Mukasey Dodges Questions, is Held in Contempt and Released

WASHINGTON, D.C.-- During public hearings held today on Capitol Hill, Attorney General Michael Mukasey became increasingly evasive when confronted with objections to the Administration's actions since the attack on the U.S. embassy in Sumatra. Appearing in front of a Congressional panel chaired by Senator Diane Feinstein (D-California), Mukasey conceded that the administration's failure to notify congress of the Executive Order was a mistake, but refused to admit anything further, denying that the new measures taken violated citizens' civil liverties. The UACL's representatives looked on in patriotic terror as Mukasey stated that he would do "whatever is necessary" to protect America, and even going back on a previous statement to state that he believes measures taken to bypass Congress "are appropriate because Congressional oversight might endanger national security." The UACL and its associates view this as an affront to the liberties and principles America stands for, as well as to the ideas put forth by the Founding Fathers. Mukasey's evasiveness at one point prompted committee member Senator Hillary Clinton (D-New York) to incredulously ask, "can you READ?"

When prompted to produce documents for which he had been subpoenaed, Attorney General Mukasey failed to produce them and invoked executive privilege "on behalf of the president," echoing the irrational statements J. Lewis "Scooter" Libby made during the Valerie Plame espionage case. The Attorney General refused to respond to the subpoena and Senators Clinton and Obama called for his arrest in contempt of court. A tied vote on the Senate floor failed to support Mukasey's imprisonment and he was released.

The UACL has become more and more worried about the administration's rogue attitude: ignoring Congress and failing to respond to supboenas displays an increasing disregard for law and democratic practice in the U.S.

--Matt Lerner