Taylor Marsh – TaylorMarsh.com – News, Opinion and Weblog on Progressive Politics

I’m mobile again today, so I don’t have full access to the tattling and tantrums,
so if you see anything really interesting I’d appreciate a heads up in the comments.
Evidently, Ms. Taylor and Lawyer Fred have decided to cherry pick the questions
she’ll answer. How appropriate.

Sara Taylor, the former White House political director, has agreed to answer some questions as a “willing and cooperative private citizen,” during testimony about the United States attorney firings last year when she appears before the Senate Judiciary Committee later today. (snip) “While I may be unable to answer certain questions today,” Ms. Taylor’s opening statement reads, “I will answer those questions if the courts rule that this Committee’s need for the information outweighs the president’s assertion of executive privilege.” Former Bush Aide Will Answer Some Questions

Christy is liveblogging the Sara
Taylor “testimony.” Here’s just one general snippet from Taylor’s
opening.

SARA TAYLOR OPENING: Has worked in various political capacities for the Bush Administration. Professional opportunities given to her by the WH have had a profound impact on my life. I am here to testify pursuant to subpoena, as a willing and cooperative citizen. Received a letter from WH counsel, informing me that the President has directed me NOT to testify regarding internal or external communications, conversations, or other information regarding the firing of USAttys and any and all matters that may pertain thereto. President claims this information is privileged, and she will honor that because she is unable to determine what is or is not covered. She will answer what she can, and commits to abide by whatever judicial determination may be made in the weighing of the assertion of privilege versus the committee’s need to know information.

Libby’s commutation House hearing is today as well. TMPmuckraker
has the witness list, which includes Joe Wilson. Please share the goodies you
may hear or read in the comments.

As for the real story at the bottom of Bush’s executive overreach bonanza, let’s face it, folks. It could not have happened without the “lapdog media.” What Eric Boehlert says.

The Scooter Libby leak investigation has shamed the Beltway press corps for four years running. From the moment in July 2003 when syndicated columnist Robert Novak recklessly printed the name of CIA covert agent Valerie Plame, to Judith Miller’s jail time, to Bob Woodward’s playing dumb, to Tim Russert’s forced courtroom testimony, the media elite managed to embarrass themselves at nearly every turn, often revealing themselves as lapdogs, not watchdogs. So it was fitting that in covering the final chapter of the Libby saga, the press, as if on cue, badly bungled the commutation story last week by often downplaying its significance, reading off White House talking points, and leaving gaping holes of context for news consumers trying to make sense of Bush’s audacious power grab. The media’s performance simply highlighted scores of unflattering newsroom deficiencies that have become calcified during the Bush years. … ..