VOA标准英语2008年-Judge Rules Former White House Aides Must Testi

Majority Democrats¹ and the Bush administration are assessing a ruling Thursday by a federal court judge who said former White House aides do not enjoy absolute immunity² from having to appear before Congress in response to a subpoena³. VOA's Dan Robinson reports, the development comes after months of efforts by Democrats to compel testimony⁴, and obtain documents from President Bush's former legal counsel and his current chief of staff.

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi received news of the judge's ruling just before she faced reporters at her weekly news conference on Capitol Hill.

"That is very good news for anyone who believes in the constitution of the United States, the separation of powers, and the system of checks and balances, so we will look forward to reading that ruling more closely and of course it has ramifications⁵ for other contempt initiatives that we are considering in the House," said Nancy Pelosi.

Pelosi referred to the effort by Democratic-controlled committees to compel testimony by high-level former Bush administration officials on issues ranging from the Iraq war to allegations of politicization of the U.S. Justice Department.

Democrats have sought testimony from former presidential counsel Harriet Miers, and current chief of staff Joshua Bolten, in connection with the controversial firing of nine U.S. prosecutors⁶ nearly two years ago.

At issue is whether political motivations were behind the dismissals, something the White House strongly denies. But the matter was among the issues that forced former Attorney General Alberto Gonzalez from his position.

In refusing to testify to Congress, Miers cited the executive privilege claim protecting confidentiality⁷ of conversations involving top presidential aides, while Bolten refused hand over key documents.

Ruling on a case brought by the House Judiciary Committee, Federal District Court Judge John Bates said Miers is legally required to appear in person to assert any claim of immunity.

Another part of the struggle between Congress and the Executive branch over the question of immunity played out this past week.

The House Judiciary Committee followed its Senate counterpart in voting to cite the president's former key political advisor⁸, Karl Rove, for contempt of Congress.

COMMITTEE CLERK: "Resolution recommending that the House of Representatives find Karl Rove in contempt of Congress for refusing to comply."

CONYERS: "This resolution recommends that the House pursue statutory contempt against Mr. Rove and pursue other legal remedies to enforce the subpoena as appropriate. It is regrettable, but it has become necessary to pursue this course because we have been left with no other option."

Rove refused to appear even to merely assert his claim that he is not bound by congressional subpoenas⁹. Conyers called this a breach¹⁰ of process.

While the judge's Thursday ruling rejected the absolute immunity claim for senior presidential aides, it did not address and takes no position on what he called specific claims of executive privilege Miers and Bolten may assert.

Speaking to reporter, White House press secretary Dana Perino said the ruling does not mean senior advisors¹¹ to the President are not entitled to immunity under any circumstances.

The administration can appeal the judge's decision, and Perino said it is under review by the White House Office of Legal Counsel and the Justice Department.

Congressman¹² Conyers says he plans further hearings, hopefully to include Harriet Miers and, as he put it, others who have relied on such claims, while House Speaker Pelosi says she will be consulting with Conyers about next steps.

 

1 democrats   

n.民主主义者，民主人士( democrat的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The Democrats held a pep rally on Capitol Hill yesterday. 民主党昨天在国会山召开了竞选誓师大会。
• The democrats organize a filibuster in the senate. 民主党党员组织了阻挠议事。 来自《简明英汉词典》

2 immunity   

n.优惠；免除；豁免，豁免权

参考例句：

• The law gives public schools immunity from taxation.法律免除公立学校的纳税义务。
• He claims diplomatic immunity to avoid being arrested.他要求外交豁免以便避免被捕。

3 subpoena   

n.（法律）传票；v.传讯

参考例句：

• He was brought up to court with a subpoena.他接到传讯，来到法庭上。
• Select committees have the power to subpoena witnesses.特别委员会有权传唤证人。

4 testimony   

n.证词；见证，证明

参考例句：

• The testimony given by him is dubious.他所作的证据是可疑的。
• He was called in to bear testimony to what the police officer said.他被传入为警官所说的话作证。

5 ramifications   

n.结果，后果( ramification的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• These changes are bound to have widespread social ramifications. 这些变化注定会造成许多难以预料的社会后果。
• What are the ramifications of our decision to join the union? 我们决定加入工会会引起哪些后果呢？ 来自《简明英汉词典》

6 prosecutors   

检举人( prosecutor的名词复数 )； 告发人； 起诉人； 公诉人

参考例句：

• In some places,public prosecutors are elected rather than appointed. 在有些地方，检察官是经选举而非任命产生的。 来自口语例句
• You've been summoned to the Prosecutors' Office, 2 days later. 你在两天以后被宣到了检察官的办公室。

7 confidentiality   

n.秘而不宣，保密

参考例句：

• They signed a confidentiality agreement. 他们签署了一份保守机密的协议。
• Cryptography is the foundation of supporting authentication, integrality and confidentiality. 而密码学是支持认证、完整性和机密性机制的基础。

8 advisor   

n.顾问，指导老师，劝告者

参考例句：

• They employed me as an advisor.他们聘请我当顾问。
• The professor is engaged as a technical advisor.这位教授被聘请为技术顾问。

9 subpoenas   

n.（传唤出庭的）传票( subpoena的名词复数 )v.（用传票）传唤（某人）( subpoena的第三人称单数 )

参考例句：

• My company has complied with committee subpoenas by supplying documents confirming all that I have said. 本公司按照委员会的要求，提供了能够证实我刚才发言的文件。 来自辞典例句
• Congressional Investigations: Subpoenas and Contempt Power. Report for Congress April 2, 2003. 金灿荣：《美国国会的监督功能》，载《教学与研究》2003年第2期。 来自互联网

10 breach   

n.违反，不履行；破裂；vt.冲破，攻破

参考例句：

• We won't have any breach of discipline.我们不允许任何破坏纪律的现象。
• He was sued for breach of contract.他因不履行合同而被起诉。

11 advisors   

n.顾问，劝告者( advisor的名词复数 )；（指导大学新生学科问题等的）指导教授

参考例句：

• The governors felt that they were being strung along by their advisors. 地方长官感到他们一直在受顾问们的愚弄。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
• We will consult together with advisors about her education. 我们将一起和专家商议她的教育事宜。 来自互联网

12 Congressman   

n.（美）国会议员

参考例句：

• He related several anecdotes about his first years as a congressman.他讲述自己初任议员那几年的几则轶事。
• The congressman is meditating a reply to his critics.这位国会议员正在考虑给他的批评者一个答复。