Richie: One thing I'd ask before all this - and I can't seem to quickly find an unbiased article summarizing things...

How was the subpeona served? Who actually received it?

I find it hard to believe that Obama himself would have know about this - President of the United States tend to be busy men.

But as one other pointed out - that's what legal teams are for - to do all the low-level stuff that comes with the territory of being President.

To use a thin analogy - I can serve my deadbeat tenants by placing the notices on the door - but they can still claim they never saw it. That's why one tends to use the local County Sheriff's office to do that sort of thing - to show proof of the attempt at least.

So who knew about he subpoena and (evidently) ignored it? Who served it and how? That might explain a lot and put egg on SOMEONE's face (probably the President's legal team or other advisors)