Leahy Makes An Idiot Out Of Himself...Again

Some of you may remember the hue and cry over the supposed partisan firings of eight federal prosecutors, and the threats and subpoenas issued by the head of the Senate Judiciary Committee, Patrick Leahy ( D-VT).

Aside from wasting an inordinate amount of Congress's time at the American people's expense, it was a major factor in the resignation of ex-Attorney General Alberto Gonzales.

If you remember, Leahy claimed that the order for the firings came from the president and angrily issued subpoenas to White House chief of staff, Josh Bolten,former adviser Karl Rove, former White House political director Sara Taylor and her deputy, J. Scott Jennings to find out `what Bush knew about the firings'....which the White House blew off, citing executive privilege.

After wasting a great deal more of Congress's time, Senator Leahy has now come up with another brilliant insight...he's now ruled that he knows President Bush had nothing to do with the firings, and therefore executive privilege does not apply and he wants the subpoenas complied with immediately.

Let's reiterate...after accusing the president of being guilty of something that wasn't illegal (the prosecutors, like all presidential appointees serve at the president's pleasure), Leahy has now decided that Bush isn't guilty, but is demanding that White House personnel testify under oath about a non-crime of which Leahy admits the president had nothing to do with!

White House officials were "baffled" by the ruling, since Democrats have long said they wanted to know what Bush knew of the firings, said White House spokeswoman Dana Perino. With Leahy acknowledging he has the answer — Bush was not involved — Congress should focus on such pressing matters as the federal budget.

"If he is now saying that the president wasn't aware of it, as we have said from the beginning, then I don't understand why he continues to have this rope-a-dope that's not going to go anywhere," Perino told reporters.

But Sen. Arlen Specter, R-Pa., said Leahy had no choice.

"It's a bad idea to have subpoenas issued and then not to act on them," said Specter, the panel's ranking Republican and a former chairman. "If you cry wolf, you ought to follow up."

Actually, I disagree with you, Senator. Leahy did indeed have a choice. Instead of pursuing this insane, purposeless fishing expedition to massage his own vanity and sense of importance, he could comport himself with some dignity and attend to the nation's business.

VP Dick Cheney illustrated exactly the right tone to take with someone like this a couple of years ago. It seems to be about the only kind of language he understands.