I admit, I was a little shaken when I read (well, heard, initially) that religious icon James Dobson (Focus on The Family) said this when coming out in support of Supreme Court Nominee Harriet Miers:

Some of what I know I am not at liberty to talk about.

Publius has the right response:

SUBPOENA DOBSON

Well, Mr. Dobson, if you have been given information from someone at the White House, I think the public has a right to know just what you have been told – especially in light of how little we know. Did you get a firm anti-Roe commitment? If not, what exactly did you mean? The people want to know.

The Senate Judiciary certainly has the power to subpoena Dobson in order to get an understanding of Miers.  You want a precedent?  How about Anita Hill?

UPDATE:  Senator Salazar (D-Co) says:

"It’s troublesome to me the comment would be made," Salazar said at a Tuesday news conference in Denver. "It seems to me, all of the (information) the White House knows about Harriet Miers should be made available to the Senate and the American people. If they’re making information available to Dr. Dobson – whom I respect and disagree with from time to time – I believe that information should be shared equally with a U.S. senator."

RELATED:  Here’s an interesting flashback, via Atrios:

The Associated Press
July 7, 1981, Tuesday, AM cycle

Asked about Mrs. O’Connor’s position on the extremely sensitive abortion issue, Reagan, who said he had interviewed the intended nominee, told reporters as he left the press room: "I am completely satisfied."

At her press conference, Mrs. O’Connor declined questions over that issue, the ERA and others, saying "I’m sorry. I cannot address myself to substantive issues pending my confirmation."

and

United Press International
July 8, 1981, Wednesday, AM cycle

Television evangelist James Robison, taking the opposite position of many of his conservative colleagues, Wednesday said he supports the nomination of Sandra O’Connor to the Supreme Court.

In a statement, Robison said he based his support for Mrs. O’Connor on a conversation Tuesday with presidential counselor Edwin Meese. A Robison spokesman said Robison obtained the following statement from Meese:

”Sandra O’Connor thinks abortion is abhorrent and is not in favor of it. She agrees with the president on abortion.

O’Connor, as it turned out, was not the abortion foe that many thought.