2007年VOA标准英语-Congressional Panel Gears to Cite White House O

The legal confrontation 1 between President Bush and Congress over documents and other information sought by lawmakers could soon escalate 2. VOA's Dan Robinson reports, the House Judiciary Committee meets later Wednesday to vote on whether to cite one current and one former White House official for contempt of Congress, in a constitutional standoff likely to end up in the courts.

The Democratic-controlled House judiciary panel, and its Senate counterpart, have moved steadily 3 closer to an all-out constitutional clash with the White House over investigations 4 into the firing of eight U.S. federal prosecutors 5.

Although prosecutors are subject to replacement 6 at any time under any administration, some of those dismissed told Congress earlier this year that they received inappropriate contacts from Republican lawmakers or staff about criminal investigations.

George Bush



Since the controversy 7 over allegations of politicization of the Justice Department began, President Bush and Attorney General Alberto Gonzales have asserted that the attorneys were not dismissed for improper 8 political reasons.

Democrats 9 pressed ahead with subpoenas 11 to compel the White House to provide documents and other material, and allow testimony 12 by current and former White House aides.

Acting 13 on behalf of President Bush, White House lawyers claimed executive privilege, asserting that there is no requirement to share information concerning internal administration deliberations with Congress or permit testimony.

In another step last week, the White House announced it would not allow the Justice Department to prosecute 14 members of the executive branch for contempt of Congress.

After one former White House aide, Harriet Miers, failed to show up, a House judiciary subcommittee formally ruled White House explanations legally invalid 15.

Congresswoman Linda Sanchez said White House chief of staff Joshua Bolten, who is the subject of a subpoena 10, is required to produce documents.

"The White House is refusing not only to produce documents pursuant to the subpoena, but also to even explain why the documents are being withheld," she said. "In effect, the White House is asking Congress and the American people to simply trust on blind faith that the documents are appropriately being kept secret. Our system of government does not permit the White House to demand this type of blind faith and secrecy 16."

Republicans accuse Democrats of engaging in a political charade 17 designed to damage the president.

"It is a core responsibility of Congress to oversee 18 the executive branch," said Congressman 19 Chris Cannon 20, the ranking Republican on the subcommittee. "But after all the investigations we have done on this matter, it is resulted in no evidence of wrongdoing in the removal of the U.S. attorneys. Instead, we have damaged the Justice Department, diminished Congress, and have landed at the threshold of contempt proceedings 21 against Harriet Miers and the White House."

Alberto Gonzales testifies on Capitol Hill before  Senate Judiciary Committee, 24 July 2007



Wednesday's meeting of the full House Judiciary Committee follows more confrontation Tuesday between Attorney General Gonzales and the Senate judiciary panel.

Gonzales, who has President Bush's support, has resisted calls for his resignation, pledging to fix problems at the Department of Justice emanating 22 from he calls mistakes under his watch.

Senate judiciary chairman Pat Leahy had this exchange with the attorney general.

Leahy: If a house of Congress certified 23 a contempt citation 24 against former or current officials for failing to appear or comply with a congressional subpoena, would you permit the U.S. attorney to carry out the law to refer the matter to a grand jury and therefore fulfill 25 the constitutional duty to faithfully execute the law, or would you block the execution of the law?

Gonzales:  Mr. chairman, your question relates to an ongoing 26 controversy which I am recused from. I am not going to answer that question.

Leahy: Is there anybody left in the Department of Justice who could answer the question?

Gonzales: Of course there is.

Leahy:  Who?

Gonzales:  With respect to these kinds of decisions it would be made by the solicitor 27 general.

Gonzales received this warning from the ranking Senate committee Republican Arlen Specter

"The chairman has already said that the committee is going to review your testimony very carefully, to see if your credibility has not been breached 28 to the point of being actionable," he said.

Specter termed patently unreasonable 29 the White House's continuing insistence 30 that any testimony take place without transcripts 31, although he held out hope that Congress and the White House can reach some accommodation.

Referring to the administration's order blocking Justice Department action on a potential congressional contempt citation, Senator Leahy warned Gonzales that questions about alleged 32 executive branch lying to Congress, perjury 33, or destruction of evidence or obstruction 34 of justice would soon be "real issues [and] not just debating points."