Leahy subpoenas White House and Cheney

Patrick Leahy wants all documents pertaining to the White House's warrantless wiretap program:

The Senate Judiciary Committee subpoenaed the White House and VicePresident Dick Cheney's office today for documents relating toPresident Bush's controversial eavesdropping program that operatedwarrant-free for five years.

Also named in subpoenas signed by committee Chairman Patrick Leahy,D-Vt., were the Justice Department and the National Security Council.The four parties have until July 18 to comply, according to a statementby Leahy's office.

So you can't say this is all about Democrats trying to put Cheney under the hot seat.  Congress has been trying to get this information for quite some time.  Enough is enough.

A press release from Leahy gets into more detail of what his Judiciary Committee wants:

The subpoenas seek documents related to authorization and reauthorization of the program or programs; the legal analysis or opinions about the surveillance; orders, decisions, or opinions of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court (FISC) concerning the surveillance; agreements between the Executive Branch and telecommunications or other companies regarding liability for assisting with or participating in the surveillance; and documents concerning the shutting down of an investigation of the Department of Justice’s Office of Professional Responsibility (OPR) relating to the surveillance.

On Deadline, a USA Today blog, says there are no signs the White House will comply. This could prompt a showdown in the courts.