Today, House Judiciary Committee chairman John Conyers (D-MI), joined by members Linda Sánchez (D-CA), Artur Davis (D-AL), and Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), wrote to Karl Rove and requested that he testify before the committee about the politicization of the Justice Department, including the prosecution of former Alabama governor Don Siegelman. From a statement by Conyers:
The Justice Department has simply not been forthcoming and I feel the only way to move this investigation forward is to seek further independent investigation and testimony from Karl Rove, who appears to be the missing link in a chain from the White House to the Justice Department.
Previously, Rove has fought congressional efforts to force him to testify. On April 7, however, Rove’s attorney Robert Luskin reportedly promised that his client would testify on the Siegelman case if subpoenaed. MSNBC’s Dan Abrams reported:
We asked this question to his attorney: Will Karl Rove agree to testify if Congress issues a subpoena to him as part of an investigation into the Siegelman case? The answer we got — “Sure.”
Watch it:
The Majority staff of the Judiciary Committee also released a report today on the Justice Department’s “selective prosecution,” citing cases Pennsylvania coroner Cyril Wecht and Wisconsin state procurement official Georgia Thompson for possible review. As AP notes, “A judge recently declared a mistrial in the Wecht case, and a conviction against Thompson was overturned last year.”
can you say presidential pardon?
April 17th, 2008 at 4:06 pmOT- has anyone heard anything about Lt. Ehren Watada lately?
His 1st court-martial ended in a mistrial, but the army still wants to hang him by his buster browns- the man has to make an example of him for others.
military justice is to justice what military music is to music.
April 17th, 2008 at 4:09 pmHe won’t show, Bush will say he doesn’t have to, and after all Bush is above the law.
April 17th, 2008 at 4:11 pmAnd if he does show, do you really think Rove will tell the truth, no with a mouth full of twinkies he won’t.
I WISH…..BUT NOT A CHANCE.
April 17th, 2008 at 4:11 pmThe day Rove testifies under oath is the day when several highly placed officials will be, coincidentally, on overseas junkets.
April 17th, 2008 at 4:12 pm“NOT”
April 17th, 2008 at 4:12 pmlol, Uncle Ho!!
I was in the Navy Drum & Bugle Corps prior to being assigned to the Marines as a Corpsman. God, some of the music we played must have sounded like fingernails on a chalkboard.
On topic,
Come over, come over KKKarl Rover; we need to talk.
My problem with this, is wtf is Congress asking if he ‘would’ prior to issuing a subpoena? No one, including KKKarl, is going to assume a subpoena has any power if they’re asking ahead of time if they’ll comply.
April 17th, 2008 at 4:15 pmHow many times can Old Turdblossom take the fifth or say that “he doesn’t recall?” I see a replay of the Alberto Gonzalez testimony coming……
April 17th, 2008 at 4:16 pmWill Rove Keep Agreement To Testify Before Congress About Siegelman Prosecution?
In a word, no.
April 17th, 2008 at 4:24 pmHi Zimzone; perhaps you played your instrument at my ‘graduation’ from bootcamp.
I joined the navy to be a corpsman, since I was about to be drafted anyway.
April 17th, 2008 at 4:25 pmHeh. Who knew that subpoenas would work like the Ruby Slippers — only if you believe…
April 17th, 2008 at 4:27 pmI can hear his excuse now: “Well, gee, I really wish I could appear, but, ah, you know, the Pres called me last night and said he was involking his Executive Privilige on this issue.”
>:P
April 17th, 2008 at 4:30 pmAin’t gonna happen. Not now. Not ever.
-AF
April 17th, 2008 at 4:51 pmAndrew Sullivan Is A Fraud
Well, I guess it took them this long to get their story straight so now rove can go before conyers spew his lies and conyers can say he tried and go back to doing nothing.
Worthless pieces of shit – the lot of em’
April 17th, 2008 at 4:53 pmLook, Rove’s testimony is only as good as the evidence that may be used to impeach him. The White House will refuse to to provide other relevant officials to testify, there will be no internal DoJ, USAttt, Republican party correspondence and certainly no Rove e-mails or other WH documents. No evidence or testimony to confront Rove with, no proof to move forward and no basis for action. Yes, such a wonderful opportunity. You deal with these people like the vermin and filth that they are. Just kill them.
April 17th, 2008 at 4:55 pmN——————————————–O
April 17th, 2008 at 4:58 pmRove isn’t about to testify and even if he did the piece of crap won’t tell the truth. He doesn’t know what the truth is, he’s lied so much about everything the lies are his truth. Come on GWB’s worthless father fired the scumbag for lying 20 years ago.
April 17th, 2008 at 5:01 pmOf course he will. And then he will say “I don’t recall” 100 times.
April 17th, 2008 at 5:08 pmThis time EP isn’t going to fly. First, Rove no longer works for Bush and second, if Rove declares EP, that will be saying that Bush had something to do with the Siegelman prosecution.
This is going to be interesting.
April 17th, 2008 at 5:09 pmYes, he will. . . when he’s dragged in in chains, mebbe!
April 17th, 2008 at 5:17 pmBilbo Hussein Baggins Says
April 17th, 2008 at 5:09 pm
This time EP isn’t going to fly. First, Rove no longer works for Bush and second, if Rove declares EP, that will be saying that Bush had something to do with the Siegelman prosecution.
___________________________________________________
I wouldn’t be so sure. After all, I thought EP wouldn’t fly when it came to all those subpoenas regarding the U.S. Attorney firings (I mean, what in the world could that possibly have to do with national security?). Yet they got away with it.
As long as the Supreme Court plus a whole lot of federal judges are in Bushco’s pocket, EP will fly as far as Bush and his merry men want it to.
April 17th, 2008 at 5:19 pmIt is clear at a minimum that current and former Department leadership has been derelict in failing to review these matters and reassure the American people that federal law enforcement is impartial and fair.
There is extensive evidence that the prosecution of former Governor Don Siegelman was directed or promoted by Washington officials, likely including former White House Deputy Chief of Staff and Advisor to the President Karl Rove, and that political considerations influenced the decision to bring charges.
This report describes the progress of an investigation by the Judiciary Committee and its majority staff into allegations that criminal prosecutions have been brought by Bush Administration prosecutors for political reasons. If true, such charges would describe a severe abuse of executive power. Given the gravity of these charges, the investigation has been cautious and deliberate, and final conclusions have not yet been reached. The facts learned to date, however, are troubling.
These are a few highlights from the report, there are others who were prosecuted because of political influence. What Karl Rove has singlehandly done is taken part of Siegelman’s life away that he can’t get back. He has ruined his career and his good name all because he was a good democrat that took his job seriously.
I hope that the Judiciary Committee compiles evidence against Karl Rove. Not only send him to jail but make him pay restitution to Mr. Siegelman. That will in no way compensate him for what he has lost. But, it is the least the Judge can do to correct the injustice.
April 17th, 2008 at 5:34 pmhttp://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com
” (Rove’s LAwyer) Luskin said he has had no direct communication the the Judiciary Committee’s staff or its chairman, Rep. John Conyers, D-Michigan, and said the White House would have to decide whether Rove will be able to testify.”
hahahahahhaahha. like anyone with half a functioning brain doesnt know this pudgeboy runs the WH…
way to call his bluff conyers,,,I knew his “i’ll tesify under oath” claim was a bunch of BS, this man would have the same reaction to putting his hand on a bible that a vampire would… dude….judges have to explain themselves in writing, usually, and even the most conservative of judges is going to have a VERY hard time explaining why he thinks executive priveldge covers something that A: the president had nothing to do with and B: something that the president’s advisors claim they had nothing to do with.
this is very, very strong circumstancial evidence that the claims siegelman had been making about a legitimate campaign donation being twisted into a bribe by Rove, Inc, are true.
If he had nothing to do with it, just go on the stand, say, I know nothign of it, and let that be that..
April 17th, 2008 at 6:16 pm> that will be saying that Bush had something to do with the >Siegelman prosecution.
right.. as the president of the united states, bush should have absolutely nothing to do with a state prosecution, anymore than he should groping interns. this would be as absurd as bill clinton claiming executive pridledge in the lewinsky matter.
I’m pretty sure a matter can be privledged unless there is actually a matter to be privledged..
I’m telling you, these idiots were so deluded by thier “maths”, i dont think they ever contemplated that democrats would be sitting at the heads of committees.
April 17th, 2008 at 6:24 pmRove…testify?! Better luck getting in a time machine and convincing Mrs. Bush to go have something done about the “pain in her tummy” that ends up in Bumbles Jr. and the Legion of Doom.
April 17th, 2008 at 6:54 pmWill Rove Keep Agreement To Testify Before Congress About Siegelman Prosecution?
Sure he will . . when pigs fly.
April 17th, 2008 at 8:15 pm“Will Rove Keep Agreement To Testify Before Congress About Siegelman Prosecution?”
The Magic 8-ball reads doubtful
April 17th, 2008 at 9:57 pmUhm, No!
April 17th, 2008 at 10:44 pmPentagon institute calls Iraq war ‘a major debacle’ with outcome ‘in doubt’
http://news.yahoo.com/s/mcclatchy/20080418/wl_mcclatchy/2913186;_ylt=Al3IZILVDtoBTlhaDTEj8WMUewgF
April 18th, 2008 at 7:22 am