HJC Testimony: Michael Mukasey
Today’s hearing should be contentious. I expect Dems will want to talk about why Karl Rove feels he can blow of Congress, why Michael Mukasey begged Bush to invoke Executive Privilege to protect Cheney’s FBI interview reports, torture, and voting rights. Mukasey, undoubtedly, is going to want to talk about how HJC should drop all of those issues and instead focus on his call for Congress to redeclare war against Al Qaeda and to legalize keeping detainees indefinitely even if their habeas petitions say there’s no reason to hold them. I’m sure the Republicans on the Committee will alternate between supporting Mukasey’s call to redeclare war and interfering with the hearing generally, as they did with the Dougie Feith hearing last week.
As scheduled, the only place to watch the hearing live is the HJC feed. CSPAN will be showing it on tape delay later in the day.
One more relevant announcement: Governor Don Siegelman will be joining us at FDL tomorrow at 12 ET/9 PT for a live chat–we expect to talk about contempt for Karl Rove, as well as anything that comes up in today’s HJC hearing.
Conyers: Not seen enough cooperation on voting rights. Regular meetings on voting rights have not happened and have not been effective. Probably 100 days before the election, we don’t know specifically how govt will respond to practices that made elections of 2000 and 2004 so controversial. Highest order of responsible, because we’re going to be held responsible. In addition to serious problems in 2000 and 2004, numerous other problems, troubling redistricting plans. Hearing tomorrow and DOJ to this moment doesn’t have anybody committed to coming to that hearing. Head of voting section hasn’t agreed to come before us.
Conyers: Trying to get key members of Bush Administration before us: Miers and Bolten refused to cooperate in contempt proceedings bc DOJ has said they’re not going to enforce this subpoena. This Department continues to validate unprecedented concept of total immunity for high ranking officials. Last week, they oddly argued that non-grand jury statements somehow privileged. Waiting months and months for critical documents relating to obstruction of justice, secret OLC opinions, strike at core of Constitutional freedom. With less than 100 days remaining before election, this delay is unacceptable. AG has continued unfortunate tradition of refusing to appoint special prosecutor for evidence of misconduct that would require DOJ to bring in outside counsel. Read more →