I am not sure what has caused the sudden destruction of unity in the republican party, but the GOP is over this lame duck. Sen. Pete Domenici (R-NM), an administration cheerleader for the last 6 years sent a press release where he said, “I want a new strategy for Iraq. I continue to completely support the men and women in the American Armed Forces. They have not failed us. It is the Iraqi government that is failing to make even modest progress to help Iraq itself or to merit the sacrifices being made by our men and women in uniform. I am unwilling to continue our current strategy.” Oh no, what is Bush going to do now that a few Republicans are thinking of the troops!

One reason for the fleeing of the party could be the whole Libby thing, they are to cowardly to actually say something, but willing to toss Bush under the bus on every other issue. I personally think that this issue is really all about Domenici, he is under investigation because his hands are all over the purge of US Attorney. This may be a very unpopular man looking for any good publicity.

The whole press release is below.

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So no real shock here, the most secretive White House since Nixon has told the congress that is not going to cooperate with the investigation into the AG purge. It has also signaling that it is not going to turn over the emails that were sent about the AG purge on non-White House email systems (Systems used by the White House, and owned by the RNC).

From Politico.com

White House Counsel Fred Fielding, in a letter today, told Rep. John Conyers (D-Mich.) and Sen. Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.), chairmen of the House and Senate Judiciary committees, that the White House has not budged in its refusal to allow the panels to question several White House aides, including Karl Rove, about what they know regarding the firing of eight U.S. Attorneys, moving the two sides closer to a constitutional battle over the scandal.

Fielding also appears to be trying to head off an attempt by Conyers to obtain e-mails and documents from the Republican National Committee regarding the firings. Roughly 50 White House officials, including 22 current aides, used e-mail accounts controlled by the RNC to send messages, including some related to the prosecutor firings, and Conyers asked RNC Chairman Mike Duncan to turn over those records today.

Fielding also said that "it was and remains our intention to collect e-mails and documents from those [RNC-controlled] accounts as well as the official White House e-mail and document retention systems" as part of a broader deal with the two committees on staffer testimony.