Leahy and Conyers blast back at White House "stonewalling"

The chairmen of the Senate and House Judiciary Committees say the administration's claim of executive priviledge is bogus.

Published July 9, 2007 5:19PM (EDT)

Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Patrick Leahy, D-Vt. has responded to the Presidentb

Leahy, whose committee has issued subpoenas for documents and testimony in the U.S. attorneys firing scandal, says in his statement that "there is clear evidence that Ms. Taylor was one of several White House officials who played a key role in these firings and the Administrationb

Asking what the administration has to hide, Leahy states, "The White House continues to try to have it both ways -- to block Congress from talking with witnesses and accessing documents and other evidence while saying nothing improper occurred."

Rep. John Conyers, D-Mich., who chairs the House Judiciary Committee, also issued a statement responding to the White House: "Contrary to what the White House may believe," Conyers wrote, "it is the Congress and the Courts that will decide whether an invocation of Executive Privilege is valid, not the White House unilaterally."


By Julia Dahl

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