The Daily Background

Democratic Senator Patrick Leahy, Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee said on Sunday’s episode of Meet The Press that he would consider holding the White House on Contempt of Congress charges if it refused to cooperate in the ongoing Congressional investigation of the politicization of the Department of Justice.

Scroll down to watch a video of Leahy discuss Contempt of Congress on Meet the Press.

The charge of Contempt must be approved by both houses of Congress, and then taken up by a US Attorney for it to be formally prosecuted. Leahy said he thought that if it got that far, it would be difficult for a US Attorney not to prosecute the charge. Historically, when charges of Contempt of Congress are leveled, the parties who they are leveled against tend to give in to Congressional demands, before an actual vote takes place.

Leahy also said that Attorney General Alberto Gonzales would testify again before the Senate Judiciary Committee in July. Leahy said however that he did not want a constant stream of “I don’t recall”s to be the outcome of the upcoming hearings, providing fodder for Comedy Central’s “The Daily Show” with Jon Stewart.

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