El Barto
05-30-2004, 06:19 AM
The scandal in CT. Does this remind you of Clinton's tactics?
Connecticut Governor seeks court injunction to quash subpoena issued as part
of Legislature's impeachment probe.
Claiming that a subpoena issued by the special impeachment committee of the
Connecticut House of Representatives last week compelling him to appear before
that committee early next week violates the Separation of Powers inherent in
the State's Constitution, Governor John Rowland (R-Connecticut) has formally
moved to quash the subpoena in court. As a result, all three branches of the
Connecticut State government- Executive, Legislative and Judicial- are now
somehow involved in sorting out the arcana of legalities relating to the
Legislature's investigation of possible corruption by the embattled Governor,
an investigation that could eventually lead to his removal from office.
While advancing the claim filed on the Governor's behalf, spokesmen for
Governor Rowland have said that the Governor is not at all stonewalling the
committee or otherwise attempting to evade testifying before the Select
Committee of Inquiry, that Rowland looks forward to the day when he can tell
his side of the story, but they also firmly state that the Governor will not
testify until and unless the subpoena is vacated, whether by action of the
committee or by court order. The State House committee's subpoena had ordered
the Governor to appear before the committee no later than Tuesday 8 June.
Time is of the essence because the Select Committee is required to report back
to the State House of Representatives, the lower house of the Connecticut
General Assembly, no later than Wednesday 30 June. If the committee should
recommend impeachment of the Governor, the full House of Representatives would
then vote on impeachment (approval of which requires but a simple majority)
and the Governor would- upon such approval- actually be tried by the Senate,
the upper house of the State's General Assembly. During the trial before the
Senate, Governor Rowland would be required to (however temporarily, depending
on the outcome) give up the powers and duties of his office; Lieutenant
Governor M. Jodi Rell (R-Connecticut) would be "acting Governor" during such a
period.
Connecticut Governor seeks court injunction to quash subpoena issued as part
of Legislature's impeachment probe.
Claiming that a subpoena issued by the special impeachment committee of the
Connecticut House of Representatives last week compelling him to appear before
that committee early next week violates the Separation of Powers inherent in
the State's Constitution, Governor John Rowland (R-Connecticut) has formally
moved to quash the subpoena in court. As a result, all three branches of the
Connecticut State government- Executive, Legislative and Judicial- are now
somehow involved in sorting out the arcana of legalities relating to the
Legislature's investigation of possible corruption by the embattled Governor,
an investigation that could eventually lead to his removal from office.
While advancing the claim filed on the Governor's behalf, spokesmen for
Governor Rowland have said that the Governor is not at all stonewalling the
committee or otherwise attempting to evade testifying before the Select
Committee of Inquiry, that Rowland looks forward to the day when he can tell
his side of the story, but they also firmly state that the Governor will not
testify until and unless the subpoena is vacated, whether by action of the
committee or by court order. The State House committee's subpoena had ordered
the Governor to appear before the committee no later than Tuesday 8 June.
Time is of the essence because the Select Committee is required to report back
to the State House of Representatives, the lower house of the Connecticut
General Assembly, no later than Wednesday 30 June. If the committee should
recommend impeachment of the Governor, the full House of Representatives would
then vote on impeachment (approval of which requires but a simple majority)
and the Governor would- upon such approval- actually be tried by the Senate,
the upper house of the State's General Assembly. During the trial before the
Senate, Governor Rowland would be required to (however temporarily, depending
on the outcome) give up the powers and duties of his office; Lieutenant
Governor M. Jodi Rell (R-Connecticut) would be "acting Governor" during such a
period.