RULE OF LAW 1 BUSH NIL

A Federal District judge ruled that the criminal Bush regime's claim of absolute immunity for his current and past senior aides from testifying before Congress HAS NO MERIT!!! A typical wingnut reaction to decisions that go against Bush or the GOP is to assert that the judge is biased because he was nominated by Clinton or Carter. That won't work this time, as Marty Lederman noted:

It bears mentioning that the judge who so ruled is a Republican jurist who worked on the Starr Whitewater team, and who was appointed to the bench by the sitting President Bush. And he ruled with the Bush Administration's claims to executive secrecy in the Cheney Task Force case (see note 38 of today's opinion, distinguishing it) -- he is, in other words, very solicitous of the legitimate needs of executive confidentiality.

In addition, a Republican congressman welcomes the decision:

Had Bush prevailed, it would have dramatically weakened congressional authority in oversight investigations.

That remains a risk, one Republican said.

"Unfortunately, today's victory may be short-lived," said Rep. Lamar Smith, the ranking Republican on the House Judiciary Committee. "If the administration appeals the ruling, our congressional prerogatives will once again be put at risk."