House Panel Authorizes Subpoena for Rice, RNC E-Mails By Jonathan Allen, CQ Staff
The Democratic-run House Oversight and Government Reform Committee on Wednesday authorized subpoenas for Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, Republican National Committee Chairman Mike Duncan and RNC e-mails as it ramps up a number of investigations of the Bush administration.
Chairman Henry A. Waxman, D-Calif., announced that the panel would put off until Thursday expected action to compel testimony from former White House Chief of Staff Andrew H. Card to consider an offer by White House counsel Fred Fielding, who earlier had declined a request for Card’s voluntary testimony.
Waxman also said “substantial compliance” had eliminated the need to subpoena information about work done for Vice President Dick Cheney’s office by defense contractor MZM Inc., which was at the center of the bribery scandal that landed former Rep. Randy “Duke” Cunningham, R-Calif. (1991-2005), in a federal prison.
Waxman has been trying to get Rice to testify about claims the administration made that Iraq was attempting to obtain uranium, a vital element for nuclear weaponry, in the buildup to the U.S. invasion of Iraq in 2003. The committee voted 21-10 to authorize him to issue a subpoena to Rice.
In a separate matter, Waxman and other Democrats have raised concerns about whether White House officials are using private RNC e-mail account to conduct public business, possibly in violation of laws governing presidential records and political activity by federal officials. The panel voted 20-8 to authorize a subpoena for Duncan and authorized one for RNC documents by voice vote.
“I believe subpoenas are one of the most powerful tools of government. They compel others to turn over information, essentially against their will,” Waxman said. “It is an essential power, but it is one best used as a last resort.”
He said neither Rice nor the RNC had complied in satisfactory fashion with his requests for information, but Republicans on the panel disagreed.
“I’m disappointed that we’re here today to talk about subpoenas that are either ill-advised, unnecessary or premature,” said Virginia Rep. Thomas M. Davis III, the top Republican on the committee.
Davis argued that Rice had answered the questions Waxman is asking in other forums, that other committees have jurisdiction over the State Department, and that coming before Waxman’s committee and complying with his requests is detrimental to her ability to conduct foreign policy.