keep the pressure on. They are doing what needs to be done, and we can provide the will to do it, if we only will provide it. We will tip this thing, and our leaders will follow us.

[lonestarnot]

17. Oh man 7 years of this shit is a bit much.

[DemSoccerMom]

32. I'm certainly beginning to wonder

if all our letters and calls to Congress make a difference. I wrote a letter to Speaker Pelosi MONTHS ago, spelling out why impeachment should be back on the table. I asked her to reconsider. I've yet to receive a response . . .

[Senator]

18. "...they may now be on the road to do that..."

Just wanted to highlight my favorite part.

Let's hope he's right -- or better yet, informed.

--

[Disturbed]

19. Busholini did in fact, order Illegal Spying. an impeachable

offense. He admitted it on National TV. The Congress is ignoring that, so far. Jon Asscrap has told the Congress as much in private, as well. Congress is afraid to Impeach any of the Busholini Regime, esp. Busholini. Why is that?

[Vincardog]

24. Congress is afraid to Impeach any of the Busholini Regime, esp. Busholini. Why is that?

Who do you think they were Tapping? They have the opposition by the Short hairs and it is up to US to make them MORE afraid of what WE will do than what the BushCrimeFamily will do.

[D23MIURG23]

42. Plain Cowardice or (probably misguided) tactical manoeuvers

The Democrats are afraid of overreaching, plain and simple. The conventional wisdom is that they are afraid of going too far for fear of alienating the average American voter. I am willing to consider the possibility that they also have strategic reasons for their timidity relating to the current dynamics in congress (and particularly the senate) and that they are moving toward impeachment in a calculated manner. I just hope they realize the potential consequences of not acting strongly enough against this administration - electoral and relating to the fabric of our republic itself. In my view they stand to loose far more from supposed caution than they do from bold action and potentially loosing votes (or judas joe).

[malaise]

20. Turley was excellent last night

But at the end of the day, they will lose, and they're making the situation worse." - the gig is up Bush and Cheney!
K & R

[Dinger]

21. That Goddamned Turley Is The Best!

He should be the next AG, as soon as this bullshit "administration" (cabal) is impeached and imprisoned.
I LOVE Turley!:patriot:

[thereismore]

23. Yes, this part stood out of the Turley interview. Deserves wide dissemination. nt

[Disturbed]

25. Do ya think this is a more important issue that Ann Coulter?

Seems like many on DU are obsessed with Ann, doesn't it?

[thereismore]

26. Yes, but I hope that something like this will get to Conyers, so he knows

how to play this in court. I am sure Turley will tell them.

[Disturbed]

28. Conyers watches CountDown.

He read one of Keith's Commentaries into the Congressional Record.

[katty]

29. "MAY" CHARGE??!! Just get it DONE Already!!!

[Triana]

30. BUT - does Congress have the WILL & the SPINE to do it?

THAT is the only remaining thing to be seen, isn't it? ARE THEY NOW - after all the cretin's done to DESERVE impeachment more than any other president in HISTORY - going to FINALLY take their job of oversight seriously?

I'll believe it when i SEE it.

Pffft.

[file83]

35. I wonder when Her Royal Highness Pelosi will decide to put Impeachment BACK on the table.

Bush is about 1 step away from attempting to dismantle the congress anyway - I mean, if they don't do anything in response to his complete disregard for the law, then maybe he'll be tempted to simply shut them down and out.

Pelosi better start acting like a fucking leader before it's too late.

[focusfan]

34. I wish they would impeach the s.o.b

he needs to be out of Office he has to much power along with
Cheney.

[Imagevision]

36. Bush I could wait for - Cheney I would like removed tomorrow...

[whistle]

37. The democrats in congress must stop making threats and just do it!

:wtf:

[smoogatz]

38. I wonder what Cheney's hiding? Why is Addington practically turning himself

inside out to avoid security oversight from within the executive branch, fer chrissakes? My guess, knowing what I know about Cheney and the whole Plame deal, is that he routinely uses classified information for politcal purposes (a serious no-no). That might include: selective leaks of classified information for propaganda purposes (see: run-up to Iraq invasion); selective leaks of classified information in order to "discredit" political opponents (see: Plame), and illegal sharing of classified information with uncleared foreign agents, particularly from places like Pakistan, Israel and Saudi Arabia. I'm guessing Cheney would find himself neck deep in impeachable offenses if his misuse of classified information were to be investigated and revealed.

[robinlynne]

40. I'm sure you're right. Remember the video of the soldiers ordered to let binladen escape into

Pakistan? those orders came from up high, for example.

[proud patriot]

41. Impeach Now