WASHINGTON, March 4 Lawfuel.com – Legal Announcement Service — Speaker Nancy Pelosi released the following statement on today’s agreement between the former Bush Administration and House Judiciary Chairman John Conyers, Jr. in which Karl Rove and former White House Counsel Harriet Miers will testify on matters related to the dismissal and retention of U.S. Attorneys. Rove and Miers will testify before the House Judiciary Committee in transcribed depositions under penalty of perjury, and the Committee reserves the right to have public testimony from Rove and Miers.
“The agreement for Karl Rove and Harriet Miers to testify upholds a fundamental principle: no one is above the law and Congressional subpoenas must be complied with.
“As public officials, we take an oath of office to uphold the Constitution. It is the institutional duty of Congress — as an independent branch — to ensure against abuse of power through meaningful oversight over the Executive Branch. When there are credible allegations about the politicization of law enforcement, the need for Congressional oversight is at its greatest.
“In upholding our oaths of office, the House of Representatives was determined to preserve checks and balances — the separation of powers that protects the rule of law. It brought action in court to enforce the Judiciary Committee’s subpoenas, and won a major ruling by U.S. District Judge John Bates dismissing the extreme position of absolute immunity from Congressional oversight advocated by the Bush Administration for former Administration officials. Under this agreement, the precedent established by Judge Bates’ historic ruling rejecting this extreme Bush Administration doctrine will be preserved.
“Today’s agreement is a great victory for the Constitution, the rule of law, and the separation of powers. I appreciate the strong leadership of Chairman John Conyers and the assistance of the Obama Administration.
“Congress now has the opportunity to uncover the truth and determine whether improper criteria were used by the Bush Administration to dismiss and retain U.S. Attorneys.”
