JURIST - Paper Chase: US House committee subpoenas RNC for US Attorney firings emails

[JURIST] US House Judiciary Committee [official website] chairman John Conyers (D-MI) issued a subpoena [materials] Friday to the Republican National Committee (RNC) [party website] to turn over any emails on the US Attorney firings [JURIST news archive] sent by White House officials from RNC-sponsored accounts. Conyers also warned former White House counsel Harriet Miers [official profile] that she may be subjected to contempt of Congress proceedings if she continues her refusal to testify before the committee.

On Wednesday, Miers' lawyer told the committee that his client would not testify [JURIST report], under directions from current White House counsel Fred Fielding. In a letter sent in response [PDF text], Conyers and subcommittee chairwoman Linda Sanchez pointed out that there have been 74 prior instances since World War II where serving White House advisers have testified before Congress. Also on Wednesday, former White House Political Director Sara M. Taylor [SourceWatch profile] refused to answer questions from the the Senate Judiciary Committee [official website], pointing to Bush's assertion of executive privilege. Taylor did answer some questions, but refused to answer others, saying she would do so in the future if ordered by the courts [opening statement]. AP has more.

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