Rep. Tom Davis (R-Va.), chairman of the House Government Reform Committee, is helping to lead a House investigation into what happened before and after Hurricane Katrina hit the Gulf Coast. As part of his work, he’s asked the White House and a few cabinet agencies to provide materials so that lawmakers can better understand the federal response.
Has the administration been helpful and forthcoming? Not so much. The White House has already missed deadlines and Davis has publicly expressed frustration over the administration’s foot-dragging.
Maybe in the president’s first term, the Bush gang could get away with blowing off the requests of a Republican committee chairman. After all, the White House figured, they’re all on the same team. Now, at least as far as Davis is concerned, Bush’s stonewalling is unacceptable.
House Government Reform Committee Chairman Tom Davis (R-Va.) yesterday threatened to subpoena three members of the Bush Cabinet and White House counsel Harriet Miers if they do not comply with document requests issued by his select committee on Hurricane Katrina response.
During a committee hearing yesterday, Davis decried the failure of White House officials to release e-mails and other communication records related to the hurricane and its aftermath. Davis set a hard deadline of Nov. 18 for all federal agencies to comply with his requests.
“If documents aren’t produced by that date, I’m ready to proceed with subpoenas,” Davis said.
There are a few things to consider here. One, the White House has a history of relying on these kinds of delay tactics. The 9/11 Commission was also forced to subpoena Bush administration documents when the White House failed to comply with basic disclosure requests.
Two, as Rep. Charlie Melancon (D-La.) noted, the “lack of [White House] compliance is hindering the investigation.” The special committee investigating the emergency response to Katrina is facing a tight deadline — and it almost appears that the Bush gang hopes to delay matters in order to keep the details of the administration’s response to the storm hidden permanently.
And three, as a political matter, the very idea that a leading Republican House member like Tom Davis would threaten the White House with a subpoena is startling. I guess this is what happens when a lame-duck president has a 35% approval rating.