Leahy Subpoenas: "Tired of Getting Half-Truths"

Senator Leahy, "tired of half-truths" from White House, moves toward subpoenaing Rove, Miers.

Yesterday on ABC's "This Week," Senator Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) called on key White House officials like Deputy White House Chief of Staff Karl Rove and former White House Counsel Harriet Miers to appear before the Senate Judiciary Committee to testify under oath.

This comes after the Senate Judiciary Committee authorized Senator Leahy to issue subpoenas to 11 current and former Department of Justice officials.

Leahy, who is also the chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, expressed his intent to subpoena key White House officials if they refuse to willingly testify and his outrage at the White House's lack of forthcomingness in the matter.

"You hear one statement, and then the next day you hear it's something else."

"I want testimony under oath. I am sick and tired of getting half-truths on this."

When reached for comment, Leahy's office said that the committee would be voting on Thursday to approve subpoenas for key White House officials.

Leahy also expressed his concern in the ABC interview that the firings of federal prosecutors by the Justice Department were strictly politically motivated and had nothing to do with performance.

"Now there's 20-some vacancies in US attorney offices and the president hasn't even set up names on them yet. All of a sudden these are replaced - one to be filled with a crony of Karl Rove's. This sends a chill throughout all the prosecutors."

Senator John Cornyn (R-Texas), who is also a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee and appeared on "This Week " alongside Senator Leahy, echoed his concerns about the political motivations behind the firings.

"It's clear that the president has the right to terminate all the US attorneys." The problem is, and I join Senator Leahy in this, that the explanation was botched from the onset."

The call from Senators Leahy and Cornyn call comes amidst demands from members of Congress, including four Republicans, for Attorney General Alberto Gonzales to resign.

In a statement on March 16th, Representative Paul Gillmor of Ohio became the fourth Congressional Republican calling for President Bush to replace Gonzales.

"As a result of these very public errors, Attorney General Gonzales has become a lightning rod and has distracted from the mission of the Department of Justice. Given the totality of the circumstances, I think it would be better for the president and the department if the attorney general were to step down," Gillmor said.

On March 15th, Representative Dana Rohrbacher (R-Calif.) became the third Congressional Republican to demand that Gonzales step down. "Even for Republicans, this is a warning sign - saying there needs to be a change. Maybe the president should have an attorney general who is less a personal friend and more professional in his approach."

On the same day, Senator Gordon Smith (R-Oregon) stated that, "For the Justice Department to be effective before the US Senate, it would be helpful" if Gonzales resigned.

On March 14th, Senator John Sununu (R-N.H.) stated in an interview, "I think the president should replace him. I think the attorney general should be fired." He declared, "We need to have a strong, credible attorney general that has the confidence of Congress and the American people. Alberto Gonzales can't fill that role."

Deniz Yeter is a Turkish born citizen who was originally born in Berlin, Germany. Yeter moved to the United States, eventually settling down in Kansas, becoming a US citizen at the age of 14. He currently resides in Overland Park, Kansas, where he is a freelance writer and is also currently attending college at the University of Missouri-Kansas City where he is majoring in Education to become a teacher. He can be reached at minmotstand@communitymail.net.

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