Rove’s deputy involved in attorney purge.

Emails released today show that Karl Rove’s deputy Scott Jennings was involved in the effort to purge Arkansas U.S. Attorney Bud Cummins in favor of Rove “protege” Tim Griffin, despite claims from the Justice Department to Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-NY) last month that Rove had “no role” in Griffin’s appointment.

“Tim said he got a call from Bud offering this idea,” Jennings wrote to Alberto Gonzales’ chief of staff Kyle Sampson in late August, “that Tim come on board as a special [assistant U.S. attorney] while Bud finalizes his private sector plans. That would alleviate pressure/implication that Tim forced Bud out. Any thoughts on that?”

“I think it’s a great idea,” Sampson responded.

The Justice Department made Griffin a special assistant USA in Arkansas the next month. Finally, in December, Griffin was made the U.S. attorney.