House Democratic leaders have decided to postpone a vote on a criminal contempt resolution against White House chief of staff Joshua Bolten and former White House counsel Harriet Miers for several weeks, and possibly longer, according to top lawmakers and aides.
The decision delays any constitutional showdown, at least for the moment, between Congress and President Bush over the extent of executive privilege and the president's ability to fend off congressional investigations.
Rarely do fights between the Speaker and Chairman break into public, but this one is.
House Judiciary Committee Chairman John Conyers Jr. (D-Mich.) said he is uncomfortable with the delay and worries the House will be seen as toothless unless it moves quickly to hold top officials in contempt for failing to provide documents and testimony in congressional probes...
Conyers said it was critical for Congress to enforce its subpoenas against executive branch officials, including senior White House aides.
"Otherwise, we just become a [social] club," Conyers said, adding that he would be reviewing the issue with Pelosi soon.
Conyers is correct to note this, and he should be applauded for his willingness to stand up for Congress's duty to investigate and hold the executive branch accountable for its activities. Apparently, though Pelosi and Emanuel are so craven they seek to make Congress irrelevant.
Congress deserves its low regard. I am tired of being betrayed by people like Pelosi, Emanuel, and Hoyer, who treat Congress like a social club. They are at this point as responsible as partisan operatives like Petraeus for the sad situation of our government.
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