While he has refused to appear before Congress, Karl Rove did make time to show up last night on Fox News. Sean Hannity asked Rove about the House Judiciary Committee’s vote yesterday to hold him in contempt of Congress for ignoring subpoenas. Rove called the vote “ludicrous,” but admitted that he has “not exerted any personal privilege on this”:
ROVE: I have not exerted any personal privilege on this. The White House has said we want to stand up for the doctrine of separation of powers and for the right of the president to not have his aides and former aides called up at the convenience of the Congress for no good reason at all.
Watch it:
Rove’s answer makes clear that he has no legal basis for refusing to appear before Congress. He also claimed in the interview that he has already answered questions pertaining to his alleged involvement in the prosecution of former Alabama Gov. Don Siegelman (D), but as Marcy Wheeler points out “Rove didn’t deny the central allegations against him” in the case.
Update:
Reacting to the contempt vote, former Alabama Gov. Don Siegelman said, “I think it takes us one step closer to the truth, one step closer to justice.”