Conyers On Rove: "We'll Hold Him In Contempt"

Just off the House floor today, the Crypt overheard House Judiciary Committee Chairman John Conyers tell two other people: "We're closing in on Rove. Someone's got to kick his ass."

Asked a few minutes later for a more official explanation, Conyers told us that Rove has a week to appear before his committee. If he doesn't, said Conyers, "We'll do what any self-respecting committee would do. We'd hold him in contempt. Either that or go and have him arrested."

Keep reading.

Comments

[elr50]

Vote DEM in the next congressional election so we can get these bastards in jail where they belong. Until we have a larger majority in congress, there is nothing we can do. I am not usually in favor of capitol punishment but for this crew, I'd push the button.

[tea in the harbor]

Despite my support for Sen. Obama, I am not a Democrat, so you'll have to excuse me for noticing the non-stop blabber coming from your leadership and it's attendant absolute lack of action. I would very much like to be proven wrong, but I see this as more election year pandering and of no merit whatsoever. I will make a pledge to you now, in public, that if I see Rove forced to testify, if there is evidence that the investigation will go forward even AFTER the election, I will, for the first time in my life, vote a straight Democratic ticket!

[claytongrayum]

Arrest him, whats it matter to ya?

[swooge]

I'll believe it when I see Rove perp-walked into Congress. Until then :P.

[GingerB]

Yeah, yeah, yeah, Conyers. We've heard it all before; too many times.

Sh*t or get off the pot. It's that simple.

[mollyjackson]

Conyers will do nothing. Its just political talk.

[returnofthejedi]

Well in defense of Mr. Conyers there isn't much you can do when the president has been protecting these people with executive privilege. This time this guy is just being plain defiant!
It HAS taken far too long, but am willing to wait if the end results means this disgusting man finally pays for his role in this fiasco. I just hope it does not stop there.

[returnofthejedi]

So much for the personal responsibility argument. Just skip the formalities Mr. Conyers.

[ObamaEdwards]

Patriotic Americans back you, Conyers. Make Rove do what all other Americans would be expected to do. He is not above the law.

[proudliberal4truth]

My God! We can't even get the illustrious Mr. Rove to testify under oath before Congress? And what about the lovely and talented Harriet Myers? These republican thugs are blatantly thumbing their noses (or giving the finger) to Congress and the American people and NOBODY is taking action against them. I'm tired of hearing threats from the dem leadership on this issue. SOMEBODY please DO SOMETHING!

[wmfor]

Face it. As a Fox News Commentator, Turdblossom can claim Executive Privilege.

[Apache6]

I don't believe that the Hannity Rule... "If you're not breaking the law, you've got nothing to hide" will be useful should he not want to incriminate himself.

[Oldchef]

Most of the comments on the Crypt site seem to be from republican congressmen fearing that a congressional investigation could actually have some teeth this year. From what I remember from school courses, the Congress can send the Sergeant at Arms to arrest persons in contempt of Congress and bring them to answer questions. Traditionally they have gone through the Justice Department in recent times, but the legal authority exists for them to perform arrests and require testimony. Since the Bush toadies in Justice refuse to act, the Congress has every right to send the Sergeant at Arms to arrest Rove and bring him to Capitol Hill to testify.

[tyrodin]

It looks like they'll carry through with it this time. Something to note though, Schumer and Feinstein confirmed Mukasey. We should be questioning them right now, and Obama should consider removing them from any committees they might be sitting on.

[Liberty2008]

It's up to Congress to follow through on arresting Rove. The rule of law must be upheld or we will no longer be able to call the United States of America a Republic. We need to investigate and prosecute crimes, or we will embolden other leaders to abuse their power now and in the future. It's up to Congress to deal with Rove, as well as Cheney, Rumsfeld and Bush. Investigate, impeach and prosecute.

[Donnat]

It might be harder than he thinks.

Remember that movie "The Omen" and what happened to someone every time they tried to take out that Damien kid?

The Devil looks after his own.

[ReasonIsMyReligion]

Re Executive Privilege:

1) It doesn't protect for CRIMINAL behavior.

2) It ONLY protects if the President was PERSONALLY involved.

Rove flunks BOTH tests with respect to Congress's investigation of Rove's PERSONAL and UNOFFICIAL involvement in the "imprisonment of former Alabama Gov. Don Siegelman, among other things."

[flatus]

Catch-22 anyone?

Sometimes you cannot prove criminality without access to the records.
Sometimes you cannot get access to the records because of the criminals (false executive privilege claims).

[MyNameIsJames]

I agree with many of the comments that Conyers is full of hot air on this. However, once President Bush leaves office, and the Democrats widen their majorities in Congress, and a Democrat is elected President this threat would not be so empty.

I believe that the Democrats need to keep their powder dry until 2009. In the meantime, they should be devising a plan to hold Bush Administration officials accountable for illegal activities that occurred during the Bush presidency. I am not suggesting a "witch hunt". I believe that enough truly illegal activity has occurred under Bush to produce dozens of indictments. Dems should put together a plan for the Post Bush era and then let's see what they do at that time.

[DXM]

While Rove and others might be compelled to testify before Congress on this and other abuses of power in the months (or years) to come, don't count on any of the major players ever going to trial if any actionable, illegal activity is uncovered. I guarantee you that Bush will be burning the midnight oil on January 19, 2009 granting blanket pardons for all of his buddies for anything they may have done (just as President Ford granted President Nixon, who hadn't been charged with a crime yet, a blanket pardon in 1974). Mark my words, no major player in the Bush Administration will ever see the inside of a US court room.

[bluesnot]

Then let Bush write the pardons. Let him emphasize how Republicans have perverted the criminal justice system. Let him show how Republicans undermine the American system of law and order, and jeopardize our way of life.

[returnofthejedi]

Might be kinda hard to pardon himself though....­........wo­nder how that would work.
I think our constitution may need a little tweaking after this crowd is done.
I never want to see this again....e­ver.

[Joeblue]

OK, but in the meantime Rove can rot in jail until his trial.

[LRM216]

It appears to me that the democrats are about as lame as the republicans. While a registered Independent (with admitted republican leanings), I shudder for all of us. While republicans have opposed the democrats and vice versa for as long as I can remember, I do not ever remember seeing our country in the internal political state it is currently at. In the past, we at least came together as a nation, we're not even doing that now. I shudder to think of where we are going as a country.

[american2008]

Yes, so keep voting Republicon and see how much better things get (sarcastic comment).

[LRM216]

If you are referring to me, I am not even sure I am going to vote, what with the given choice. If I vote for McCain, I feel as if no change will occur. If I choose to vote for Obama, his choice of friends scares me, as well as his inexperience (not so crazy about the Mrs. either), and of course - there is Hillary, who, by the look of things, won't even be running. I have never NOT voted, but, sad to say, am really contemplating not doing so.

[Oldchef]

We came together as a nation right after 9/11 and your republican friends used that unity to advance their partisan agenda and bury dissent under cries of defeatism and "unamericanism". They railroaded us into a foreign war to enrich the oil companies and line the pockets of their lobbyist friends and themselves(more than 95% of senators and congressmen are richer now than in 2001, most of us are worse off). I think the thing to try now is to come together behind a new and different agenda, Incidentally, I'm a registered Independent; quit the Democratic party in 1968, when the party "grownups" pushed out the progressives and nominated Humphrey.

[flatus]

Maybe that's because the people that have been in power are Neocons. Republicans have my respect, Neocons do not.

[FirstShirt]

See LRM. If you read these posts you will see no accepting of responsibility of democrats for anything wrong in our country, society, etc. They were apparently in the bathroom when the brains were handed out. No insight or philosophical agreement. It is all hard core politics with no ability to see beyond their narrow and liberally skewed vision. Very sad. Most republicans will freely admit that Bush made some mistakes. Pick a president and you can say the same. But democrats? They are lost in their fantasy world. Sad what the great progressive democratic party has become.

[rogerse]

May I ask a serious questio here?.

All you bozos crying impeachment, so where's the 2/3ds majority you seem to think you have?.

You know some republicans who will support it?.

Are you all just delusional?.

I'm jus being realistic here...wou­ldn't impeachment have been a waist of time?.

[Joeblue]

Doesn't matter, It's the duty of congress tio do so.

[rogerse]

You didn't answer the qustion

[mystic]

I skipped reading this post or the comments. Totally useless given the uselss crab Conyers is.
"Too little too late" someone says. He remoindfs me of a chihauhau snapping his head off at all the big dogs. Useless Congress. Pelosi is another traitor. Snapping now months before the election instead of years. Please. Go have another facelift and Botox Nancy. That's all you're good for.

[Oldchef]

Why the heck are you commenting if you didn't even read the post?