Contempt of Congress: What Is It?
Congress and the White House appear headed for a showdown over President Bush's decision to invoke executive privilege to deny documents to House and Senate committees and prevent former aides from testifying about the firing of U.S. attorneys.
Lawmakers, in turn, have threatened to hold subpoenaed officials in contempt of Congress....
Q: Where in the Constitution does it say Congress can hold someone in contempt for not testifying?
A: It's not in the Constitution. It is an implied power of Congress, just like executive privilege is an implied power of the presidency.
Q: Is there any legal underpinning for a contempt of Congress citation?
A: Yes. The Supreme Court said as early as 1821 that without the power to hold people in contempt of Congress, the legislative branch would be "exposed to every indignity and interruption that rudeness, caprice, or even conspiracy, may mediate against it."...
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Lawmakers, in turn, have threatened to hold subpoenaed officials in contempt of Congress....
Q: Where in the Constitution does it say Congress can hold someone in contempt for not testifying?
A: It's not in the Constitution. It is an implied power of Congress, just like executive privilege is an implied power of the presidency.
Q: Is there any legal underpinning for a contempt of Congress citation?
A: Yes. The Supreme Court said as early as 1821 that without the power to hold people in contempt of Congress, the legislative branch would be "exposed to every indignity and interruption that rudeness, caprice, or even conspiracy, may mediate against it."...