Waxman to former Bush Chief: You'll talk on the Daily Show, but not to me? Michael Roston

Published: Friday April 20, 2007 Print This Email This Rep. Henry Waxman announced today that he'll consider issuing four subpoenas in a meeting this coming Wednesday, April 25. In a letter to one subpoena target, the Oversight Committee Chairman complained that a former White House Chief of Staff appeared on Comedy Central's The Daily Show, but has so far refused to testify before his committee. "On April 16,2007, you appeared on The Daily Show with Jon Stewart and discussed the leak of [former covert CIA Agent Valerie Plame] Wilson's identity," Waxman (D-CA) wrote to Andrew Card, the former White House Chief of Staff. "[White House Counel Fred] Fielding's position appears to be that it is appropriate for you to discuss these matters on The Daily Show, but not before a congressional committee. You will not be surprised to learn that I take a different view of this matter." Card served as Bush's chief of staff from the President's inauguration until April 2006. In March, Waxman sought "an on-the-record interview regarding the disclosure of Ms. Wilson's covert identity and the White House procedures for handling classified information," with Card. But the White House Counsel rejected the request because "former senior White House officials such as the Chief of Staff to the President have historically not been available to Congress to testify, or to be interviewed, about their activities in serving the President," according to the Congressman's letter. The leak of Plame's identity came up on Card's show on Monday night. "It was [former Deputy Secretary of State Richard] Armitage who was the one gave Bob Novak the name," Card told Stewart when asked about the Plame leak. "I don't think people at the White House knew the name, I don't think we knew her name." Stewart then joked that Card was going back into "the mode" and suggested he should move away from "the dark side." Card insisted he was telling the truth. [Card's full appearance can be watched below.] Waxman also intended to discuss three more subpoenas on Wednesday. First, the chairman intended to once again mull a subpoena for Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice. The California Democrat had threatened to issue a subpoena on Wednesday, but delayed the meeting as he sought to secure a promise from Rice to testify before Memorial Day on the intelligence used to build the case for the Iraq War. RAW STORY was still waiting to hear from committee staff on whether including Rice on the agenda for April 25 meant she had rejected the congressman's request. Waxman also was prepared to discuss two additional subpoenas. One would be directed to the Republican National Committee for "documents relating to possible violations of the Presidential Records Act and the Hatch Act by White House officials," relating to e-mail accounts supplied by the RNC and used by White House staff like Karl Rove. The other subpoena would be directed to "the Executive Office of the President for contracts and contacts between the White House and MZM. Inc.." MZM was involved in the public corruption case against former Rep. Randy "Duke" Cunningham (R-CA). Waxman's letters can be accessed at the Oversight and Government Reform Committee's website. A clip from Card's appearance on The Daily Show available at Comedy Central's Motherload website can be viewed below. #



