House holds 2 Bush aides in contempt
Lawmakers seek criminal charges against current chief of staff Joshua Bolten and former counsel Harriet Miers. They failed to answer subpoenas relating to the firings of U.S. attorneys.
washington -- The House voted today to refer to the Justice Department criminal contempt charges against two Bush administration advisers who refused to cooperate with a congressional probe last year into the firing of U.S. attorneys.
The resolution was the first time in more than two decades that a full chamber of Congress had backed a contempt of Congress citation. It also marked an escalation of a dispute between House Democrats and the White House over the breadth of executive privilege, which could now end up in court.
Held in contempt were presidential chief of staff Joshua B. Bolten and former White House counsel Harriet Miers, both of whom failed to answer subpoenas for testimony or documents last summer from the House Judiciary Committee. The panel was investigating the politically charged firing of nine U.S. attorneys in 2006.
The resolution passed by a margin of 223-32. Before the vote, Republicans declared the exercise a political stunt and walked off the House floor in protest. The action was partly symbolic; Atty. Gen. Michael B. Mukasey has indicated that the Justice Department would not pursue contempt charges under the circumstances because department officials have ruled that Miers and Bolton were protected by executive privilege.
But today's resolution also authorized a civil contempt suit by the House against Miers and Bolton. That lawsuit -- which would be filed in federal court in Washington -- could be initiated at any time, and would not depend on the approval of the Justice Department.
rick.schmitt@latimes.com
