The Senate is subpoenaing the White House and US Vice President Dick Cheney's office, demanding documents and elevating the confrontation with US President George W. Bush over the administration's warrant-free eavesdropping on US citizens.
Separately, the Senate Judiciary Committee is summoning US Attorney-General Alberto Gonzales to discuss the program and an array of other matters that have cost a half-dozen top Justice Department officials their jobs, committee chairman Patrick Leahy said.
Leahy, a Democrat, raised questions about previous testimony by one of Bush's appeals court nominees and said he would not let such matters pass.
"If there have been lies told to us, we'll refer it to the Department of Justice and the US attorney for whatever legal action they think is appropriate," Leahy told reporters.
He did just that on Wednesday, referring questions about testimony by former White House aide Brett Kavanaugh, who now sits on the US Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia.
Leahy's actions are the latest moves by a Congress invigorated by the Democrats' victory in last November's elections.
During the first six years of Bush's presidency, a Republican-led Congress had few hearings on allegations of incompetence or wrongdoing against Bush's Republican administration.
Showdown
The subpoenas could lead to a showdown between the Bush administration and Congress, which might have to be settled in federal courts.
Echoing its response to previous congressional subpoenas to former administration officials Harriet Miers and Sara Taylor, the White House gave no indication that it would comply with the new ones.
"We're aware of the committee's action and will respond appropriately," White House spokesman Tony Fratto said.
"It's unfortunate that congressional Democrats continue to choose the route of confrontation," he said.
In fact, the Judiciary Committee's three most senior Republicans -- Arlen Specter, former chairman Orrin Hatch and Chuck Grassley -- sided with Democrats on the 13-3 vote last week to give Leahy the power to issue the subpoenas.
Also named in subpoenas signed by Leahy were the US Justice Department and the National Security Council. The four parties have until July 18 to comply, Leahy said.
He added that, like House Judiciary Committee Chairman John Conyers, also a Democrat, he would consider pursuing contempt citations against those who refuse.
The Judiciary committees have issued the subpoenas as part of a look at how much influence the White House exerts over the Justice Department and its chief, Gonzales.
ROLLER-COASTER RIDE: More than five earthquakes ranging from magnitude 4.4 to 5.5 on the Richter scale shook eastern Taiwan in rapid succession yesterday afternoon Back-to-back weather fronts are forecast to hit Taiwan this week, resulting in rain across the nation in the coming days, the Central Weather Administration said yesterday, as it also warned residents in mountainous regions to be wary of landslides and rockfalls. As the first front approached, sporadic rainfall began in central and northern parts of Taiwan yesterday, the agency said, adding that rain is forecast to intensify in those regions today, while brief showers would also affect other parts of the nation. A second weather system is forecast to arrive on Thursday, bringing additional rain to the whole nation until Sunday, it
LANDSLIDES POSSIBLE: The agency advised the public to avoid visiting mountainous regions due to more expected aftershocks and rainfall from a series of weather fronts A series of earthquakes over the past few days were likely aftershocks of the April 3 earthquake in Hualien County, with further aftershocks to be expected for up to a year, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said yesterday. Based on the nation’s experience after the quake on Sept. 21, 1999, more aftershocks are possible over the next six months to a year, the agency said. A total of 103 earthquakes of magnitude 4 on the local magnitude scale or higher hit Hualien County from 5:08pm on Monday to 10:27am yesterday, with 27 of them exceeding magnitude 5. They included two, of magnitude
CONDITIONAL: The PRC imposes secret requirements that the funding it provides cannot be spent in states with diplomatic relations with Taiwan, Emma Reilly said China has been bribing UN officials to obtain “special benefits” and to block funding from countries that have diplomatic ties with Taiwan, a former UN employee told the British House of Commons on Tuesday. At a House of Commons Foreign Affairs Committee hearing into “international relations within the multilateral system,” former Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) employee Emma Reilly said in a written statement that “Beijing paid bribes to the two successive Presidents of the [UN] General Assembly” during the two-year negotiation of the Sustainable Development Goals. Another way China exercises influence within the UN Secretariat is
Taiwan’s first drag queen to compete on the internationally acclaimed RuPaul’s Drag Race, Nymphia Wind (妮妃雅), was on Friday crowned the “Next Drag Superstar.” Dressed in a sparkling banana dress, Nymphia Wind swept onto the stage for the final, and stole the show. “Taiwan this is for you,” she said right after show host RuPaul announced her as the winner. “To those who feel like they don’t belong, just remember to live fearlessly and to live their truth,” she said on stage. One of the frontrunners for the past 15 episodes, the 28-year-old breezed through to the final after weeks of showcasing her unique