The president is sick and tired of those Democrats and their pesky checks and balances and will not allow his aides to testify, as summoned, before the Senate. Bush and his legal team are relying on executive privilege — the notion that what happens in the White House stays in the White House. But Judiciary Committee Chairman Pat Leahy isn’t buying it.

It’s not entirely clear what defense Dick Cheney and his office will use to dodge the subpoenas, now that he’s opted out of the executive branch, although he could always opt back in when the time is right. But then won’t he have to fork over those secret communications? Or is it: What happens in the White House stays in the White House, if you’re actually in the White House, but if you step out on the patio and Blackberry someone, you’re in the clear?

AP:

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Bush, in a constitutional showdown with Congress, claimed executive privilege Thursday and rejected demands for White House documents and testimony about the firing of U.S. attorneys.

His decision was denounced as “Nixonian stonewalling” by the chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee.

Bush rejected subpoenas for documents from former presidential counsel Harriet Miers and former political director Sara Taylor. The White House made clear neither one would testify next month, as directed by the subpoenas.

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#executive privilege#leahy#senate#subpoena#white house