It isn't fair now.

Rep. Dan Burton, who lead the subpoena race in Congress during Bill Clinton's administration, is miffed at the Democratic use of the subpoena power in the Bush administration.

Rep. Dan Burton — the Indiana Republican who showered subpoenas on the Clinton White House as chairman of the House Government Reform Committee — is joining other Republicans in warning that the committee under its new Democratic leadership may be abusing its subpoena powers.

At the end of March … Burton, along with committee ranking member Tom Davis (R-Va.) and most of the other Republican members warned that the Democrats are straying close to the line of what is appropriate in oversight.

“Effective, constructive oversight is much more a matter of due diligence and digging than depositions and sensational disclosures,” the Republicans wrote.

Sorry, what?

First, though...I would be willing to take his concern at face value. I would, if he would conceded his own fault in the matter. All the subpoenas of the Clinton years led to next to nothing. White Water and the rest were empty things. It came down to a blow job, for you. So would he admit it was a waste on his part? That is was harassment? That is was unneeded and just partisan?

No. Not surprised.

But here and now, we are talking about issues of war, sorry, wars! We are talking about issues where long held rights have been stripped, where a Congress dropped its oversight duties to help out their buddy in the White House.

We, the people, need to know what went on those 6 years where we were left blind by a Republican government.

These groups thought they were entering a many decades long period of unquestioned power and dominance. We have to know what they have done. And if it needs to be undone.

This government has had SO MANY moments of leadership failure and betrayal of national and global trust, we NEED answers.

And putting are heads in the ground isn't going to get answers Rep. Burton.

Maybe if you HAD DONE your job, Waxman and the others wouldn't need to play catch up now.


No, sir. Shame on you.