Comment Of Sen. Patrick Leahy, D-Vt.,
Chairman, Senate Judiciary Committee,
On Testimony Of Ms. Sara Taylor,
Former Director Of White House Office Of Political Affairs
July 7, 2007

WASHINGTON (Saturday, July 7) – The attorney representing Sara Taylor, former Director of the Office of Political Affairs in the White House, sent a letter today to Judiciary Committee Chairman Patrick Leahy, D-Vt.  In the letter, Neil Eggleston wrote that he expects the White House attempt to prevent Ms. Taylor from testifying before the Committee on Wednesday, July 11, pursuant to a subpoena that was issued to Ms. Taylor as part of the panel’s ongoing investigation into the unprecedented firings of several prosecutors and politicization within the Department of Justice.  Below is Chairman Leahy’s comment on the letter. 

“I look forward to Ms. Taylor testifying next week to comply with a subpoena authorized by the Judiciary Committee. It is unfortunate that the White House is trying to interfere with Ms. Taylor’s testimony before the Senate and with Congress’s responsibility to get to the truth behind the unprecedented firings of several U.S. Attorneys.   There is clear evidence that Ms. Taylor was one of several White House officials who played a key role in these firings and the Administration’s response to cover up the reasons behind them when questions first arose.  There is also clear evidence that Ms. Taylor was part of more than 66,000 RNC e-mails that have been kept hidden from the public as part of a White House-wide effort to avoid oversight by ignoring the laws meant to ensure a public record of official government business.

“The White House continues to try to have it both ways – to block Congress from talking with witnesses and accessing documents and other evidence while saying nothing improper occurred.  I hope the White House stops this stonewalling and accepts my offer to negotiate a workable solution to the Committee’s oversight requests, as so many previous White Houses have done throughout history.”

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