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The House Judiciary Subcommittee on the Constitution, Civil Rights, and Civil Liberties met to discuss the issuance of a subpoena to Douglas Feith, the former Undersecretary of Defense for Policy. Feith was scheduled to give witness at a hearing last Wednesday, but canceled his appearance four hours before its scheduled time. The hearing was for discussion of the Bush Administration’s role in authorizing the use of abusive interrogation policies.

Feith cited the presence of another witness at the hearing, Colonel Lawrence Wilkerson as his reason for canceling. The Chairman of the Subcommittee, Jerrold Nadler (D-NY) said that Feith’s absence was “an affront” to the committee and to the country. Nadler said that Feith had a central role in forming the abusive interrogation policies so his testimony is necessary to understanding the matter. Congressman Steve King (R-Iowa) opposed the subpoena. He said that Feith deserved a second chance, rather than an immediate “sledgehammer of subpoena.” But, the committee voted nine to three in favor of the subpoena.