White House Puts Limits on Queries from Democrats

[kskiska]

By Dana Milbank

The Bush White House, irritated by pesky questions from congressional Democrats about how the administration is using taxpayer money, has developed an efficient solution: It will not entertain any more questions from opposition lawmakers.

The decision -- one that Democrats and scholars said is highly unusual -- was announced in an e-mail sent Wednesday to the staff of the House and Senate Appropriations Committees. House committee Democrats had just asked for information about how much the White House spent making and installing the "Mission Accomplished" banner for President Bush's May 1 speech aboard the USS Abraham Lincoln.

The director of the White House Office of Administration, Timothy A. Campen, sent an e-mail titled "congressional questions" to majority and minority staff on the House and Senate Appropriations panels. Expressing "the need to add a bit of structure to the Q&A process," he wrote: "Given the increase in the number and types of requests we are beginning to receive from the House and Senate, and in deference to the various committee chairmen and our desire to better coordinate these requests, I am asking that all requests for information and materials be coordinated through the committee chairmen and be put in writing from the committee."

He said this would limit "duplicate requests" and help answer questions "in a timely fashion."

It would also do another thing: prevent Democrats from getting questions answered without the blessing of the GOP committee chairmen.

more…
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A9708-2003Nov6.html

[grytpype]

1. The thing to do is to ignore this email...

... and keep sending requests anyway. Who the fuck is Timothy A. Campen to tell Congress how to pose questions to the White House?

[loudnclear]

44. First, they say we are not a "democracy", now we are not even a Republic!

I guess we are ...... you fill in the blanks. Maybe a "constitutional monarchy?"

[Military Brat]

2. What IS this? Put up or shut up?

Who died and made bush king? Another lieutenant is now carrying out his dirty orders.

[Pale_Rider]

12. Setting a new tone in Washingtoon ...

... Bush's way or the Highway.

Questions must be getting too hot to handle. Maybe their thinking is that if they ignore the opposition, they'll go away.

[Skittles]

16. well, nobody died

but the SCOTUS made him king

[Sick of Bullshit]

22. Nobody died

Bu$$$h was proclaimed de facto king by five corrupt judges on the not-so-Supreme Court.

[Zhade]

30. Sadly, there was a death. Democracy.

NT!

[kayell]

3. Checks and Balances = pesky questions

Please stop annoying the Emperor. He's a very busy man, files to shred, tapes to erase, bodies to bury.

[RapidCreek]

17. and..

golf to play, a brush to cut, a scotty to play with and pretzels to eat.

RC

[gate of the sun]

25. very funny

n/t

[Mountainman]

41. brush to clear, beer to drink, pretzels to eat, porches to sit on

[PartyPooper]

4. Ask me no questions...and, I will tell you no lies!

:nopity:

[Endangered Specie]

6. Just

Do not question Der Fuehrer,

[radfringe]

29. looks like Baghdad Bush is instituting his own version of

Don't ask - don't tell

[Faygo Kid]

5. Mainstream values?

Would most fair minded Americans consider this reasonable? Why don't we communicate this kind of thing? We are always looking on DU for issues. Here's one that should be simple to understand.

[qanda]

7. Is this bizarro world or what?

Unbelievable!!!!!!!

[Mel]

8. Fascists in the

Bush Whitewash House trying to suppress the opposition/democrats.

[acmavm]

9. How transparently arrogant do these people think that they can be?

The truth is, the White House is answerable to the democrats, the republicans, and yes, to you and me. I hope that they keep this up. Surely it is becoming apparent to everyone with two functioning brain cells just what a dangerous bunch of thugs are running things right now. The more stories about their arrogance the better. We need to just keep it in front of the American voter that this lunkhead campaigned on the basis that he wanted an open government, answerable to the people. Print his campaign speeches, and then print crap like this. The guy was a liar from the get-go. Now prove it.

edit: someday I'll learn to spell.

[boxster]

11. I honestly think they feel invincible and think they can do whatever they

want. They've taken an election that Bush lost and turned it into an authoritarian nightmare.

I just do not understand how 50% of the American public could still support this idiot and his administration. Ignorance and/or apathy is rampant, apparently.

[RapidCreek]

18. They want a king...not a president

and that is what they have!

RC

[Minstrel Boy]

43. Ignorance and apathy may be rampant, but most of all,

it's denial.

Most Americans cannot, will not believe what's happening right before their eyes, because to do so would demolish the myths they live by. It's simply too big and too scary. And if Bush steals another one, they'll still be saying the United States is "the greatest democracy in thew world," because it's the illusion that eases them through their lives, not confronting the grotesque reality.

[goforit]

10. Hmmmm..........Does the Military know what's up?

A Tyrranny is what's up!!!!

Read what to do under a Tyrranny in your military mannuals!!!

[bpilgrim]

13. everything hitler did was 'legal' too - n/t

peace

[mbperrin]

14. I'm takin' notes!

So we'll know to act like adults when we're next in power!

(Wouldn't they just shit bricks?)

[Justice]

15. This Makes Meme Look Legitimate

I am starting to look at this whole meme thing another way. It makes me feel GREAT to know that the Democrats are fighting back, mapping out strategy. I am actually really encouraged by its disclosure.

[grasswire]

19. Ashley Shnee??

Ashley Shnee? The very name makes me shiver.

[roguevalley]

20. moveon needs to coordinate a mass mailing of who made the banner

and how much, *dudes*. A few million inquiries might
loosen their colons, the freaks.

[Tom Yossarian Joad]

21. Unbelievable. Machiavellian?

These asses want to rule the world and think they're on a fucking mission for God.

When will it end?

[Rex]

23. Next step: deny any requests for an audience with the Emperor

that is unless you can "donate" at least $200,000 dollars to his "re-election" campaign.

[RuB]

24. The Republicans must think the Democrats

are going to be the minority party for a very long time. Otherwise they wouldn't be so arogant in their thinking. What goes around and all that.

[T Bone]

26. PNAC applied to Everything and all relationships

After reading PNAC plans online was there any reason to think it was only a 'foreign' policy?

[drfemoe]

27. Of course they don't want to answer

.. that would be giving oversight of the 87.5 - 116 Billion Dollars spent on this expedition to the house and congress (taxpayers), and the passage of the bill doesn't allow anyone to ask questions about where the money goes .. it came out of the slush fund . doh

[BillyBlastoff]

28. This Cannot Continue...

I'm completely confounded! How the hell can they pull this crap! If a hero does not step up soon there will be nothing left to save. Is there anyone in the House or Senate who is as passionatly outraged as I am?

[Noordam]

31. kick

:kick:

[theHandpuppet]

32. A friendly kick...

... just to leapfrog this thread over the troll.

[dusty64]

33. More "bipartisanship" from

our regime. WHY do the Democrats cooperate with these "people" at all?

[DrBB]

34. Welcome to the clampdown

...In these days of evil presidentes
Working for the clampdown
But lately one or two has fully paid their due
For working for the clampdown
But ha Gitalong Gitalong
And I've given away no secrets
Who's barmy now?

—The Clash

[htuttle]

35. Bush is a Coward

He's always been a coward -- just more so lately.

If he was truly proud of his actions, he'd have no problem answering questions about them.

[Patriot_Spear]

36. Good for the gander good for the goose...

I hope Dean is taking notes... If Bush* can do it- so can Dean when he thumps Bush's* pasty ass in November.

[Bandit]

45. Ya Right!! Can you imagine the nashing of teeth and wailing if Clinton

had done something like this? There would be non-stop calls for impeachment (not that there wasn't already). No-one should have the audacity to question "his lie-ness". Even the DINOs should give this some thought.

[Rose Siding]

37. Our overly gracious Dems need an emergency

press conf. On the House side, Dems have already lost any valuable means for input. No one notices.

I want to see a line up of our Senators protesting any bogus change like this but I'm sure that they would consider that a violation of Senate "collegiality". THAT will cost US.

[Cocoa]

38. they should go to open letters

I'd like to see a letter from Byrd, starting "I've been in the Senate since Bush was a little snot nosed kid, but I'm not allowed to write him directly..."

[Oilwellian]

39. Dem Senators are commenting on it now

on the Senate floor. CSpan 2.

[0007]

40. Yes, Senator Dick Durbin D-Illinois .....

is talking about it now and adding John Ashcroft to the list and bring up Cheney & his secret Engery bill.

[KYDEM]

42. Kick

n/t

[snippy]

46. It is part of a larger plan of the RNC to define the democratic party.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=102&topic_id=205626#205723

[MGKrebs]

47. I am proud to say that

I have sent my very own Freedom Of Information Act request to the White House for information regarding that very same banner.

If I am not mistaken, if the information is not classified, they have to provide it.

I will keep DU posted on any response.

Here is a site that helps you write a FOIA request:

http://www.rcfp.org/foi_lett.html

[fishnfla]

48. Krugman has it right

These people will go to any lengths. They do not think ordinary rules apply to them. Amazing.

[CO Liberal]

49. The Dems Should Start Issuing Supoenas

THAT will get them the info they need......

[snippy]

56. Democrats do not have subpoena power.

[proud patriot]

50. Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr

:mad:

[joanski01]

51. Sen. Dick Durban said

that he didn't see any need to confirm any of bush's* appointments if these appointees were never again going to speak to them. Debbie Stabeneau brought this up. Harry Reid spoke about it, as well as Dick Durban and Pat Leahy. They were PO'd. No Repukes spoke up. I guess they don't have their prepared remarks yet.

[davidinalameda]

52. damn pesky democrats!

keep being pesky

it seems as if paranoia has hit the WH big time!

[YellowRubberDuckie]

53. This is unconstitutional and illegal...

they can't not answer questions just because they don't want to. The White House is obligated to tell us how they are spending our money and we have the right to ask and we are required an answer.
Duckie

[beyurslf]

54. They should publish

the email so we can all see it. Maybe this will wake up a few people.

[AWD]

55. What a uniter

No, he's not a divider at all, is he?

363 days to go, Bush. Deal with it.