House Panel “Prepares Subpoenas” for CIA Officials

The House intelligence committee looks ready to follow through on its threat:

In a direct challenge to President Bush, a House panel said Wednesday it has prepared subpoenas to force CIA officials to testify about the agency’s secret destruction of interrogation videotapes.

The Justice Department had blocked the officials from appearing at a closed hearing before the panel this week, citing the department’s ongoing investigation into the destruction of videotapes of the harsh interrogation of two al-Qaida suspects in 2002. The CIA destroyed the tapes in 2005.

The House Intelligence Committee’s threat marked the second challenge to a White House attempt to shut down independent investigations into the matter, and escalates a fight over which branch of government properly has jurisdiction.

It seems they haven’t issued the subpoenas yet. This is more of a last chance threat for the DoJ to back down. Ball’s in your court, Mr. Mukasey.