Justice Department Won’t Prosecute Harriet Miers & Josh Bolten

In a truly expected, yet utterly sad turn of events the Justice Department has stated that they will not prosecute Harriet Miers & Josh Bolten, both cited by the House with Contempt of Congress for refusing to testify regarding the firings of U.S. Justice Department Attorneys and Alberto Gonzalez's role in the process.

Not coincidentally, Karl Rove and J. Scott Jennings are also not expected to testify despite being subpoenaed because, according to White House Counsel Fred Fielding, all current and former Presidential Aides are immune from subpoenas due to "Executive Privilege". 

For those unfamiliar with "Executive Privilege" it is the assumed right of the Executive Branch of government to resist certain encroachments by other branches of government.  The first claim of executive privilege can be traced to President George Washington and its first successful challenge can be traced to Thomas Jefferson.  Nixon was famous for blatantly misusing it in obvious and extensive ways to attempt to cover his political misdeeds and crimes.

Bush Jr. is famous for using it in what is suspected to be the same way, but with the Justice Department in his pocket he has been far more successful.  Another advantage he has is that Congress is seemingly incapable of taking any real action of authority (such as impeachment) due to the administration's terrorism/time-of-war fearmongering, the Republican minority's partisan voting and the Democratic party's tendency to showboat without actually producing results.

I voted for Bush in 2000 and laughed at the people who threatened to leave the country if he was declared the winner of the election.  If I only knew then what I know now…

- one