Mike Thompson: “In response, I think that would be one of the circumstances that might lead us to ask for an extension of time. It would…”

“In response, I think that would be one of the circumstances that might lead us to ask for an extension of time. It would depend, I think, on the totality of the circumstances. We would need to feel that we really needed the additional information that was important to our investigation. With that being the case, that would be one of those circumstances. I might add, the Senator makes a very good and valid point, and one that I raised in January on this floor. It is one that I raised in the Governmental Affairs Committee when we were discussing scope and duration. I also raised it in the Rules Committee the other day. The Senator points out the fact that a good defense can sometimes take you past any cutoff date that you might establish out there as a target. I do not know if the Senator will ask about other circumstances, but I can certainly think of a couple of other circumstances that would cause the same problem. The White House, for example, in times past, has taken positions with regard to questions of executive privilege that were not valid. If you want the documents or the testimony, usually documents, then you have to go through a process, and you have to wind up in court, if you think the documents are important. So that is another situation where it would certainly be appropriate, if you needed that information, to come back before the Senate and ask for an extension of time.”