Rove Deposed In U.S. Attorney Probe

WASHINGTON — Former Bush White House official Karl Rove was questioned by House Judiciary Committee lawyers Tuesday on any role he may have played in politically motivated firings of U.S. attorneys.

Committee Chairman John Conyers, D-Mich., confirmed Rove's closed-door appearance through a committee spokesman who was not authorized to be quoted by name.

The committee has been seeking answers on who created the list of federal prosecutors who would lose their jobs. Conyers has suspected the trail led to the White House but couldn't prove it. Former President George W. Bush asserted executive privilege for Rove and former White House lawyer Harriet Miers and refused to let them testify.

An agreement was struck in March between Rove's lawyer and the committee for Rove, who was Bush's top political adviser, to testify on the prosecutors' firings, as well as the prosecution of former Gov. Don Siegelman of Alabama. Siegelman, a Democrat, has alleged that his prosecution was pushed by Republicans, including Rove.

The agreement called for Rove to testify "under the penalty for perjury," Conyers has said. The committee could release the transcripts afterward, but the agreement also allowed for public testimony.

Nine U.S. attorneys were fired. An internal Bush Justice Department investigation concluded that political considerations played a part in at least four of the dismissals.

Rove's appearance before the Judiciary Committee was first reported Tuesday night by the Web site Politico.

Comments

[Heavy]

"I don't recall" repeat ad nauseum.

[Grunty1]

Followed by a "oink" of course.

Karl Rove's DNA is balogna.

[Grunty1]

Followed by a "oink" of course.

K@rl R0ve's DNA is balogna.

[Chapmanp2]

I thought it was still US policy to indefinitely detain enemy combatants­...

[AirForce Vet]

I misread the headline. I thought you said, “Rove decomposed in U.S. Attorney Probe.” What really should have happened is that this underhanded cretin should have been exposed for what he really is. Come to think of it, I don’t know if anyone can figure out what he is. I definitely know what he isn't and that would be a man of honor.

[joeybb]

Conyers should be questioning Obama about illegally firing IG Walpin for doing his job. Of course Obama did not like that Walpin wanted his thief friend, Mayor Johnson to be charged & pay back 8 hundred some thousand that was stolen from the tax payers. But more to the joke here, why did Conyers not ask his thief wife where the jewelry & money she stole came from when she brought her ill gotten gains home. Did he notice all the $$$$ & her changed vote???

[cruzking2000]

Put the bong DOWN, and back away from the ganja.....

[frappe]

Was he under oath? All that the article said was that he testified "under the threat of perjury". What is that supposed to mean?

[IntelligentDesign]

Must be under oath to qualify for perjury--one and the same.

[dems08]

not true - when testifying before congress, lying is illegal no matter what

[LolaB]

Wrong! Ask Sammy Sosa how that stands up as they try to figure out if he comitted perjury in his testimony about never using steriods. I hope they get Rove and Sosa. Liars!

[LauraD]

He was deposed.

Stating that he was under oath is redundant, because all depositions are given under oath. It's testimony, it's just not given in a court.

[SangZe]

Truth is irrelevant to the U.S. government. Just check the current president's actions against his campaign promises.

[frappe]

Health care reform is still "in process"..­.and the climate/energy bill was passed by the House recently. So, what are you talking about?...M­ost of his time has been dealing with the mess left on his desk by the prior administration. If Bush had left well enough alone and just sat at his desk looking dazed and confused, we would have all been better off...We'd still have that SURPLUS that Clinton left with him and prospects for a brighter future would have continued unabated..­.But because the U.S. Supreme Court interceded on his behalf in 2000, we are all left with the fallout from his stupidity and lack of vision and by his party's abject ignorance and stupidity as well.

[Wayne Leng]

You would have to include every single President for this one. I would say pragmatism plays the biggest part in his decision making in keeping promises. At least he is not stubborn and ignorant like our last Prez.

[levibatgirl]

Need another tissue?

[gloriousbeing]

Must be from Ohio.

[TimeToPunt]

TaxDayMan I'm a Fan of TaxDayMan I'm a fan of this user permalink

Read your constitution! US Attorneys ARE AS POLITICAL as the AG.

==========­==========­==========­==========­==========­==========­==========­=======

Quote me chapter and verse from the Constitution that US attorneys are even mentioned. Go ahead. I defy you to find the Department of Justice mention anywhere in the Constitution. No specific cabinet function is mentioned at all in the Constitution. Legislation governing how cabinets like the DoJ behave was passed after the Constitution was written.

Nice attempt at appearing knowledgeable, though. Your mother obviously had a few misses when she was home schooling you.

[TaxDayMan]

Ok? TimeToPunt, PUNT or at lest make a personal attack! Libs, LoL!

[Grunty1]

Here's one: You punted that football that resided in your skull a long time ago.

[cruzking2000]

You've made a fool of yourself, and you don't even know it. Pathetic.

[Grunty1]

[For the "crime" of winning two presidential elections! Libs, LoL!] - TaxDayMan

No one every claimed that this one had a double digit IQ

[bebecca]

While I think this is a serious concern, it doesn't have nearly the global impact of prosecuting those responsible for torture. If Holder can only focus on one crime at a time, he should switch to investigating the torturers. We have heard very little about him of late-except his surprise oral surgery. (yawn)

[dems08]

rove is being deposed in a house hearing

[Okieborn]

Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah !!
Oink Oink Oink Oink OINK !!!

[Kristen777]

OMG I almost posted the exact comment!!!

[nellie]

He showed up. Finally.

I hope they get some traction on this. It's time to start pursuing the lawbreaking of the last administration. This would be a good start.

[laminators]

Only took a few years... http://www.governmentalityblog.com/my_weblog/2009/07/karl-rove-finally-deposed.html

[IntelligentDesign]

Phat Karl would have made an excellent Knotsy, back in the day.

[Bluedanube]

2 most overheard reponses at Rove's deposition, "I don't recall" and "I can't remember."

[Grunty1]

Don't forget the oinks.

[Json]

And a heaping helping of "I choose not to answer because my answer may tend to incriminate me"...

[Okieborn]

I want to know how big is the Free Pass Box !!!!

[David Campbell]

Rove, Cheny, Bush, Rumsfeld and many others should be indicted for breaking international law, Geneva Conventions and U.S. laws as well. We did so with the Germans and Japanese after WW.2 for the same violations as these criminals. We know Obama does not want to have a long high profile trial but he should do it as his obligation as president. There is no reason they should get off free and others who "were just following orders" was not accepted in the Nuremberg trials.
(I am not a fan of me but perhaps of Charles Darwin)

[ljkar13]

i'm just a fan of the truth and i don't think anything near that is going to come out here with mr. rove

[TLV]

As we all know, truth became subjective during the Boosh/Cheeny years.

[Okieborn]

INDEED !!!!

[spmcintyre]

I was under the impression that the people fired only had a job if the President says so. I do believe that most incoming Presidents fire most or all of these appointees as they are taking office and put their own people in place.(Thi­s is not politically motivated?) Why should there be a problem with him firing these people appointed by another President? Was it a problem because there were so few? Was it a problem because he waited so long? Was it a problem because the “firees” were failing to do the job they were appointed to do? They are all there at the whim of the current President, and firing them is the current Presidents prerogative.

[normathumb]

I think the custom is for the prosecutors to offer their resignations to an incoming president. The problem arises when they are fired for 'political' reasons. They are supposed to be independent of political pressure. There should be a case of malfeasance or dereliction, not political displeasure, when firing a prosecutor. They should not have to wonder whether or not this either displeases or curries favor with the president. The goal is for an independent judiciary. Falling short ought not be.

[gpeach36]

Spin, spin, spin

[Bushwillresign]

"This is not politically motivated?"

You answered your own question. These people "were" fired for political reasons. They were told to "go after" people that the republicans had a problem with. When they did not do as they were told, they were fired.

The accusation is that Karl Rove gave orders and the "firees" did not do as they were told so they were fired. This is the "other" side of the story, that you won't find on Fox News. "Open up your mind "a little" and the truth shall set you free."

[TLV]

Din't pay no attention, dija?

The issue was that these attorneys were fired as punishment because they did not make election outcomes fit what the Boosh/Cheeny regime wanted. They got pissy. That's how they rolled.

[Adartist777]

Yes, and Washington borders a "right to work" state, Virginia, where if you're an employer, you can fire anybody at your own discretion. Perhaps these government employees need union representation instead.

[wgsalter]

They are emphatically NOT employees, as a matter of law. They are OFFICERS of the United States, like military generals.