Obama White House Looking Into Rove's Claim Of Executive Privilege

Subpoenaed by Rep. John Conyers to testify before Congress, Karl Rove has left the debate over whether or not he is protected from testifying to Barack Obama.

The former Bush strategist had previously refused to appear before the House Judiciary Committee by claiming that executive privileges allowed him to keep his conversations with the president private. With Bush out of office, Rove instructed his lawyer, Robert Luskin, to ask the Obama White House whether the same privileges currently exist.

Asked for an answer at the White House briefing session, Press Secretary Robert Gibbs said Obama's legal counsel was still looking into it.

"The office of White House counsel is studying those issues and will advise us when we have a recommendation," Gibbs said.

It is a fairly clever maneuver on Rove's behalf -- forcing Obama to make a judgment on executive privileges that could have ramifications later in his presidency. But it is also, probably, the only move he could have made, beyond acquiescing to Conyers' demand and traveling up to Capitol Hill.

Comments

[SmootyBooty]

John Dean on the case...

[kevenseven]

Dean is the man.

[SmootyBooty]

KO is on the case...

[hortonhearsawho2]

Get the grill fired up....smoked hog.

[mmgbizgirl]

Dig and keep digging on him. You'll get him.

[Cherlesq]

And, why does Obama have to expend resources to look into this at the request of Rove. Ef that.

[SmootyBooty]

KR has finally met a legal firm he can't outspend...

[Emlyn]

Maybe Obama isn't wasting the time but makes Rove think he is. Keep him off balance? I really hope that if rove doesn't come to the Senate that he put in handcuffs and brought there. He deserves what he gets.

[kevenseven]

Because Obama is the Executive, and all Executives are concerned with maintaining some measure of Executive Privileged. Obama would not be doing this as a favor to Rove, to be sure.

[anastasiabeaverhousen]

Rove's executive privilege might get him a choice of prison camps, but hopefully not much more.

[Dave-O]

No man should be above the law. Especially not this arrogant, narcisistic, pasty, mean spirited, criminal. I think that hopefully this will be the first step to prosecuting Rove, Gonzo, Cheney and the rest of Team Bushie!

[TomTheAlmostUgly]

Obama should say, "Get your flabby butt in the hot seat! End of discussion." If Rove isn't happy with that, let Lard-butt take it to the US Supreme Court.

[AlaninElkGrove]

"I'm gonna take pleasure in guttin' you, boy..."

[MarionWatts]

He's a c h e e k y so-and-so, isn't he? Pushing his luck, that one.

[SmootyBooty]

what's to be expected from a t-blossom?

[haramagoti]

Squeal!

[lily]

This doesn't say much for Obama's high talk about "transparency" that he didn't immediately tell Rove to go piss up a rope.

[proudloudlib]

Strategically, I wouldn't do or say anything until after Holder is confirmed.

[KeepMeLearning]

I think you're absolutely right.

[SmootyBooty]

which will happen soon, thanks to all the calls to the senators and congresspeople!

[sonoffestus]

Yup, don't show your hand until you're ready.

[jinxed]

His mom (Obama's) taught him manners which is why he didn't tell rove to "go piss up a rope".

[SurrealPumpkin]

Obama doesn't want to just toss out any old legal opinion. It'll be an awesome feat of legal scholarship. Rove won't like. As mentioned elsewhere SCOTUS put severe limits on executive privilege during the Clinton administration.

[realpolitic]

Jail Rove!

[SmootyBooty]

hail yes!

[dems08]

Stock up on butter and popcorn, folks!

The spectacle will be any day now....

[winnie47]

The only way to keep criminals out of government is to actually hold a few of them accountable. Rove was an intern in the Nixon administration. The lesson he learned was: "Politicians are above the law, and the higher the office, the more laws you are able to break". If we want to clean up government, then a few heads need to roll.

[chayefsky]

So true!

[jcollell]

Well, I think if Obama is serious about accountability and transparency then he should have no problem in siding with Conyers on this in that Rove should testify because his executive privilege no longer applies now that Bush is out of office.

http://www.youspar.com/