Patrick Leahy: Leahy Sets New Deadline For Administration Wiretapping Documents

WASHINGTON (Wednesday, August 8) – Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) Wednesday set a final date for an extension given to the Administration to respond to subpoena relating to warrantless wiretapping issues. The August 20 deadline sets a final date of an extension that offered the White House and the Vice President’s office nearly an additional month to respond to committee subpoenas.

The Judiciary Committee initially issued subpoenas to the Department of Justice, the National Security Council, the White House Office and the Office of the Vice President on June 27 for documents relating to the National Security Agency’s legal justification for the warrantless wiretapping program. After the Administration requested more time to comply with the subpoenas, Leahy extended the original subpoena deadline of July 18 to accommodate a more thorough collection of documents.

In a letter to White House Counsel Friend Fielding, Leahy said, “Despite my patience and flexibility, you have rejected every proposal, produced none of the responsive documents, provided no basis for any claim of privilege and no accompanying log of withheld documents.”

Below is the text of the letter sent to White House Counsel Fred Fielding. It is also available as a PDF.

August 8, 2007

Fred Fielding, Esq.
Counsel to the President
The White House
1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W.
Washington, D.C. 20500

Dear Mr. Fielding:

As you know, on June 27, 2007 the Senate Judiciary Committee served subpoenas on the White House Office, the Office of the Vice President, the National Security Council, and the Department of Justice for documents related to legal justifications for and authorization of the National Security Agency’s warrantless electronic surveillance program. The return date for those subpoenas was set for July 18, 2007. I had a telephone conversation with you and Josh Bolten in which you asked for a brief extension of time to allow for thorough collection and review of responsive documents. At that time you mentioned August 1 as the time you thought you would need.

Despite my patience and flexibility, you have rejected every proposal, produced none of the responsive documents, provided no basis for any claim of privilege and no accompanying log of withheld documents. I had been requesting this information for an extended time before issuing the subpoenas.

I am setting as the new return date for these four subpoenas August 20, 2007, at 2:30 p.m. I look forward to compliance with the Judiciary Committee’s June 27, 2007 subpoenas to the White House Office, the Office of the Vice President, the National Security Council, and the Department of Justice by the new return date of August 20, 2007 at 2:30 p.m., in the place and manner indicated in the subpoenas.

Sincerely,

PATRICK LEAHY
Chairman

Source: Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Patrick Leahy

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