Karl Rove in contempt: Is it justice or a witch hunt?

The House Judiciary Committee voted along straight party lines this morning -- 20 to 14 -- to issue a contempt citation against former White House political maestro Karl Rove. The offense: failing to honor a subpoena to testify about his role in the federal and possibly political prosecution of former Alabama Gov. Don Siegelman, a popular Democrat sent who was to prison on corruption charges that are now under appeal.

A coalition of groups pushing for the  contempt citation hailed the move. "We couldn't be more pleased with the Judiciary Committee for standing up for American democracy and the rule of law by recommending to the House that it find Rove in contempt," said Robert Greenwald, president of Brave New Films, the organization that launched the Rove campaign. (The group also wants Connecticut's Independent Sen. Joe Lieberman banished from the Democratic Party for supporting GOP presidential nominee John McCain).

Yesterday the coalition delivered three boxes of petitions containing 127,000 signatures urging a contempt citation to California's Linda Sanchez, a subcommittee chairwoman, who opined, "I think it's ridiculous that Karl Rove thinks that he doesn't have to follow the law. Nobody in this country should be above the law."

But with the contempt resolution now on its way to the House floor, the committee's ranking Republican, Lamar Smith of Texas, castigated the action as "a Salem witch trial of Karl Rove."

Accusing Democrats and reporters of a rush to judgment, Smith said there is no credible evidence to support a contempt resolution against Karl Rove.

Rove failed to appear before the committee, citing executive privilege, and the session came to be known as "the empty chair hearing." But he did answer questions in writing. As C2C (Countdown to Crawford) reported last Wednesday, Rove sent an unsigned letter to Smith, denying any involvement in Siegelman's case. In the  letter, forwarded to the committee by his attorney, Rove said:

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.

But Siegelman, in a subsequent e-mail to Times staffer Tom Hamburger on Thursday, called on the former White House strategist to testify under oath. He particularly questioned whether Rove talked about the case with Bill Canary, a Republican whose wife is the U.S. attorney in Montgomery, Ala. That office indicted Siegelman -- though Canary recused herself from the case. In the e-mail, Siegelman wrote:

Rove refused to deny that he had plotted with the US Attorney's husband, Bill Canary, to get his wife to further the joint state/federal investigation which was started by Rove's client, the Alabama attorney general. Karl Rove built his career in Alabama working with Bill Canary. Rove's client started investigating me in 1999 right after I endorsed Al Gore.  Then the wife of Rove's associate, Laura Canary, accelerated the case federally in 2001, she indicted me during the 2006 campaign, and she brought me to trial less than four weeks before the election. There is sworn testimony that Bill Canary said that he had it worked out with Karl to destroy me, and that two Alabama US Attorneys would do the job.  Both those US Attorneys did in fact indict me.  And now, Rove refuses to deny that he talked to Bill Canary about prosecuting me. They sent me to prison on less evidence than this.”

Back at the Judiciary Committee, Smith warned his colleagues that "the American people have a low opinion of Congress" and  "the relentless efforts to malign an outgoing administration only lower the public's opinion of Congress."

Meanwhile Rove's lawyer, Robert Luskin, wrote a letter to the committee pointing out that Rove "has not asserted any personal privileges." In the letter to Committee Chairman John Conyers (D-Mich.), Luskin writes:

He has declined to appear because he was directed not to do so by the president of the United States. While we understand that the committee disagrees with the legal position that the president has taken, punishing Mr. Rove will not vindicate the committee's authority. Neither will a contempt vote resolve the dispute.

The question of executive privilege -- does Bush or any POTUS have the right to withhold testify of top aides -- is now before the U.S. District Court in DC.

-- Johanna Neuman

Photo: Jennifer Simonson /Associated Press

Comments

[guerrillaction]

If you want to see who sold military secrets to China, try searching on the name Gregg William Bergersen. You'd think the morally bankrupt Right would put down the koolaid.

[Steve]

JimFolks:
In case you forgot, Clinton WAS impeached. He did commit high crimes and misdemeanors by seriously losing the trust of the people by his conduct. I also think he was liable for war crimes in Serbia. Even with that he was extremely popular around the world. But as for the Bush administration, if we are going to stop prosecutions because someone wasn't treated in a like manner, then the whole justice system needs to be called into question. When was the last time you saw a LOCKUP story on MSNBC about white-collar criminals, or a nightly news story about the billions being stolen by the high-finance profiteers?

[Cryos]

FYI my use of liberal in the next 2 posts are mostly limited to modern liberals not classic liberals. Modern liberals in general have lost the classic liberal values of logic based idealogy, independance, tolerance, open mindedness and ability to judge and weigh multifaceted issues.

I realize in some of my following statements wikipedia is not an authoritative source but it has pertinent phrases and links that provide good search material to investigate issues yourself.

I likely won't respond to responses that are not based on fact, logic, legitimate questions, etc and amount to name calling or out of left field accusations.

"Such as Plamegate, wiregate, torturegate, and the many other ___gates"

You do realize you are falling prey to the media and liberals' subconcious characterization of scandals to republicans by using watergate right? Hopefully you are intelligent and discerning enough to know corruption and scandals are bipartisan.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1996_United_States_campaign_finance_controversy

"C'mon guys.....Regardless of what one thinks of Rove, he snubbed a subpoena. Should there be no consequences at all?"

Executive privelege is used in all administrations and heavily in the Clinton administration as well as most recently by the Bush administration. If you are covered under executive privelege the subpeona is not valid. This is a legal matter of legislative versus executive powers.

"execution."

Hmmm I thought liberals were against the death penalty. If you are against it you can't make exceptions and life in prison is the worst you should offer.

[Cryos]

"The people currently defending Rove are the same ones who claimed there was no politicization of the Justice Department, claimed there was no torture going on, claimed the government wouldn't wiretap without a warrant, claimed there were WMDs in Iraq, claimed Saddam was the same thing as Osama, claimed invading Iraq would take weeks and that we would be welcomed with flowers. You'd think the Times would learn eventually."

1 - Politicization of the justice department. Can you please explain the non-partisan reason for why Clinton would have fired all but 2 attorney generals when he got in office? Also the non-partisan way that Janet Reno remained in her position after disasters like Waco? I would argue Waco is at least if not more pertinent than Guantanemo considering it involved US citizens.

2 - WMDs were a bipartisan and international mistake that Saddam himself encouraged.

http://www.snopes.com/politics/war/wmdquotes.asp

3 - claimed the government wouldn't wiretap without a warrant

I don't recall this claim can you provide some links?

[Jack Lean]

Witch hunt seems inappropriate. I would characterize Rove as fatheaded Machiavellian tub of Republican lard, not a witch.

[Cryos]

China technology transfer links as related to clinton and satellite launches. Easy google seaches "clinton satellite launches"

http://www.cnn.com/ALLPOLITICS/1998/05/22/china.money/

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/politics/special/missile/keystories.htm

http://www.nationalcenter.org/NPA259.html

[Kay]

This is the worst congress in our history. Approval rating at 9%. Endless vintictive investigations and wasting of our tax dollars. They need to get back to work and send us an energy plan that includins everthing, drilling here offshore and shale, coal, wind, solar and nuclear. Polosi is a disaster to the nation. Not letting our elected Senators vote on an energy bill? She does not speak for all of us. The nation is sick of party politics.
We are also sick of innacurate accusations. Valerie Plam was not working as an undercover agent at the time of that incident, there was no widespread torture, the only people wiretapped were those calling suspected terrorests. Most of this unsubstantiated blabber is just that.
History will look back on a president who freed millions of people from tyranny, established two new democracies in the Mideast and kept us safe for eight years with a markly differt view than those on a hysterical witch hunt since 2000.

[jose]

Someone mentioned Treason. If you want to bring up treason then let's line up the Liberals. Never in the history of our country have we had political leaders stand in front of the nation and say things like "Our Marines are cold blooded murderers" and "We cannot win this war"> That is treason!!
Dan Thomas

Shouldn't you be out shooting up a Universalist congregation because the mexican terrorists in the ZOG choppers took your job?

p.s. Marines kill, they don't murder. To murder you have to hand down the orders.

[jose]

3 - claimed the government wouldn't wiretap without a warrant

I don't recall this claim can you provide some links?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fourth_Amendment_to_the_United_States_Constitution

[Sal B]

All hail Fuehrer Bush! Let us sing his praises forever!

Liberals are bad. Repuglicans and NeoCONs are good!

Nyah nyah nyah nyah nyah!

[Cryos]

3 - claimed the government wouldn't wiretap without a warrant

I don't recall this claim can you provide some links?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fourth_Amendment_to_the_United_States_Constitution

Posted by: jose | July 30, 2008 at 01:36 PM

The claim was not of the 4th amendment but that Bush said #3. That's what I want evidence for. FISA is from 1978 and there are other exceptions even stated within your link.

[Cryos]

Liberals are bad. Repuglicans and NeoCONs are good!

Nyah nyah nyah nyah nyah!

Posted by: Sal B | July 30, 2008 at 01:58 PM

True conservatives dislike neo-cons masquerading as conservatives as much as liberals. I don't deem neo-cons true conservatives as they don't share the small government principles. Neo-cons can be considered in some respects republican because of issue stances but not conservatives.

[Sam]

This is a politically motivated witch hunt. The Dems want Karl Rove to pay for the 'crime' of helping Bush win two elections.

[J-Dawg]

Wail all you want, this aint going anywhere.

Who enforces the subponae?

The justice dept.

And they won't nor should they.

[Karl Rove]

I am Karl Rove and I am above the law :)
Even our president thinks that too!!!
Do you see me smiling?

[Ben]

"reason for why Clinton would have fired all but 2 attorney generals when he got in office?"

Bush also fired all the attorney generals when he took office. The reason these more recent 8 firings are significant is that they were fired for not violating the law to advance a political party.

Politics is ugly, criminal behavior is unacceptable.

[lnardozi]

Prosecuting anyone in the administration is a joke until they get the #1 terrorist before them in chains. Remember this people, we are SUPPOSED to have THREE branches of government. Our executive is doing his very best to overthrow that form of government by making the other branches vestigial. Justice will never be served until he is made to answer for his crimes - he will simply pardon anyone who is convicted. If you don't enjoy paying $100 to fill up your tank you should be on board with this. His huge defecit spending is what inflated the dollar.

[Moss]

Say what?!?!? - "Karl Rove in contempt: Is it justice or a witch hunt?" The guy left D.C. already, this administration is on the way out in 5 months, so why even pursue this nonsense? This is a PRIMARY reason why NOTHING gets done in D.C.! What I would like to see action on a BALANCED BUDGET without earmarks, further tax cuts and incentives, and less GARBAGE like this. Will the "leaders" please step forward if you are out there?!?!? GET IT DONE!

[Tom]

I live in Alabama. Siegelman, was a crook and got caught.

[WilliamL]

I thought the political prosecution happens only under a communist government. Now I am taught that they are pretty much the same thing.

[Richard Morgan]

Sorry, executive priviledge is what it is. The only way it can be challeged is with bipartisan effort ala Watergate. This is a non starter but I do hope Mr Siegelman wins his appeal.

[Cryos]

"Bush also fired all the attorney generals when he took office. The reason these more recent 8 firings are significant is that they were fired for not violating the law to advance a political party."

How is firing AGs at the beginning of a term any different from firing them during a term? As far as I know it doesn't matter it is at the president's discretion whether we like it or not. One of the many "witch hunts" the democratic congress has pursued since in office while ignoring taking action on their promises in 2006 to do things like lower gas prices.

Since democrats have gotten in office I have seen the economy go in the tank and gas prices through the roof. The gas price thing is a bipartisan problem but I think I'm offering a legitmate counter to the now standard practice of blaming Bush.

[doors]

clearly Rove & allies gamed the system but he's untouchable. Maybe if he'd been fellatioed in a White House rest room and caught...naw, doubt that he'd know how much less find an accomplice.

[Shag]

Where there is smoke there is fire. This clown's name has associated with two much menace for him not to be involved. Take him down. He went to the U.S. Atty. five times to correct his story, in the outing of Valerie Plame. He was subpoenaed and snubbed his nose at Congress. Take him down.

[Dave R]

I believe the person who said Clinton used executive priviledge was referring to things other than Conressional subpoenas. His staff was always instructed to cooperate with Congressional hearings, including people who dealt with him during his days as Arkansas governor. Get your facts and inuendos correct, please.