Barack Obama’s invocation of executive privilege to keep subpoenaed documents from congressional committees investigating Fast and Furious came as rather a shock to many DC observers. It wasn’t that pundits were surprised the “most transparent administration in history” had chosen to OFFICIALLY cover up the Fast and Furious affair. After all, no one actually believed Obama’s phony openness claims in the first place.
What really confounded Administration friends and foes alike was the fact that Obama invoked the privilege in the face of such an extensive body of disapproving legal precedent. “Where there is reason to believe…documents sought may shed light on government misconduct, ‘the privilege is routinely denied…’” wrote the DC District Court of Appeals in the Clinton era US v Espy case. How could a former instructor of law make such an obvious and fundamental legal “error?”
It’s a safe bet that Eric Holder and Barack Obama worked out the executive privilege idea well in advance of the Attorney General’s scheduled meeting with Darrell Issa. It was, after all, a worst case, fallback scheme the pair undoubtedly agreed must be implemented should Oversight Committee chair Issa refuse Holder’s last-minute attempt to buffalo the Congressman and Republican leaders into accepting the AG’s testimony in lieu of subpoenaed documents.
In fact, the privilege claim was only invoked after a year of stonewalling had failed, threatening to result in an embarrassing contempt charge that even the 90% of national media types who had buried the Fast and Furious story would eventually be forced to report. Yet, although political fallout resulting from the contempt vote and the illegally advanced privilege claim would be swift, it would be NOTHING compared to the nuclear blast resulting from a release of documents that proved Obama and Holder had been in on the implementation and ensuing cover-up of the Fast and Furious debacle from the very beginning. Documents yielding such a revelation obviously had to be denied the Committee and the American public at all costs, as a loss in November might be accompanied by a stretch in Leavenworth.
Though Barack Obama knew a political firestorm would accompany his claim of executive privilege, it was a decision he was forced to make.
Yet, incredibly, Obama might have a way out. First of all, rumor has it that neither Mitt Romney nor House Republican leaders want what they consider the distraction of Fast and Furious to divert attention from their campaign on the disastrous Obama economy. So there remains a very real possibility that the Regime can make a deal with John Boehner in which a few carefully selected documents might be turned over in exchange for an end to the contempt vote and further subpoenas. Everything would go away in favor of concentrating on the campaign, making both Obama and DC Republicans very happy.
Moreover, there is no way a lawsuit over the privilege claim could make its way through the legal system before the election. So if Obama wins in November, it will be back to obfuscate and dissemble. And if he loses, Republicans will almost certainly drop the investigation lest they be accused of persecuting the first minority president and attorney general for the racist purpose of schooling blacks on the dangers inherent in aiming too high… getting too uppity!
Obama had to short-circuit the Fast and Furious probe until after the election and take the attending political heat. It was in part a play for time that has provided him the opportunity of making a deal with those Republicans more interested in political expedience than in doing what’s right. Remember, John Boehner put off the contempt vote of the full House until this week, evidently in the hope a deal could be worked out in the interim.
If there is no contempt vote by Friday, we’ll know Obama’s privilege claim worked beautifully. We’ll also know that conservatives have once again been sold out by the Republican brass.
Related posts:
- Issa Challenges Obama Executive Privilege Claim With a vote looming to hold Attorney General Eric Holder…
- Is Fast And Furious Obama’s Watergate? Operation Fast and Furious has been painted as a rogue…
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The Republicans are not fighting injustice. They are allowing Obama to get away with murder. Thus all america loses the battle to restore our system. People are losing faith in our government and our legal system. When crooks can continually beat the system it sends a message that it is ok to cheat, lie and steal. When the president lies, cheats and steals and our leadership looks the other way, it teaches young and old alike to accept corruption and everything that goes along with it. Wow, what are we teaching our kids?
They should press on no matter what..the American people are tired of the corrupt politicians…the wind would be at their back.
The crop of Rinos in Congress need to be dumped this election starting with the Speaker of the House.
Then we need to force a Article V Constitutional Convention so we can repair the Constitution to perform the job it was originally designed for which is to keep the Federal Government chained up and small.
Actually, the State legislatures several times in this nation have met the 2/3rds requirement for a Constitutionally mandated MANDATORY Article V Convention to circumvent an out-of-control Congress and an out-of-control US Supreme Court, but the US Congress is so arrogant that they do not even keep track of the tally of State legislatures who have petitioned Congress for an Article V Convention. They haven't kept a tally on this since the Constitution was signed in 1787!!! All requests by State legislatures are simply recorded "in memoriam" in Congressional documents of what transpired on the docket for the day. No attempt whatsoever is made to keep a tally. State legislatures need to convene their own Article V Convention despite the arrogance of Congress and set the stage for a national showdown with the District of Criminals. They are perfectly within their Constitutional right to do so.
http://www.foavc.org
As Reagan would say, "There they go again!" If Reagan were alive today, he would break his own 11th Commandment with the Republican Party just as he broke it years ago with the Democratic Party. In Boehner and Obama, all you have here are two mob bosses making deals within the crime syndicate. That's basically all our national news is today: a CHRONICLE OF CAPITOL CRIMES IN THE DISTRICT OF CRIMINALS. I fully expect Boehner to cave, and I said so last week. The GOP and TEA Partiers are all to blame for allowing this man anywhere near the Speakership of the US Congress.
During his entire reign, does anyone really believe any kind of justice, truth or honesty would EVER come this "administration"?
I learned long ago that this dick-tatorship would do what it wanted, when it wanted and no one was going to do anything about it.
Seeks your right it was obvious from the day he gave his inaugural speech that he had plans to bring down this country and he's doing a good job.Name one other president that wants people to turn in police personel.
Here's something for you to ponder.
Go back and listen to him as a Senator. Check his voting record. He spells out his plan in plain English. Listen again to his campaign speeches.
You'll say how did people miss that? That's the reason I was so adamantly against him to the point of having my career in jeopardy.
If you didn't know this was the type of president he was going to be, you weren't paying attention.
Just as people need to open their eyes to Romney now. Take a few and REALLY listen to his speeches.
We have no hope. Prepare is all I can say.
Romney isn't the answer he's just the lesser of 2 evils.I think Newt was the man who might have been better or even Ron Paul.
I wholeheartedly agree. Newt was the right person for lots of reasons, perhaps most importantly because he wouldn’t let the mainstream-media do Obama’s bidding for him.
Allowing these snakes in the grass to escape the publics wrath would be a monumental mistake for any Republican to make……
MARK MY WORDS: If Romney were to somehow win if we even have an election and a fair one at that, NOTHING will be done to prosecute Obama and nullify his illegitimate legislation or SCOTUS appointments. Holder, too, will not be prosecuted. The GOP is NOT the friend of the American People or the US Constitution. The only GOOD that has come from the Obama administration is that this point has been emphatically demonstrated to be true. The GOP has finally been forced to reveal its true colors. They are the enemy, too, and so many are astonished now to find this out. Now, you're faced with the decision of whether you should reward these TRAITORS at the ballot box. Do your country, yourself, your children, and your children's children a favor: VOTE 3rd PARTY WHENEVER PRESENTED WITH THE OPPORTUNITY. FACE THE TRUTH: The GOP has done absolutely nothing for the last 3.5 years to EARN your vote. They have practically been an echo chamber for Obama's High Treason.
Holder had his chances to come clean, NO MORE CHANCES NO MATTER WHAT HE PROMISES. Contempt of Congress and treason charges are in order. Congress, don't you DARE back down.
Somewhere along the line Crybaby Boner will give in and Obunghole will get his way.It's only a matter of time.
MARK MY WORDS: If Romney were to somehow win if we even have an election and a fair one at that, NOTHING will be done to prosecute Obama and nullify his illegitimate legislation or SCOTUS appointments. Holder, too, will not be prosecuted. The GOP is NOT the friend of the American People or the US Constitution. The only GOOD that has come from the Obama administration is that this point has been emphatically demonstrated to be true. The GOP has finally been forced to reveal its true colors. They are the enemy, too, and so many are astonished now to find this out. Now, you're faced with the decision of whether you should reward these TRAITORS at the ballot box. Do your country, yourself, your children, and your children's children a favor: VOTE 3rd PARTY WHENEVER PRESENTED WITH THE OPPORTUNITY. FACE THE TRUTH: The GOP has done absolutely nothing for the last 3.5 years to EARN your vote. They have practically been an echo chamber for Obama's High Treason.
We need to Notify all Republicans in DC and our states – STOP selling us out!
Support us and the USA.
The American People MUST keep the pressure up on that fraudster, 'no-nation' man Oboma Bin Laden Hussein. He should have all his funding pulled, (stuff Hollywood), and a gallows should be built with a short rope for his skinny neck. Anyone who allows him to get through, should be looked at closely for their loyalty to America.
you crazies have divided this country, and look at what kind of an american are you? the kind that burns crosses in peoples yards?
you live in cloud cuckoo land! You insult God when when you use Christianity as a weapon against Christians. Go and harass your muslim and homosexual mates. Don't bother God-fearjng Christians. You blasphemer.
You insult God and Christianity when you twist his message into hatred towards all who are not like yourself
If they make a deal without all the documents requested, We need to vote them all out on their next election. I am sick of the republicans backing down. To me, this is as important as the economy and jobs, as the house keeps passing bills which are not even brought up in the Senate.
Why do you keep giving in to the Democrats, especially Obama. I can't even call him President as he is such a disgrace and I would go so far as to say he is a traitor to all our country stands for. He is serving illegally and you in Congress are letting him destroy our country and shred our Constitution with no regard. You are all disgraceful for not doing what we (the taxpayer and your employer) have asked and expect you to do.