Rove Refuses To Testify On U.S. Attorney Scandal

Think Progress:

Yesterday, the House Judiciary Committee received a letter from Karl Rove's attorney Robert Luskin, stating that his client refuses to testify before a House subcommittee, despite a congressional subpoena. He reiterated his offer to have Rove appear for an off-the-record interview, not under oath, about the prosecution of formerly Alabama governor Don Siegelman only. In a response to Luskin, Reps. John Conyers (D-MI) and Linda Sanchez (D-CA) reject the offer:

We want to make clear that the Subcommittee will convene as scheduled and expects Mr. Rove to appear, and that a refusal to appear in violation of the subpoena could subject Mr. Rove to contempt proceedings, including statutory contempt under federal law and proceedings under the inherent contempt authority of the House of Representatives.

Read the whole story: Think Progress

Comments

[WFV]

Perhaps he will finally be arrested? Please? Somebody?

[Updoc101]

And if he still refuses to testify then the Judiciary Committee plans on taking the unprecedented step of having the trees in front of Mr. Rove's house covered with toilet paper late at night while he and his wife are sleeping. This will be the strongest signal yet that this time the Judiciary Committee just may mean business .

[Ramirez]

MC Rove.

They can't lay a glove on him...

[Harrier]

That guy is a piece of work-and understands his game is up. Because of him, Gonzales cannot get a job and can only work the rubber chicken circuit

[Marlyn]

Why is Karl Rove above the law?

[syllepsis]

we see the genius of Rove at work.
So he rigged a trial for siegelman. Attorney generals from almost every state wrote that this was a matter for concern, but no investigation, let alone charges, have been introduced against anyone for it- because who would bring them?
The same people who put Siegelman in the slammer.
Congress therefore isn't going to get the courts and the DOJ to do any work here (genius of Rove: A judge threw Watergate plumbers in the slammer. Nixon did not have iron control over the DOJ.)
Congress is going to have to redress the situation alone: With active opposition from Executive Branch, with no help from the Judicial Branch.
That is why Inherent Contempt is mentioned so often. It is Congress' only option when it works alone.
If Conyers doesn't act, that will be another blow to the checks and balances system, which is no longer a factor that routinely operates in our Government.
Of course, the Dems are getting a huge political bonanza from not acting. They are being "moderate" by doing nothing, and the Republicans are the public face of an American tragedy. The Democrats are willing to look like spineless vermin in front of their base for electoral gain. What's the harm in that?

[Ramirez]

Conyers should subpoena the jury in the Siegelman case, too. They're the ones that convicted the guy.

[naschkatze]

He could even subpoena the grand jury which decided to indict. I think that's possible in certain circumstances.

[jsinclair]

P-R-I-S-O-N

[macintoshsauce]

Unbelievable. Yet the spineless cowards in the Democratic leadership (if you can call it that) sit there and do nothing.

[Marlyn]

I give up on the Democrats. I give up on politics. I give up on America.

America has become a fascist state, the people be damned.

[TovSquirrel]

And the spineless Democrats will do exactly nothing.

[eugenegerard]

Arrest him. Put him in chains and incarcerate him in the House Jail until he is out of contempt.

[obamanation31]

Throw the book at him. What a scum!

[Tomlastliberalleft]

Why is Rove untouchable? There was a time when Congress would take action and deal with scum like Rove. This must end. Put him in jail and throw the key away!

[willymanet]

If he has nothing to hide, why not be man enough and testify under Oath? Taking an Oath simply means,

"To the best of my knowledge, All I am about to say is the truth and nothing but the truth"

Why is he afraid to speak the simple truth? Why do they prefer this "off the record" testimony. Why will the Congress who said they want to get to the bottom of these interested in some "off the record" testimony. Off the record testimonies simply means...

"Do not hold me accountable to anything I am about to say, do not quote me, do not attribute these testimonies to me; I could deny that I said them anytime anywhere"

It is high time people are held to account for themselves, their actions words and deeds.

[lthuedk 1]

It's that "off the record" interview-esque stuff that caught Bush and Cheney in the outing of Plame and Brewster Jennings and remains the central matter in their culpability. The House is very interested in obtaining the Fitzgerald interview notes. But that isn't-at least from my view-the case with Mr. Rove.

Rove is again attempting to have a chat that would of course produce little but a series of tactical dodges and certainly zero value for any prosecution. Rove did this little trick before the Grand Jury several times and we the people received a zero sum gain.

The only thing Rove will understand is an arrest warrant. Come January 2009, let us not provide him with anything less than the full reward.

http://www.light-to-dark.com/yellowcake_tango_0.html

[Mercedes]

Instead of being the Grand Old Party (GOP) the party should now be known as the 'Grand Old Pigs' (with my sincere apologies to pigs. They are beautiful and smart creatures, nothing like these 'old, balding white pigs' in the White House that are allowed to destroy our US Constitution and our country).

May we all remember what today, July 4th REALLY means to us!

[MissingAmerica]

I'd like to say I can't believe the degree to which this administration has placed itself above and outside the laws of the very country they swore to protect, in violation of the Constitution they swore to uphold. I'm really tired of hearing the threats; this time I would like to see the Democrats live up to their obligation to this country. If Rove doesn't appear, he should be charged and arrested. It's time to end this dog and pony show.

[darthdarcy]

That's because the Attorney Firing Scandal is tied to the Voter Fraud Rove ran from the White House...Ro­ve is guilty of so many criminal Un-American acts..and crimes he fears testimony like any member of the Mafia would...