Since the news media keeps saying that we’re heading for a “constitutional showdown” between President Bush and the Congress, it’s time for a pop quiz.
Who wrote the following passage?
“Congress’s power to compel members of the executive branch to obey its legitimate requests for information has long been deemed critical to the functioning of our democracy and has been upheld by the Supreme Court.”
A. Hillary Clinton
B. Dick Cheney
C. Thurgood Marshall
D. John Yoo
The correct answer is D, John Yoo. See “How Congress’s Subpoena Power Works,” Wall Street Journal, May 28, 1997. Interestingly, ten years later, there’s another op-ed in the Journal, but today’s piece (subscription required) argues that the Bush Administration can resist congressional subpoenas that relate to the current controversy concerning the firing of the U.S. Attorneys.
