Newscoma

It appears its subpoena time in Washington. The White House has one. The Vice-president’s office has one.

And when I get a subpoena (which has happened in my line of work) I usually have to show up to answer some questions, but I think the most important issue is will they?

Warrant-free eavesdropping has always bothered me.  As it should everyone.

The White House contends that its search for would-be terrorists is legal, necessary and effective — pointing out frequently that there have been no further attacks on American soil. Administration officials say they have given classified information — such as details about the eavesdropping program, which is now under court supervision — to the intelligence committees of both houses of Congress.

Echoing its response to previous congressional subpoenas to former administration officials Harriet Miers and Sara Taylor, the White House gave no indication that it would comply with the new ones.

I hope the White House complies with the inquiry. If folks have done nothing wrong, then there’s nothing to worry about.

Right.

Right?

I think it’s going to be a long, hot summer for Bush and Co. The only person I honestly see staying out of the crossfire these days is Condi Rice.

Even Dick Cheney is backing up a bit over documents and his crazy reasoning that his office was a separate entity. And, from all appearances he’s backing up because if he’s not a part of the executive branch, then Rep. Rahm Emanuel talked of cutting off funding his office. $4.8 million smackers is a lot of dough. Now, as hard as this is for me to write, Cheney isn’t a stupid man.

Dick Cheney’s office is abandoning a justification for keeping the vice president’s secret papers out of the hands of the National Archives, while asserting a new argument for withholding them.

Officials working for Cheney had tried to claim he is separate from the executive branch, but they will no longer pursue that defense, senior administration officials tell The Politico.

But this was pretty … umm … stupid.  When did politicians forget they are public servants?

That was a rhetorical question.

So, searching the tubes today makes me wonder, as I said a few months ago, if there is a lot going on in the back, dark smoky rooms (well, I guess there not as smoky as they used to be) and that Bush and Co. are going to have a rough summer. I have no doubt that the smoky rooms have been pretty full lately.

Oh, and yeah, the House gave itself a raise if you didn’t know. Hope they earn it.