Contemptible

And so the downward spiral continues . . .

Executive privilege battle intensifies over Bush's refusal to let Miers talk
Associated Press - July 12, 2007 12:03 PM ET

CAPITOL HILL (AP) - A House panel has cleared the way for contempt proceedings against former White House counsel Harriet Miers.

Miers today obeyed an order from President Bush and did not appear at a House Judiciary subcommittee hearing. Miers had been subpoenaed to testify about the firing of 8 federal prosecutors.

Addressing the empty chair, the panel's chair, Congresswoman Linda Sanchez, ruled that White House claims of executive privilege were out of order. Current White House counsel Fred Fielding has asserted that executive privilege gives Miers "absolute" immunity.

The subcommittee voted 7 to 5 to sustain Sanchez's ruling.

Former White House political director Sara Taylor appeared before the Senate Judiciary Committee on the matter yesterday. She answered some questions but not others, leading the panel's top Republican to comment she might be on safer legal ground to have said nothing.

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