executive priviledge

Dear Editor,

The White House claims that the conditions it has placed on its officials testifying before Congress over the politically-motivated dismissal of eight federal prosecutors last December -- that they be interviewed only in private, without transcripts, and not under oath -- are based on "executive priviledge." This may be legally sound.

Unfortunately, this administration has demonstrated a compulsive inability to tell the truth. Justice Department officials have changed their story over these dismissals numerous times, and now we see a gap in the e-mail messages released by the White House -- between November 15 and December 7, the very weeks leading to the dismissals. Karl Rove, Harriet Miers and the others need to testify -- in public, for the record, and under oath so the truth can be compelled from them.

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