The House of Representatives voted today to hold Former White House Counsel Harriet Miers and White House Chief of Staff Josh Bolten in Contempt of Congress. Both Miers and Bolten refused to comply with subpoenas to testify before Congress in relation to the firing of nine United States Attorneys in 2006. People For the American Way Director of Public Policy Tanya Clay House issued the following statement:

“It’s about time. Respect for the rule of law is a fundamental principle of our nation. Members of the Bush administration have spent the last seven years pretending that the law doesn’t apply to them. Both Bolten and Miers thumbed their noses at Congress and at the rule of law by refusing to comply with the subpoenas they were given months ago or even to negotiate in good faith. Attorney General Mukasey’s refusal to enforce a contempt citation is disappointing, but not surprising.

Congress has a responsibility to enforce its congressional powers, and moving forward with contempt citations is the appropriate response to this administration’s stonewalling and arrogance.”

Last year, People For the American Way delivered more than 35,000 petitions to Judiciary Committee Chairman John Conyers calling for a Congress to hold Bolten and Miers in contempt.