May 9, 2005
SEPARATION OF POWERS:
Rice's Reason for Withholding Bolton Files: A Chilling Effect (DOUGLAS JEHL, 5/09/05, NY Times)
The State Department is refusing to make public internal documents sought by Senate Democrats in their attempt to seek more information about repeated clashes between John R. Bolton and American intelligence agencies over Syria, administration officials say.In rejecting the request, Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice has said that the information involves "internal deliberations" and their disclosure could have a chilling effect on debates within the administration.
The decision was spelled out in a letter that Ms. Rice sent Friday to the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, which is evaluating the administration's nomination of Mr. Bolton to be the United States ambassador to the United Nations. Republicans on the panel had declined to endorse the Democratic request, but the State Department had not previously made its position clear.
The decision by Ms. Rice prompted a sharp new protest from Senator Joseph R. Biden Jr. of Delaware, the top Democrat on the panel, who described the move as a lack of cooperation by the administration into the panel's examination of Mr. Bolton.
Did they learn nothing from the Energy Task Force dust-up? This White House defends its prerogatives. Posted by Orrin Judd at May 9, 2005 12:00 AM
They knew exactly what the administration's response would be. It is the only possible response and they tried the same thing with Estrada. They're simply fishing for another excuse to try to block Bolton, his bad temper not having bothered the country much.
Posted by: David Cohen at May 9, 2005 7:38 AMRush had an interesting point, it concerns possible future pres candidate Richardson and his visit to NorK.
Posted by: Sandy P. at May 9, 2005 1:01 PM