Rove Cited for Contempt

The Associated Press reports:

A House panel Wednesday voted to cite former top White House aide Karl Rove for contempt of Congress as its Senate counterpart publicly pursued possible punishments for an array of alleged past and present Bush administration misdeeds.

Voting along party lines, the House Judiciary Committee said that Rove had broke the law by failing to appear at a July 10 hearing on allegations of White House influence over the Justice Department, including whether Rove encouraged prosecutions against Democrats.

The committee decision is only a recommendation, and it was unclear whether Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., would allow a final vote. Rove has denied any involvement with Justice decisions, and the White House has said Congress has no authority to compel testimony from current and former advisers.

If Congress doesn't have the spine to impeach George Bush and Dick Cheney, the least we deserve is to see Karl Rove behind bars.

The American people have paid a price ... Iraqi civilians have paid a price ... and journalists and program hosts like Phil Donahue, Ashleigh Banfield, and Bill Maher have paid a price.

The Bush Administration has taken no responsibility, or paid any price, for their actions.

Contact the Speaker and urge her to hold Karl Rove accountable.

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Rove ignores subpoena, refuses to testify on Hill

Is anyone surprised? From the start Karl Rove & Co. have viewed themselves as above the law. Why should a little thing like rule of law, or upholding the Constitution stop them now?

No one has paid any significant price for the lawless behavior of this administration. Scooter Libby and Alberto Gonzales received the equivalent of a slap on the wrist. Other than Dick Cheney and the president himself, no one is more responsible for what has happened over the past seven and a half years than Karl Rove.

The Associated Press reports:

Former White House adviser Karl Rove defied a congressional subpoena and refused to testify Thursday about allegations of political pressure at the Justice Department, including whether he influenced the prosecution of a former Democratic governor of Alabama.

Rep. Linda Sanchez, chairman of a House subcommittee, ruled with backing from fellow Democrats on the panel that Rove was breaking the law by refusing to cooperate — perhaps the first step toward holding him in contempt of Congress.

The White House has cited executive privilege as a reason he and others who serve or served in the administration should not testify, arguing that internal administration communications are confidential and that Congress cannot compel officials to testify. Rove says he is bound to follow the White House's guidance, although he has offered to answer questions specifically on the Siegelman case — but only with no transcript taken and not under oath. [...]

A decision on whether to pursue contempt charges now goes to the full Judiciary Committee and ultimately to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi.

Would anyone want to bet on the outcome of this? Didn't think so.

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Karl Rove Moving on Down the Road? NOT

Don't be fooled by the latest "I'm leaving to spend more time with my family" talk from Karl Rove. Who knew this guy even HAD a family? And with his son away in college, what could possibly be the motivation for leaving now?

I'll tell you in six words -- the Republican Party is in trouble. My money is on Karl Rove going behind the scenes to bail them out. Call me an inside the beltway cynic, but I simply don't believe for a minute that Rove is going quietly off into the night.

There is nothing more he can do for Bush, but he can try to protect the Bush legacy by working behind the scenes to help elect another Bush-like candidate -- meaning, someone with a folksy facade, who has the religious right in their pocket.

It might be a little more difficult this time around, however, since Rove's cover was blown by David Kuo in "Tempting Faith: An Inside Story of Political Seduction." But I've often questioned why Religious Right followers seem to be so gullible.

The questions to ask are "has Rove already selected his next candidate?" "Will he surface in the 2008 election (I wouldn't be at all surprised if he does)?" Or, "is he laying the ground work for the NEXT presidential election in 2012?" Whatever the case may be, I don't believe for a minute that Karl Rove is going to sit quietly in his Texas home and write a book.