White House Refuses To Hand Over Subpoenaed Docs

This post, written by Christy Hardin Smith, originally appeared on Firedoglake

Just off the AP wire, via MSNBC:

"The doctrine of executive privilege exists, at least in part, to protect such communications from compelled disclosure to Congress, especially where, as here, the president's interests in maintaining confidentiality far outweigh Congress's interests in obtaining deliberative White House communications," Fielding said.

"Further, it remains unclear precisely how and why your committees are unable to fulfill your legislative and oversight interests without the unfettered requests you have made in your subpoenas," Fielding said. "Put differently, there is no demonstration that the documents and information you seek by subpoena are critically important to any legislative initiatives that you may be pursuing or intending to pursue."

Game on with regard to protecting had their genesis in the White House, and that Congress has a duty to provide oversight as to whether or not it was politicization of the positions vis-a-vis Rove's political department and their heavy-handed minion planting at the DOJ is apparently not something that Fielding recognizes as legitimate. Not exactly a shocker, is it?

Where this goes from here? Could be a court challenge -- in the form of subpoenas being issued by Congress, and then the WH challenging their validity in court. What this ultimately means: the Bush Administration is trying to run out the clock without anyone getting their hands on Rove's copious RNC Blackberry files. Where's a whistleblower when you need one?