Nothing is quite as entertaining as watching House Dems, demoralized by their minority status and unfair treatment, playing political hardball.
Dems on the House Ways and Means Committee have effectively been raising hell over the ongoing Medicare scandal. They even convinced the GOP to hold a hearing on the administration’s cover-up, which in and of itself, was an unusual accomplishment. At the top of the witness list is Doug Badger, Bush’s senior health policy adviser whom Medicare actuary Richard Foster believes was in on the fix, and Tom Scully, the official who ordered Foster to keep the truth under wraps.
The White House issued a very prompt rejection this week.
Doug Badger, the health policy adviser, “will not be testifying,” said a Bush spokesman, Trent Duffy. Duffy called it a “separation of powers” question, invoking the same rationale the White House had used until yesterday to oppose the public testimony of national security adviser Condoleezza Rice before a commission investigating the Sept. 11., 2001, terrorist attacks.
Fine, the Dems said. If Badger doesn’t accept the invitation and appear before the committee today — which is almost certain to be the case — then they’ll turn to Plan B.
Democrats on the House Ways and Means Committee may seek to subpoena a top White House aide if he fails to testify today on the Medicare cost-scoring controversy.
Realistically, of course, it’s not that simple. Dems are in the minority on the committee, with 17 Dems serving with 24 Republicans. If the committee was going to subpoena Badger and/or Scully, Dems would have to stick together and get the support of at least four Republicans. It’s a long shot, but it’s possible.
If Scully and Badger do not show, Democrats might make a motion to subpoena them. A majority of the committee must approve the motion for it to clear. The possible move could put Republicans in a difficult position, and it is unclear how they would vote on such a maneuver.
Republicans have declined to defend the administration’s decision to keep the cost estimates under wraps.
And here’s their chance to back it up. If the GOP in the House is really troubled by the administration’s cover-up, they can support the Dems’ motion to subpoena key officials to come and explain how and why this happened. As I said, we only need four out of 24.
The real fun could kick in if the committee passes the subpoena motion and the White House refuses to cooperate. The Medicare scandal has been percolating along nicely, but once the White House starts rejecting congressional subpoenas, it’d be front page material.