Karl Rove denies influencing Don Siegelman prosecution

Karl Rove says he didn't do it.

In a letter to the ranking Republican on the House Judiciary Committee, Lamar Smith of Texas, Rove says that he never tried to influence the prosecution of former Alabama Gov. Don Siegelman on political corruption charges.

"I have never communicated, either directly or indirectly, with Justice Department or Alabama officials about the investigation, indictment, potential prosecution, prosecution, conviction or sentencing of Gov. Siegelman, or about any other matter related to his case, nor have I asked any other individual to communicate about these matters on my behalf. I have never attempted, either directly or indirectly, to influence these matters."

Rove, the former political maestro at the Bush White House, also suggests that the committee should ask Siegelman why he has made "baseless allegations of impropriety" against him. "The committee should require Siegelman to substantiate his allegations about my 'involvement' in his prosecution -- something he has failed to do in either media interviews or court filings," Rove says in the letter, provided to C2C (that's Countdown to Crawford) by the committee Republican staff.

A few weeks ago, Rove was subpoenaed to testify for a hearing on the issue and failed to show up, saying that he was protected by executive privilege. Before and after what's being called "the empty chair hearing," Rove offered to testify in private or answer questions in writing. So Smith, says a committee staffer, decided to take him up on it.

Meanwhile, in advance of the committee's Friday hearing on executive privilege, a coalition of anti-Rove organizations has collected more than 100,000 names on a petition, created by Brave New Films and housed here, urging the committee to hold Rove in contempt and send him to jail.

-- Johanna Neuman

Photo: Jennifer Simonson/AP (corrects earlier post that credited Jennifer Simsonson)