Taylor Avoids Direct Testimony, As Will Miers Tomorrow

by Steve

AFP photo

As expected, Sara Taylor hid behind Bush's claim of executive privilege, but did assert that she didn't talk to Bush about the firing of federal attorneys nor was Bush involved in the decisions as far as she knew. The White House just announced that Harriet Miers will refuse to testify tomorrow, based on an assertion by Alberto Gonzales that Miers has absolute immunity from compelled congressional testimony. Doesn't this cry out for a Special Prosecutor, if the man at the center of the inquiry tells the White House they can ignore that same inquiry?

Knowing that past court decisions have granted the president some leeway when matters of national security are at hand, Pat Leahy may have screwed up today when he didn't at least get Taylor on the record as to whether or not national security was ever discussed during these allegedly protected conversations about replacing federal prosecutors. If he was at least able to get her to respond and rule out a national security angle, it would have made the court case that much stronger.

But the time for that court case is now, and the time for delay is over. What is the Bush Administration hiding?