"The 35 Articles of Impeachment and the Case for Prosecuting George W. Bush"Why Impeach? | Lies | Uranium/Niger | Torture | Aluminum Tubes | Wiretaps | Subpoenas | Treaties | HJR114 | Talking Points |
Bush Rejects Subpoenas
Congress was granted the power to pass laws by the Constitution. In order to make informed decisions, Congress must be able to gather relevant information. Thus Congress routinely holds hearings and investigates the actions of the military, the executive, government agencies, and industry.
Sometimes people reject an invitation to testify before Congress. In that case Congress can subpoena a witness and force them to testify or be punished.
But Bush has undermined this power of Congress by instructing his subordinates to refuse to appear, asserting Executive Privilege. When Congress tried to charge these uncooperative witnesses with criminal contempt of Congress, the Attorney General, appointed by Bush, refused to punish them.
When Nixon refused to obey Congressional subpoenas in 1974, the Judiciary Committee approved an Article of Impeachment charging that Nixon "has failed without lawful cause or excuse to produce papers and things as directed by duly authorized subpoenas". Article 27 of Dennis Kucinich's HRes 1258 charges Bush with refusing to comply with multiple subpoenas.
Key Players
- Senator Patrick Leahy - Chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee
- Rep. Henry Waxman - Chairman of House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform
- Rep. John Conyers - Chairman of the House Judiciary Committee
Subpoenas Issued
How you can help: Please let us know if you find an error or have additional information.
Cmte |
Issued |
Recipient |
Regarding |
Request |
Response |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
House Judiciary |
4/10/07 |
DOJ, Attorney General Alberto Gonzales |
For documents on Attorney Firings |
4/16/07 Failed to comply. |
|
House Oversight |
4/25/07 |
Republican National Committee |
Use of RNC email by WH aides. |
||
House Oversight |
4/25/07 |
Republican National Committee |
Hatch act violations at GSA |
||
House Oversight |
4/25/07 |
Secretary of State Condoleeza Rice |
For testimony on Niger forgeries |
4/26/07 "not inclined" to testify. USAToday, WP |
|
Senate Judiciary |
5/2/07 |
AG Alberto Gonzales |
"Lost" e-mails from Karl Rove |
||
Senate Judiciary |
6/13/07 |
WH Chief of Staff Joshua Bolten |
Attorney Firings |
6/27/07 DOJ letter supporting Bush refusal. |
|
Senate Judiciary |
6/13/07 |
Deputy Assistant to President Sara M. Taylor and White House |
|||
House Judiciary |
6/13/07 |
WH Counsel Harriet Miers |
|||
Senate Judiciary |
6/27/07 |
Documents from WH, DOJ, NSC, OR testimony of Bolten, Gonzales, Addington, Philip Lago. |
For docs on Warrantless Wiretaps |
CBS, |
8/20/07 Refusal letter from Bush lawyer. |
House Oversight |
7/30/07 |
Testimony of Lt Gen Kensinger |
Tillman Fratricide |
||
Senate Judiciary |
7/26/07 |
Karl Rove and Special Asst to President J. Scott Jennings, Deputy Dir. Pol. Affairs |
Attorney Firings |
||
House Oversight |
2/8/08 |
State Department |
Shoddy construction of Baghdad embassy, illegal kickbacks. |
2/15/08 Missed deadline. Letter to Rice by Waxman. |
|
House Oversight |
4/16/08 |
Office of Management and Budget |
WH pressuring EPA to weaken air quality regulations. |
||
| House Judiciary | 5/7/08 | David Addington, Cheney's Chief of Staff | Torture | ||
House Judiciary |
5/22/08 |
Karl Rove |
Attorney Firings |
7/10/08 Failed to appear at hearing. Conyers |
|
House Oversight |
6/16/08 |
Special Counsel Patrick Fitzgerald |
Interviews of Bush & Cheney about leaking Valerie Plame's identity. |
6/24/08 Refused to comply. |
|
House Judiciary |
6/27/08 |
Department of Justice |
|
7/7/08 deadline passed |
Resources
- Similar table on Democrats.com
- US Attorney Firings Investigation, links by Washington Post
- Waxman Oversight Committee
