Waxman, White House ** Strike Deal **on Security Officers' Testimony

[KoKo]

http://www.tpmmuckraker.com/archives/003549.php

Waxman, White House Strike Deal on Security Officers' Testimony
By Spencer Ackerman - June 28, 2007, 6:01 PM

It's been one subpoena-crazy day, what with the White House refusing to comply with congressional demands for information about nine fired U.S. attorneys. But there's at least one set of subpoenas that won't be issued today. Rep. Henry Waxman (D-CA) has been able to come to terms with the White House about the deepening White House Security Office scandal.

On Tuesday, Waxman wrote to White House Counsel Fred Fielding to detail new allegations that the WHSO -- entrusted to ensure compliance with procedures to safeguard classified information -- is dysfunctional. The heads of the office, just-departed director James Knodell and deputy Ken Greeson, took no action when presented with charges that aides to President Bush and Vice President Cheney left classified documents strewn throughout hotel rooms and across their desks, and they themselves took cellphones and Blackberries into secure facilities in violation of protocol. A frustrated Waxman told Fielding that unless House Government Oversight Committee investigators received access to interview three current and former White House officials who could speak to the alleged pattern of abuse, Waxman would ask the committee for authority to subpoena them.

Waxman said he'd seek the subpoena authority at the committee's business meeting today. But committee aides explain that the meeting is off, as Fielding and Waxman have reached an agreement, averting the subpoenas for now. The White House has consented to "transcribed interviews" with Alan Swendimen, director of the Office of Administration; Mark Frownfelter, an ex-security officer; and former WHSO head Jeff Thompson. "The fact that we were able to reach an agreement on testimony and getting the interviews to take place will be helpful in moving the committee's inquiry forward," says an Oversight Committee staffer.

Why is the committee so interested in the three relatively obscure bureaucrats? According to Waxman's letter, Fielding offered the committee Swendimen, Frownfelter and Thompson in order to forestall Waxman's efforts to get former White House chief of staff Andy Card before his panel. The committee considers the three well-positioned enough to shed light on how security procedures for handling classified information at the White House could have deteriorated to the degree Waxman detailed in his letter.

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[ayeshahaqqiqa]

1. In other words, give Waxman a few underlings

in hopes that he ends the probe before reaching higher. The Administration apparently thinks that what they did with the Abu Ghraib scandal will work in this case.

[Innoma]

2. "Transcribed Interviews..."

Isn't that a bit like a modern version of the Watergate era Stennis Compromise?

[KoKo]

3. I thought it was "odd" also. But just because we are used to Repugs Winning doesn't mean they Won

again. Seems more like Fielding dripping out one witness at a time..

:shrug: Given that Waxman probably has death threats and needs body guards at this point...that he's going to give them some leeway until public opinion is overwhelmingly against Bushies...might be a wise move. :shrug: We probably can't imagine the half of what he's facing...but a look at Ann Coulter and the RW Think Tank Attack Operation...might give a clue.

[KoKo]

4. ...