Rice thumbs nose at US Constitution

[SLCPUNK]

Rice says she'll respond to subpoena with letter




OSLO, Norway (AP) -- Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said Thursday she has already answered the questions she has been subpoenaed to answer before a U.S. congressional committee and suggested she is not inclined to comply with the order.

Rice said she would respond by mail to questions from the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee on the Bush administration's prewar claims about Saddam Hussein seeking weapons of mass destruction, but signaled she would not appear in person.

"I am more than happy to answer them again in a letter," she told reporters in Oslo, where she is attending a meeting of NATO foreign ministers.

The comments were her first reaction to a subpoena issued on Wednesday by the committee chaired by Rep. Henry Waxman, a Democrat from California.

Rice said she respected the oversight function of the legislative branch, but maintained she had already testified in person and under oath about claims that Iraq had sought uranium from Africa during her confirmation hearing for the job of secretary of state.

"I addressed these questions, almost the same questions, during my confirmation hearing," she said. "This is an issue that has been answered and answered and answered."

Rice noted that she had been serving as President George W. Bush's national security adviser during the period covered by the panel's questions, and stressed the administration's position that presidential aides not confirmed by the Senate cannot be forced to testify before Congress under the doctrine of executive privilege.

"This all took place in my role as national security adviser," she said. "There is a constitutional principle. There is a separation of powers and advisers to the president under that constitutional principle are not generally required to go and testify in Congress.

"So, I think we have to observe and uphold the constitutional principle, but I also observe and uphold the obligation of Congress to conduct its oversight role, I respect that. But I think I have more than answered these questions, and answered them directly to Congressman Waxman."

Rice declined to respond when asked if she would absolutely refuse to testify under subpoena.

Her spokesman, Sean McCormack, said later that no final decision had been made about Rice appearing before the committee.

Waxman's committee voted 21-10 on Wednesday to subpoena Rice despite the U.S. State Department's insistence that the questions have already been answered.

The congressman has complained for weeks that Rice and the State Department have failed to respond to questions about the claim that Saddam Hussein had tried to by uranium from Niger.

[Edward Rose]

Not much different than the pres ignoring the will of the voters... as they voted Democrats into power and now he's ignoring the Iraq withdraw time line issue.

I wish I could meet the pres. I would walk into The White House and sit on his couch. Then I'd say, "Why don't I stretch out?," and I would put my dirty Doc Martin boots on the couch cushions. Then I would start grinding mud into his couch with my dirty boots. I would even look right into his EYES as I grind mud into his white couch. Then when he says, "Hey, stop grinding mud into my couch!" I would say, "F**k your couch cracker! Buy another one with the money from the oil you're stealing in Iraq, you rich mother f**ker!"

Then I would ask him, "Where's that hot blonde daughter of yours? Boy, if I could get my hands on her, I would wear out a 12 pack of condoms on her and throw her around like a plastic f**k doll until the sun comes up. Then I'd make her leave before I go to sleep because Kings can't trust most women... especially when a woman has Lucifer's blood running through her veins."

And lastly, I would ask him why there isn't a new "Jr." in his family. I would also ask if he thinks, along with Florida's hurricanes, it's God's way of punishing his family for abusing their power.

Then I would probably turn on him and say something nasty.

[freedom78]

Yeah, but the Constitution did moon her first.

[Gordon Gekko]

Rice is essentially saying that she gets to chose what Congress oversees and investigates, the exact thing our Constitution was designed to prevent, an Executive that believes it answers to no one.

[Surfrider]

The posts in this thread are obviously made based on partisan politics.  You guys obviously have no understanding of separation of powers issues.

[Surfrider]

Not much different than the pres ignoring the will of the voters... as they voted Democrats into power and now he's ignoring the Iraq withdraw time line issue.

I wish I could meet the pres. I would walk into The White House and sit on his couch. Then I'd say, "Why don't I stretch out?," and I would put my dirty Doc Martin boots on the couch cushions. Then I would start grinding mud into his couch with my dirty boots. I would even look right into his EYES as I grind mud into his white couch. Then when he says, "Hey, stop grinding mud into my couch!" I would say, "F**k your couch cracker! Buy another one with the money from the oil you're stealing in Iraq, you rich mother f**ker!"

Then I would ask him, "Where's that hot blonde daughter of yours? Boy, if I could get my hands on her, I would wear out a 12 pack of condoms on her and throw her around like a plastic f**k doll until the sun comes up. Then I'd make her leave before I go to sleep because Kings can't trust most women... especially when a woman has Lucifer's blood running through her veins."

And lastly, I would ask him why there isn't a new "Jr." in his family. I would also ask if he thinks, along with Florida's hurricanes, it's God's way of punishing his family for abusing their power.

Then I would probably turn on him and say something nasty.

This is ridiculous as well.  The President is elected every four years.  The executive is completely separate from the legislative branch.  Thus, the President is permitted to disagree with Congress.  Based on your assertions, there is no reason to have a separate executive.  We might as well have a prime minister.

[freedom78]

Not much different than the pres ignoring the will of the voters... as they voted Democrats into power and now he's ignoring the Iraq withdraw time line issue.

I wish I could meet the pres. I would walk into The White House and sit on his couch. Then I'd say, "Why don't I stretch out?," and I would put my dirty Doc Martin boots on the couch cushions. Then I would start grinding mud into his couch with my dirty boots. I would even look right into his EYES as I grind mud into his white couch. Then when he says, "Hey, stop grinding mud into my couch!" I would say, "F**k your couch cracker! Buy another one with the money from the oil you're stealing in Iraq, you rich mother f**ker!"

Then I would ask him, "Where's that hot blonde daughter of yours? Boy, if I could get my hands on her, I would wear out a 12 pack of condoms on her and throw her around like a plastic f**k doll until the sun comes up. Then I'd make her leave before I go to sleep because Kings can't trust most women... especially when a woman has Lucifer's blood running through her veins."

And lastly, I would ask him why there isn't a new "Jr." in his family. I would also ask if he thinks, along with Florida's hurricanes, it's God's way of punishing his family for abusing their power.

Then I would probably turn on him and say something nasty.

This is ridiculous as well.  The President is elected every four years.  The executive is completely separate from the legislative branch.  Thus, the President is permitted to disagree with Congress.  Based on your assertions, there is no reason to have a separate executive.  We might as well have a prime minister.

I partially agree with you.  The President is not compelled to do Congress's bidding, simply because his party lost the election.  Just as we said we wanted a Democratic Congress for at least two years, we must realize that we also said that we want a Republican President for four years.  The fact that those two terms overlap doesn't give one sway over the other.

At the same time, Congress DOES have oversight and subpoena power, and the Bush administration is ridiculously arrogant and stubborn about the secrecy with which it decides on policy.       

[Surfrider]

Not much different than the pres ignoring the will of the voters... as they voted Democrats into power and now he's ignoring the Iraq withdraw time line issue.

I wish I could meet the pres. I would walk into The White House and sit on his couch. Then I'd say, "Why don't I stretch out?," and I would put my dirty Doc Martin boots on the couch cushions. Then I would start grinding mud into his couch with my dirty boots. I would even look right into his EYES as I grind mud into his white couch. Then when he says, "Hey, stop grinding mud into my couch!" I would say, "F**k your couch cracker! Buy another one with the money from the oil you're stealing in Iraq, you rich mother f**ker!"

Then I would ask him, "Where's that hot blonde daughter of yours? Boy, if I could get my hands on her, I would wear out a 12 pack of condoms on her and throw her around like a plastic f**k doll until the sun comes up. Then I'd make her leave before I go to sleep because Kings can't trust most women... especially when a woman has Lucifer's blood running through her veins."

And lastly, I would ask him why there isn't a new "Jr." in his family. I would also ask if he thinks, along with Florida's hurricanes, it's God's way of punishing his family for abusing their power.

Then I would probably turn on him and say something nasty.

This is ridiculous as well.? The President is elected every four years.? The executive is completely separate from the legislative branch.? Thus, the President is permitted to disagree with Congress.? Based on your assertions, there is no reason to have a separate executive.? We might as well have a prime minister.

I partially agree with you.? The President is not compelled to do Congress's bidding, simply because his party lost the election.? Just as we said we wanted a Democratic Congress for at least two years, we must realize that we also said that we want a Republican President for four years.? The fact that those two terms overlap doesn't give one sway over the other.

At the same time, Congress DOES have oversight and subpoena power, and the Bush administration is ridiculously arrogant and stubborn about the secrecy with which it decides on policy.? ? ? ?

I believe she has testified on this stuff already. 

[SLCPUNK]

Ignoring a subpoena is ok then huh?

[Gordon Gekko]

I believe she has testified on this stuff already. 

Having already "answered the questions" has never been recognized as valid reason to defy a subpoena.

[polluxlm]

How can a minister ignore the court without repercussions? (I really want to know)

[Edward Rose]

Not much different than the pres ignoring the will of the voters... as they voted Democrats into power and now he's ignoring the Iraq withdraw time line issue.

I wish I could meet the pres. I would walk into The White House and sit on his couch. Then I'd say, "Why don't I stretch out?," and I would put my dirty Doc Martin boots on the couch cushions. Then I would start grinding mud into his couch with my dirty boots. I would even look right into his EYES as I grind mud into his white couch. Then when he says, "Hey, stop grinding mud into my couch!" I would say, "F**k your couch cracker! Buy another one with the money from the oil you're stealing in Iraq, you rich mother f**ker!"

Then I would ask him, "Where's that hot blonde daughter of yours? Boy, if I could get my hands on her, I would wear out a 12 pack of condoms on her and throw her around like a plastic f**k doll until the sun comes up. Then I'd make her leave before I go to sleep because Kings can't trust most women... especially when a woman has Lucifer's blood running through her veins."

And lastly, I would ask him why there isn't a new "Jr." in his family. I would also ask if he thinks, along with Florida's hurricanes, it's God's way of punishing his family for abusing their power.

Then I would probably turn on him and say something nasty.

This is ridiculous as well.  The President is elected every four years.  The executive is completely separate from the legislative branch.  Thus, the President is permitted to disagree with Congress.  Based on your assertions, there is no reason to have a separate executive.  We might as well have a prime minister.

I partially agree with you.  The President is not compelled to do Congress's bidding, simply because his party lost the election.  Just as we said we wanted a Democratic Congress for at least two years, we must realize that we also said that we want a Republican President for four years.  The fact that those two terms overlap doesn't give one sway over the other.

At the same time, Congress DOES have oversight and subpoena power, and the Bush administration is ridiculously arrogant and stubborn about the secrecy with which it decides on policy.       

I believe she has testified on this stuff already. 

I guess I would let Annakin Skywalker take over from here. Maybe we should have a Dictator who is elected or voted out every year. (sort of kidding)

Enough of this bullshit. It's obvious that the American system of government is inherently flawed by design. If at any point, the people express their will and The President ignores them, then he is a piece of shit. Plain and simple. That's why I would grind mud into his couch and throw his daughter around like a plastic f**k doll until the Sun comes up. (Then send her packin')

F**k Bush, f**k Condie and f**k their couch! 


But that's okay. I'm sure Daddy Bush is about to blow up another American city to scare everyone into thinking we need to stay in Iraq even though Iraq never had any terrorists there and even though we CREATED more terrorists than were there to begin with.

Check out Jon Stewart DESTROYING John McCain this week...

Part 1
http://youtube.com/watch?v=o_jNvbK1UWs

Part 2
http://youtube.com/watch?v=uZqnclUz1NA

[freedom78]

How can a minister ignore the court without repercussions? (I really want to know)

Well, first it isn't a court (though Congress can prosecute executives), so it's not quite the same.  Congress has oversight powers, meaning they can investigate whatever they want to investigate.  This runs smack into another issue, which is executive privilege, wherein the President has the right to council, and there is legal precedent saying that those councilors discussions are private, and cannot be compelled into testimony.  Because the Secretary of State is appointed by the President, she is considered such a councilor.  Of course, this does NOT mean that the heads of various US bureaucracies (Sec. State, Defense, Labor, etc.) never testify before Congress.  They do a lot.  But right now the Bush administration is battling with Congress over this and many other issues, so they're being difficult.

[Drew]

But that's okay. I'm sure Daddy Bush is about to blow up another American city to scare everyone into thinking we need to stay in Iraq even though Iraq never had any terrorists there and even though we CREATED more terrorists than were there to begin with.

Absolutely ridiculous post.

[Dr. Blutarsky]

But that's okay. I'm sure Daddy Bush is about to blow up another American city to scare everyone into thinking we need to stay in Iraq even though Iraq never had any terrorists there and even though we CREATED more terrorists than were there to begin with.

Your post makes absolutely no sense at all. Its full of emotion, but no substance.

To say Bush was behind 9/11 is absolutely absurd. Its a bullshit conspiracy cooked up by a bunch of crackpots.

[fuckin crazy]

Rice was the NSA not Sec.state during the time in question . The last time I checked , the NSA was not a cabinet position , therefor , separation of powers does not apply .

The posts in this thread are obviously made based on partisan politics. You guys obviously have no understanding of separation of powers issues.