Bush Withholds CIA Leak Records

President Claims Executive Privilege To Keep Congress From Seeing Cheney Interview Report In Plame Case

(AP)  President Bush invoked executive privilege to keep Congress from seeing the FBI report of an interview with Vice President Dick Cheney and other records related to the administration's leak of CIA operative Valerie Plame's identity in 2003.

The president's decision drew a sharp protest Wednesday from Rep. Henry Waxman, chairman of House Oversight Committee, which had subpoenaed Attorney General Michael Mukasey to turn over the documents.

"This unfounded assertion of executive privilege does not protect a principle; it protects a person," the California Democrat said. "If the vice president did nothing wrong, what is there to hide?"

Waxman left little doubt he would soon move for a committee vote to hold Mukasey in contempt of Congress.

Bush's assertion of privilege prevented Mukasey from complying with the House subpoena for records bearing on the unmasking of Plame at a time that the administration was trying to rebut criticism from her husband, former U.S. Ambassador Joseph Wilson, of Bush's rationale for going to war in Iraq.

Cheney's chief of staff in 2003, I. Lewis "Scooter" Libby, was later convicted of perjury, obstruction and lying to the FBI about his role in leaking Plame's name and CIA affiliation to a reporter. Last July, Bush commuted Libby's 2½-year sentence, sparing him from serving prison time.

In grand jury testimony played at his trial, Libby acknowledged he told the FBI early in the Plame probe that "it's possible" he spoke to Cheney about whether to share information with reporters about Wilson's wife.

Other records sought by the House committee include notes about Bush's 2003 State of the Union address, during which he made the case for invading Iraq in part by saying Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein was pursuing uranium ore in Africa to make a nuclear weapon. In the spring of 2003, Wilson claimed publicly that he had gone to Africa for the CIA to investigate the report and advised the administration it was false months before Bush cited it in the State of the Union speech.

Waxman held off an immediate contempt citation of Mukasey, but only as a courtesy to lawmakers not present Wednesday and to give all members a chance to read up on the matter. He made clear that he thinks Mukasey, who requested that Bush invoke executive privilege to shield the records, has earned a contempt citation.

"We'll act in the reasonable and appropriate period of time," Waxman said.

In a Tuesday letter to Bush, Mukasey said the assertion of the privilege would not be about hiding anything but rather protecting the separation of powers as well as the integrity of future Justice Department investigations of the White House. Several of the subpoenaed reports, Mukasey wrote, summarize conversations between Bush and advisers.

"I am greatly concerned about the chilling effect that compliance with the committee's subpoena would have on future White House deliberations and White House cooperation with future Justice Department investigations," Mukasey wrote Bush. "I believe it is legally permissible for you to assert executive privilege with respect to the subpoenaed documents, and I respectfully request that you do so."

Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Patrick Leahy, D-Vt., wrote to Mukasey later Wednesday suggesting that the attorney general should have recused himself from the dispute because he is the subject of the subpoena and he gave Bush advice about it.

White House spokesman Tony Fratto said Bush invoked the privilege on Tuesday.

The Bush administration had plenty of warning. Waxman said last week that he would cite Mukasey for contempt unless the attorney general complied with the subpoena. The House Judiciary Committee also has subpoenaed some of the same documents from Mukasey, as well as information on the leak from other current and former administration officials.

Congressional Democrats want to shed light on the precise roles, if any, that Bush, Cheney and their aides may have played in the leak.

State Department official Richard Armitage first revealed Plame's identity as a CIA operative to columnist Robert Novak, who used former presidential counselor Karl Rove as a confirming source for a 2003 article.

you haven''''t a clue I didn''''t threaten you I have no idea where you got that idea vc somehting stated he thought cheney and bush should be sent to jail or something worse. I thought that was over the top and you insulted my beliefs and now have the gall to call me essentially an idiot I would personally like to compare our ideas but you find it necessary to attack and insult people.

Posted by alanrobisch2
---------------------
Ok, Ok, It''s over the top to suggest that lying a whole country into a war costing 4100 lives for the sake of an oil colony
AND
Mafia tactics of attacking a mans wife and depriving her of the ability to do her job.
are criminal offenses.
Have it your way...
And telling someone they should watch what they say or they could go to jail ain''t a threat either.
Have it your way......

[alanrobisch]

I know, I know, But it''''s so irresistible. Get ''''em out of their dark little self created realities of militant ignorance and intellectual dishonesty - then get ''''em into the disinfectant of sunlight, and they become such easy pickins''''. Sorry.


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Posted by hadenough43 at 08:16 PM : Jul 17, 2008
+ report abuse
you haven''t a clue I didn''t threaten you I have no idea where you got that idea vc somehting stated he thought cheney and bush should be sent to jail or something worse. I thought that was over the top and you insulted my beliefs and now have the gall to call me essentially an idiot I would personally like to compare our ideas but you find it necessary to attack and insult people.

I think alanrobisch2 and hadenough43 need to get their own chat room.

Posted by ERoosevelt08
-----------------
I know, I know, But it''s so irresistible. Get ''em out of their dark little self created realities of militant ignorance and intellectual dishonesty - then get ''em into the disinfectant of sunlight, and they become such easy pickins''. Sorry.

[eroosevelt08]

I think alanrobisch2 and hadenough43 need to get their own chat room.

It teaches love and to speak with kindness and to encourage others and to love thine enemies. I guess these are threatening principles to you

Posted by alanrobisch2
----------------------
First, you threaten me, then pontificate at me about love and respect....

Good grief!!

guess you should consider going to cuba or Russia but hay russia now has corporations. china does too and whether vietnam has improved and I''''m glad if they have the last report about 5 yrs ago I read they were the poorest country on earth period. they are a dictatorship and freedom of speech doesn''''t exist. You''''d have trouble there since tend to attack the country you live in.

Posted by alanrobisch2
--------------------------
Boy, you are priceless. You''ve really bought the propaganda - hook, line, AND sinker.
I didn''t say that these countries DON''T have corporations - I said that corporatism is where the corporations RULE. Get it?
Am I attacking my country?? No! I love my country enough to call it''s rulers criminals when they are criminals. Did the same thing back in the sixties & seventies, as I got back from military service.

[alanrobisch]

Oh yea = one more thing. If you want me to respect your beliefs, then have some respectable beliefs!


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Posted by hadenough43 at 07:28 PM : Jul 17, 2008
+ report abuse
please note love thine enemies and show respect to all people not just those you agree with

[alanrobisch]

Funny thing about you bahble thumpers - you always point the "fear" finger at others, and you''''r too blind to see that it''''s nothing but projection. Be careful now, you may not achieve salvation and devil will getcha.


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Posted by hadenough43 at 07:24 PM : Jul 17, 2008
+ report abuse
It teaches love and to speak with kindness and to encourage others and to love thine enemies. I guess these are threatening principles to you

Posted by alanrobisch2
---------------------
Oh yea = one more thing. If you want me to respect your beliefs, then have some respectable beliefs!

[alanrobisch]

And there you go with the threats again. The perfect idiot-son voter, motivated and ruled by fear. Where are you? Stuck in the fifties?
South Korea may be the 11th largest economy, so what? A corporatist state is a place where the corporations rule (sound familiar?).
And just ''''cause you don''''t like the reality of what Viet Nam is today don''''t make it utrue. Viet Nam is a thriving, prosperous place. It''''s become a very popular resort destination.

And here''''s another little clue - the cold war is over!!


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Posted by hadenough43 at 07:16 PM : Jul 17, 2008
+ report abuse

I guess you should consider going to cuba or Russia but hay russia now has corporations. china does too and whether vietnam has improved and I''m glad if they have the last report about 5 yrs ago I read they were the poorest country on earth period. they are a dictatorship and freedom of speech doesn''t exist. You''d have trouble there since tend to attack the country you live in.

You can take your Bahble and stick it where the moon don''''''''t shine

I am glad to see your continued respect for other''''s beliefs and why are so affraid of the Bible

Posted by alanrobisch2
---------------------
If I''m walking through a pasture and I happen to encounter a nice, steamy, fresh deposit from the rear end of a horse - I avoid it! Not out of Fear! Nope. I avoid it out of revulsion.
Funny thing about you bahble thumpers - you always point the "fear" finger at others, and you''r too blind to see that it''s nothing but projection. Be careful now, you may not achieve salvation and devil will getcha.

Posted by hadenough43 at 06:56 PM : Jul 17, 2008
+ report abuse
I think we are speaking different languages. Korea has the 11th largest economy in the world. Are they in danger of another attack yes by a dictatorship that has impoverished its own country where many starve.

Vietnam is not what you think it is and what is a corporatist state. If I read you right we are and I guess you hate us too. the people of korea are prosperous North korea not and vietnam not. vietnam is also a communist dictatorship where the words you use must be carefully measured or you may end up in Jail

Posted by alanrobisch2
-------------------
And there you go with the threats again. The perfect idiot-son voter, motivated and ruled by fear. Where are you? Stuck in the fifties?
South Korea may be the 11th largest economy, so what? A corporatist state is a place where the corporations rule (sound familiar?).
And just ''cause you don''t like the reality of what Viet Nam is today don''t make it utrue. Viet Nam is a thriving, prosperous place. It''s become a very popular resort destination.

And here''s another little clue - the cold war is over!!

[alanrobisch]

You can take your Bahble and stick it where the moon don''''t shine

I am glad to see your continued respect for other''s beliefs and why are so affraid of the Bible

[alanrobisch]

There is no more successful, peaceful, happy, thriving and prosperous country in the world right now than Viet Nam.
The mistake you make is assuming that the truth is the same as your "beliefs". That is: that it''''s subject to your likes and dislikes.


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Posted by hadenough43 at 06:56 PM : Jul 17, 2008
+ report abuse
I think we are speaking different languages. Korea has the 11th largest economy in the world. Are they in danger of another attack yes by a dictatorship that has impoverished its own country where many starve.

Vietnam is not what you think it is and what is a corporatist state. If I read you right we are and I guess you hate us too. the people of korea are prosperous North korea not and vietnam not. vietnam is also a communist dictatorship where the words you use must be carefully measured or you may end up in Jail

lets see i mentionned the bible and love thine enemy. I also know that I have absolutely no power other than my words. I guess these must be frightening. Also note in Vietnam and Korea over 60000 men died.

In one case we pesevered and korea is now a self sustaining prosperous country. Vietnam is a dictatorship with one of the poorer economies on earth. I vote for perservering

In the civil war many wanted to stop the war due to the numerous deaths but lincoln pesevered and our country continued.

Posted by alanrobisch2
------------------------
You can take your Bahble and stick it where the moon don''t shine.
South Korea is a corporatist state living in the constant fear of invasion and war. (historically, the essential ingredients of successful corporatism).
There is no more successful, peaceful, happy, thriving and prosperous country in the world right now than Viet Nam.
The mistake you make is assuming that the truth is the same as your "beliefs". That is: that it''s subject to your likes and dislikes.

[alanrobisch]

Well, you can believe this: 4100 (and counting) American military have been sacrificed on the altar of an oilman''''s checkbook. And that''''s just for starters in this long list of crimes!
Bye the way, thinly (or not so thinly) vieled threats from you or BillO aint gonna work!


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Posted by hadenough43 at 06:40 PM : Jul 17, 2008
+ report abuse

lets see i mentionned the bible and love thine enemy. I also know that I have absolutely no power other than my words. I guess these must be frightening. Also note in Vietnam and Korea over 60000 men died.

In one case we pesevered and korea is now a self sustaining prosperous country. Vietnam is a dictatorship with one of the poorer economies on earth. I vote for perservering

In the civil war many wanted to stop the war due to the numerous deaths but lincoln pesevered and our country continued.

Criminality is at the Heart of Shrub''''''''s entire tenure, so using Legal Precedence from the Nixon Case should make short work of this lame defense. Congress has no reason for avoiding this fight. Shrub and Darth deserve Prison or worse.
----------------------------
Posted by vnveteran72
-------------------
Gee it seems you are arguing they should be executed. Maybe you would like a visit from you freindly secret service agent for threatening the life of the president.

I have often heard bill o''''reily speak of the loony left and I wouldn''''t have believed him except I frequently run into bitter people like you who are haters and little more. There is a phrase Get a life I suggest you do. Maybe you should try reading the bible particularly the part that says love thine enemy.

Posted by alanrobisch2
----------------------------
One of the characteristics of people in this country I''ve noticed for years. When we encounter something so hideous, and odious, we just automatically recoil in "I can''t believe that!" denial. And those of us who don''t retreat into denial are labelled haters or bitter.
Well, you can believe this: 4100 (and counting) American military have been sacrificed on the altar of an oilman''s checkbook. And that''s just for starters in this long list of crimes!
Bye the way, thinly (or not so thinly) vieled threats from you or BillO aint gonna work!

[alanrobisch]

Criminality is at the Heart of Shrub''''s entire tenure, so using Legal Precedence from the Nixon Case should make short work of this lame defense. Congress has no reason for avoiding this fight. Shrub and Darth deserve Prison or worse.


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Posted by vnveteran72 at 06:20 PM : Jul 17, 2008
+ report abuse
Gee it seems you are arguing they should be executed. Maybe you would like a visit from you freindly secret service agent for threatening the life of the president.

I have often heard bill o''reily speak of the loony left and I wouldn''t have believed him except I frequently run into bitter people like you who are haters and little more. There is a phrase Get a life I suggest you do. Maybe you should try reading the bible particularly the part that says love thine enemy.

[vnveteran72]

The Constitution does not refer to executive privilege at all, and some "strict constructions" believe that the whole idea is a constitutional myth.But presidents have long insisted that in order to exercise their constitutional authority, they need to be able to keep their own communications confidential.

The Supreme Court finally accepted this claim during the Watergate dispute in 1974 -- but President Nixon lost anyway. The court agreed that the Constitution gives the president a privilege against mandatory disclosure of his communications, at least when he is speaking with his closest advisers. But the court also ruled that the privilege is qualified rather than absolute, and that it can be overcome when "weighty and legitimate competing interests" are at stake. In the Nixon case, the court concluded that the need for evidence in a criminal trial is sufficient to overcome the privilege.

Criminality is at the Heart of Shrub''s entire tenure, so using Legal Precedence from the Nixon Case should make short work of this lame defense. Congress has no reason for avoiding this fight. Shrub and Darth deserve Prison or worse.

Seems everyone argues about who they want to get screwed over by. Does it really matter anymore? All US citizens with less then six-figure incomes are now indentured servants or outright slaves anyway.

Posted by OzarkBard
-------------------------------
True! But we seem to be such willing and eager participants in the arrangement. With our "time payment plans", "revolving credit" and our obscene credit card debt in this country. We eagerly sell ourselves into slavery so we can make the car payment.

Then every now and then somebody comes along and sings us a lullaby about "tax reduction" and we buy into it and wind up putting our children in debt before they''re even born.

"Nuthin'' happens until you get that bony finger you got stuck in everybody else''s chest, turn it around and stick it in your own chest." ... I can''t remember who said that, but it sure is true.

We may wind up as a third world country, but it ain''t gonna be anybody''s fault but ours.