The Journal

Issue date: 4/5/07 Section: Opinion/Editorial

Kelley Atherton.

The current situation between Congress and the White House is messy, and it will continue to get messier. Everyone's hands in the White House administration from White House Adviser Karl Rove to Attorney General Alberto R. Gonzales to President George W. Bush are bright red, and they are getting sloppier with their dirty work. Finally, Congress is taking steps to hear sworn testimony and possibly try some of the top officials for abusing their power.


The U.S. Justice Department recently fired eight U.S. attorneys, who were politically appointed, and "at least five of whom were presiding over public corruption probes when they were fired," reported The Washington Post March 2. In addition, David C. Iglesias, a fired attorney from New Mexico, said Sen. Pete V. Domenici (R-N.M.) and Rep. Heather A. Wilson (R-N.M.) pressured him to accelerate his prosecution of unnamed state Democratic legislators before the November 2007 elections.


It is likely that every top official in the White House knew of the plan to fire the eight prosecutors for their political beliefs and investigations into political corruption and not because of their performances. Firing these attorneys allows Bush and Gonzales to appoint new attorneys - those that will prosecute based on republican ideology.


As a result, in a bold move by Congress, judiciary committees in both houses authorized subpoenas for Rove, former White House Counsel Harriett Miers and deputy White House Counsel William Kelley about the firings. If the White House does not comply with the committees' demands, the committees will actually issue the subpoenas to the aides. However, this could take years of legal battles. In addition, Sen. Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.), chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, immediately rejected President Bush's proposal that the three aides testify not under oath, behind closed doors and with no transcript of the testimonies.


Congress should be applauded for not buckling under Bush's almighty fist and remaining firm. The simple fact that subpoenas were even authorized is a sign that the end is nigh for those who run our country. The Democrats in power are no longer allowing the administration to abuse their power.


In the mean time, the judiciary committees are fiercely attacking Attorney General Gonzales for not only signing off on which attorneys should be fired, but for individually choosing which ones he wanted to remove.

Continued...

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