Webloggin » Bush To Democrats – 'Stick Your Partisan Fishing Expedition Where The Sun Don’t Shine'

Well he didn’t actually say that but he came pretty darn close. President Bush offered to let his staff testify privately about the firings of 8 federal prosecutors but not under oath. Expect the Democrats to milk this ridiculous side show for all it’s worth. It appears however that President Bush is willing to fight this all the way to a Constitutional showdown.

It is about time the President fought back by stating something that he should have been saying all along; the prosecutors serve at his discretion – if you don’t like that fact then too bad.

Here are some highlights of the President’s remarks:

In the last 24 hours, the Justice Department has provided the Congress more than 3,000 pages of internal Justice Department documents, including those reflecting direct communications with White House staff. This, in itself, is an extraordinary level of disclosure of an internal agency in White House communications.

Third, I recognize there is significant interest in the role the White House played in the resignations of these U.S. attorneys. Access to White House staff is always a sensitive issue. The President relies upon his staff to provide him candid advice. The framers of the Constitution understood this vital role when developing the separate branches of government. And if the staff of a President operated in constant fear of being hauled before various committees to discuss internal deliberations, the President would not receive candid advice, and the American people would be ill-served.

Yet, in this case, I recognize the importance of members of Congress having — the importance of Congress has placed on understanding how and why this decision was made. So I’ll allow relevant committee members on a bipartisan basis to interview key members of my staff to ascertain relevant facts. In addition to this offer, we will also release all White House documents and emails involving direct communications with the Justice Department or any other outside person, including members of Congress and their staff, related to this issue. These extraordinary steps offered today to the majority in Congress demonstrate a reasonable solution to the issue. However, we will not go along with a partisan fishing expedition aimed at honorable public servants.

The initial response by Democrats, unfortunately, shows some appear more interested in scoring political points than in learning the facts. It will be regrettable if they choose to head down the partisan road of issuing subpoenas and demanding show trials when I have agreed to make key White House officials and documents available. I have proposed a reasonable way to avoid an impasse. I hope they don’t choose confrontation. I will oppose any attempts to subpoena White House officials.

As we cut through all the partisan rhetoric, it’s important to maintain perspective on a couple of important points. First, it was natural and appropriate for members of the White House staff to consider and to discuss with the Justice Department whether to replace all 93 U.S. attorneys at the beginning of my second term. The start of a second term is a natural time to discuss the status of political appointees within the White House and with relevant agencies, including the Justice Department. In this case, the idea was rejected and was not pursued.

Second, it is common for me, members of my staff, and the Justice Department to receive complaints from members of Congress in both parties, and from other citizens. And we did hear complaints and concerns about U.S. attorneys. Some complained about the lack of vigorous prosecution of election fraud cases, while others had concerns about immigration cases not being prosecuted. These concerns are often shared between the White House and the Justice Department, and that is completely appropriate. – Src – NY Times

Perhaps the best statement made by the President is as follows:

It’s not too late for Democrats to drop the partisanship and work together. Democrats now have to choose whether they will waste time and provoke an unnecessary confrontation, or whether they will join us in working to do the people’s business. There are too many important issues, from funding our troops to comprehensive immigration reform, to balancing the budget, for us to accomplish on behalf of the American people.

No kidding. The Democrats have provided ample evidence why they should have remained a minority since they took the reins. They have zero desire to change anything in Congress, have shown that they are willing to support and cover up corruption when it suits their needs, and have zip respect for our troops, their safety and that of their mission. This political tug of war all comes at the expense of the American people.

I had once thought that the 109th Congress was one of the biggest disgraces I had ever experienced. The 110th tops that and then some.

UPDATE: Two very good point come to us via Wizbang:

Lorie Byrd notes:

There are several in the comments section parroting the Dem talking point that I have been seeing on television, “If there is nothing to hide, then why not have them testify under oath in public?” That is an incredibly stupid question to ask so soon after the LIbby trial and the Plame testimony. The White House appears to have learned from the LIbby example that if enough administration officials are questioned long enough under oath, there are likely to be failings in memory that could result in a perjury charge.

Exactly. It is not as if the Democrats really care about the actual law here. They are creating a false scandal for the please of sticking a knife in the back of the Bush administration; something that keeps the many intellectually naive lemmings on the left frothing with glee; seemingly oblivious to the impact this has on the real job that is NOT BEING DONE BY CONGRESS. It is a pure political sideshow and the Republicans ought to grow some balls and start fighting back.

Which leads me into a second point that is illustrated perfectly by Dick Morris.

When will the Bush administration grow some guts? Except for its resolute — read: stubborn — position on Iraq, the White House seems incapable of standing up for itself and battling for its point of view. The Democratic assault on the administration over the dismissal of United States attorneys is the most fabricated and phony of scandals, but the Bush people offer only craven apologies, half-hearted defenses, and concessions. Instead, they should stand up to the Democrats and defend the conduct of their own Justice Department.

There is no question that the attorney general and the president can dismiss United States attorneys at any time and for any reason. We do not have civil servant U.S. attorneys but maintain the process of presidential appointment for a very good reason: We consider who prosecutes whom and for what to be a question of public policy that should reflect the president’s priorities and objectives. When a U.S. attorney chooses to go light in prosecuting voter fraud and political corruption, it is completely understandable and totally legitimate for a president and an attorney general to decide to fire him or her and appoint a replacement who will do so.
…
Bush, Rove, Gonzales and Co. should explain why the U.S. attorneys were dismissed by emphasizing the importance of the cases they were refusing to prosecute. By doing so, they can turn the Democratic attacks on them into demands to go easy on fraudulent voting. A good sense of public relations — and some courage — could turn this issue against the Democrats for blocking Bush’s efforts to crack down on the criminals he wanted prosecuted.

It’s about time; let’s hope the administration takes this advice.

Others: Michelle Malkin,Hot Air

Alberto Gonzales