Comments on: EPA Denies Docs On Calif. Emissions Law

Agency Cites Executive Privilege On Why State's Greenhouse Gas Regulations Were Rejected

[lawyertom1]

By withholding documents, EPA demonstrates once again that it is the handmaiden of The Shrub. Clearly politics were involved.

[fiteit1]

The EPA informed Sen. Barbara Boxer, D-Calif., that many of the documents she had requested contained internal deliberations or attorney-client communications.

Attorney-client privilege should only apply in the private sector. The EPA is a government agency and all information flowing through that office is public information. Who ever appointed the director needs to fire him and release the records. If it doesn%u2019t happen during Emperor Bush%u2019s reign then it needs to happen when he%u2019s over thrown.

Any new battles with the emperor needs to be put on hold till Feb 2009 and then let the flood gates open and prosecute them all. This way the emperor won%u2019t get the chance of commuting or dismissing charges of the wrong doer%u2019s.

[Larry Fafarman]

Executive privilege, executive shmivilege. Releasing these documents is part of defending the decision to deny the waiver. Without seeing these documents, we can''t judge whether the EPA staff''s reasons for recommending granting the waiver are persuasive or not.

If the EPA wants to protect individuals, then the EPA could simply blot out or bleep out individuals'' names and pictures.

SgtRDS said (02:32 PM : Jan 20, 2008) --
--"HEY! EPA! You work for US, not the White House! We''''re your bosses, not them! We are the real executives! Bas*tards! "--

Right. Many or all of the EPA staffers who made the recommendation to grant the waiver are career civil service employees, not political appointees.

[toolmangler-2009]

"Invoking executive privilege, the Environmental Protection Agency on Friday refused to provide lawmakers with a full explanation of why it rejected California''s greenhouse gas regulations"



That (executive privilege) is something only Kings and Dictators make use of. Elected officials ''MUST'' be held accounable to the electorate because ''we'' are their Bosses. This business of "its easier to ask forgiveness than to ask permission" has to stop.

[sgtrds]

"Executive privilege"? Are the effing insane? That is one of the single most ridiculous legal arguments to come out of this administration and they''ve had LOT''S! HEY! EPA! You work for US, not the White House! We''re your bosses, not them! We are the real executives! Bas*tards!

[bm6005]

No wonder the Emperor Boosh walks as he does. Talk about BALLS!! If this weren''t so scary it''d be laughable. See how far YOU get in a police station citing "Executive Privelege""!!

[lorinkundert]

The EPA does not have executive privilege, only the President can claim that. The Federal Government is obliged under the Constitution that created it to be accountable to the people.

[crazyivan32]

Wow. You sure said a lot for saying absolutely nothing that applies.

Posted by rudy654 at 12:04 PM : Jan 20, 2008

How do you figure? If the EPA was doing their job, none of this mongoose and cobra act between CA and the EPA would be necessary. Federal desires are supposed to trump individual states desires. But for that to work, it requires the feds to do their job. That was my point, and it is certainly relevant to this discussion.

In your next reply, maybe you could try to lose the sarcasm and say something specific and relevant yourself. Or maybe sarcasm is all you''ve got to offer...

[inventagod]

Executive privilege?

The Environmental Protection Agency?

What''s wrong with this picture?

Has Marie Antoinette returned from the dead to rule America?

[rowdytexan2]

In order to impeach, they have to have evidence...how you going to get evidence that''s been destroyed?

It will take years of court battles to get any evidence that''s left.

They need to be busy watching him like a hawk until his eleven months is up. And stalling any legislation that he can veto and make them write it his way.

I do not have much hope that Bush''s court appointees are going to be agressive in making him produce anything.

My only hope is that somebody out there will move on them for war crimes. The fact that he committed an illegal war of agression is right out there.

[watcher269-2009]

Admit Nothing

Deny Everything

Make Counter Accusations!

Job Done!

Bushit - Standard Operating Procedure!

[displeased]

Just another example of our greedy government not supporting our efforts to become more efficient.

[rudy654-2009]

Posted by crazyivan32 at 11:39 AM

Wow. You sure said a lot for saying absolutely nothing that applies.

[rudy654-2009]

Excerpt: "EPA is concerned about the chilling effect that would occur if agency employees believed their frank and honest opinions and analysis expressed as part of assessing California''s waiver request were to be disclosed in a broad setting,"

Why? Why would they be concerned about a chilling effect? If they are doing what they are supposed to, then what are they afraid of? Is the EPA part of the executive branch, or is it a government agency working beneath the three branches of government? This is plain weird.

[magoo2u1]

At this point the issue isn''t denying the waiver request, it is keeping the reason for the denial secret. California can''t make a change to qualify if they don''t know where the problem exists. This is commonly refered to as TYRANNY on planet EARTH. DO AS I SAY AND DON''T ask questions. The Bush administration is a dictatorship the full breadth and depth of it''s reach. I have quit the Republican party forever.

[crazyivan32]

The EPA is right to deny CA''s request for a waiver. This is a classic battle of federal vs. states rights (see the civil war for details). The fault of the EPA is not in denying CA''s request, it''s fault is in not implementing tougher standards on a federal level, which is what has forced CA and the other states to do on their own what the feds are not willing to do. By granting CA''s request, you effectively allow CA, and 15 other states, to dictate national policy for all 50 states. National environmental policy is supposed to be the EPA''s job, but sadly, is one which they are not doing very well. Of course, big money is at the bottom of the EPA''s failure to act.

In this EPA/CA fight, there''s a similarity with Kyoto, where Bush is correct in rejecting the protocol (since it is deeply flawed on many levels), but totally incorrect in not implementing a BETTER program on his own. Of course he would never do this because he is a man of no personal character or morality...but that is a discussion for another post.

[creeper00]

Can you say "stonewall"?

I knew you could.

[rowdytexan2]

The documents obviously prove that this man went against the advice of his staff and did what Cheney told him to do.

The EPA is not a part of the president''s office, how can they evoke executive privilege???

[Krazcarl]

SANDY777....The congress has the grounds on many different levels to start impeachment procedings but half of them had a finger in the pie and sit like bushes lap dogs and say mean things once in a while for the constintuents back home so nothind is or will be done there as sorry as he is they just flew in under the radar and Bush knows this and is not worried. Like J Edgar Hoover he''s got enough trash his job is safe.

[cbsblogger]

The Democrats in Congress had one obligation; to restore accountability of the Presidency, restore the power of the people, and to the correct the abuses of the Constitution under this President....instead Pelosi rolled over like a lap dog by taking impeachment off the table. The Dems are worthless.