Why Karl Rove Should Go To Jail

Again last week, we saw the arrogance of former White House advisor Karl Rove when an empty chair sat for him in front of the House Judiciary subcommittee where he was required by subpoena to testify. Not only did he refuse to appear before the committee -- let alone testify -- but he defiantly left the country thereby blatantly ignoring his obligations under the congressional subpoena served on him. When he did return to the country, Rove found the time to gab with TV reporters on a summer press tour in Beverly Hills, but failed to stop by the Judiciary Committee in Washington.

After my ruling that Mr. Rove's claims of immunity are not legally valid, Congressman Conyers and I gave him one last chance to comply with the law. He ignored us. As he let yet another deadline slip by this week, Mr. Rove's disregard for Congress has become intolerable. Mr. Rove needs to understand that he is not above the law and should obey a subpoena just like any other American is required to do.

Mr. Rove should not be able to hide behind the president to avoid the American public. Americans are fed up with this administration flouting the law. They expect Congress to hold people accountable and that is exactly what we intend to do. Letting Mr. Rove get away with this would set a dangerous precedent. I have recommended that we hold Mr. Rove in contempt of Congress. If we need to revive the inherent contempt procedure which gives Congress the authority to arrest those who defy Congressional subpoenas, then so be it.

The courts have made clear that no one, not even the president, is immune from compulsory process. Any person who scoffs at the law and who has committed an offense that is punishable by jail time should be put in jail. This includes Karl Rove.

Congresswoman Linda T. Sánchez is the Chairwoman of the House Judiciary Subcommittee on Commercial and Administrative Law. She represents the 39th Congressional District of California.

Comments

[Geauterre]

As long as the President and Vice President are not impeached for malfeasance of office, high crimes and treason, Karl Rove is untouchable. That's why anyone whining about his not being cooperative with Congress, is just making lip service and expelling hot air.

[emstrem]

Agreed 100%. This whole regime should be charged with war crimes, and I just hope that our next president doesn't go Gerald Ford pardon crazy with these idiots.

[cabbile]

By whole regime you of course are including the Democratic led congress as well aren't you? You're not being partisan are you?

[LazarusLong]

"..If we need to revive the inherent contempt procedure which gives Congress the authority to arrest those who defy Congressional subpoenas, then so be it..."

IF ?!? It is long past time. Please initiate the inherent contempt procedure immediately.

[bryanphoto]

power has been taken (actually given) away by/from the american people to washington. but the arrogance of this administration has proven over and over again, that, your vote does not count and the benefit of a free society is not yours to have, it is for the power brokers and those that get their contracts, paid for by us. this admin has been about only one thing, redistributing wealth and power to the top. they did it in lightning speed by telling people that if they don't sign over their rights, money, and inheirtence right now, their children will die. yes they are evil. but non-thinking americans are the ones to blame. now we have a private-corporate army not subjacted to law, and zero privacy. no, no america. you gave it away.

[AzRealProgressive]

Good post. You must be a professor to be this accurate.

[deke33]

Comment: Just what is wrong with our system of jurisprudence? Since when could anyone ignore a subpoena? It has always been that subpoenas are legal writs that must be responded to. I believe only extreme illness or death may be the only reasons a subpoena is not responded to. It does not mean that the miscreant who fails to answer a subpoena has to asnswer questions, but he has to be there to say I refuse to answer that question.
A case in point, a few years ago I received a court document that I had to fill out for of all things, jury duty. In the process of preparing to go on an extended vacation, I failed to fill out the request. After I returned couple of months later, and before I picked up and went through my mail, a process server was at my door. After my explanation was brought before the powers that be I was given a reprieve. Now if they come after someone for not filling a jury application document, why are they not going after people who feel they do not have to respond to subpoenas?

[swift goat pet for truth]

Have you been paying attention?

Bush says the is above the law.
The GOP, then the Dems, refused to do their Constitutional duty of oversight.

Now there is precedent. Soon it will become established law, then no one will do anything, ever.

[MuseScavenger]

Remember, friends: Dennis Kucinich already read his 35 articles of impeachment against Bush before the House of Representatives. All our representatives need do is act on it.

[pilotinfla]

The only problem is that none of them had any merit.

[deke33]

Just love those terse statement of facts such as "The only problem is none of them had any merit".

You mean there are wmds in Iraq.
You mean this administration did not cherry pick data to get us into war.
You mean this administration did not out a CIA agent.
You mean this administration did not participate in the Tillman death.
You mean this administration did not participate in the England fiasco.
Me thinks you are almost as bright as if you issue such terse statements of all the impeachment charges without attempting to refute nary a one.

[Shaddup]

Dereliction of duty is only one and that's more than enough. Don't worry, you're gonna love the war crimes trial.

[FunkyP]

"The only problem is that none of them had any merit."
You are clearly referring to Mr. Kucinich's fellow House members.

The articles of impeachment can have their 'validity' tested by going forward.
Any problem with that?

[frankhenryk]

There is no doubt about the arrogance of the Bush Bunch starting with Bush, Cheney and Rove. There is little or no doubt that these people should be in prison for their crimes aganst the American people. Yet, there is no doubt that this will not happen. The question is why? Congress must answer that for the American people.

[dhinds]

On Monday June 9th, Congressman Dennis Kucinich House submitted House Resolution 1258, which contains 35 Articles of Impeachment for President Bush and was turned over to the House Judiciary Committee and then, to the Subcommittee on Constitution, Civil Rights & Civil Liberties, which assured me that investigations are being carried out and a Full Investigation like the one realized for 9/11 is a real possibility.

HRes 1258 has 6 cosponsers, two of whom are members of the House Judiciary Committe: Tammy Baldwin WI ([phone]) and Robert Wexler FL ([phone]). Congresswoman Baldwin is a member of the Subcommittee on Crime, Terrorism, and Homeland Security and Congreessman Wexler is a member of the Subcommitte on Constitution, Civil rights and Civil Liberties.

HRes 333 - an earlier inititive submitted by Congressman Kucinich to Impreach V.P. Cheney, had 27 sponsors and six of them are members of the House Judiciary Committee - the two sponsoring HRes 1258 (Robert Wexler and Tammy Baldwin) and the following four that have not (yet) sponsored HR 1258:

Hon. Sheila Jackson Lee
(D) Texas, 18th
202 225 3816

Hon. Maxine Waters
(D) California, 35th
202 225 2201

Steve Cohen - Member of the House Judiciary committe and the Subcommitte on Constitution, Civil rights and Civil Liberties
(D) Tennessee, 9th
202 225 3265

Henry C. "Hank," Jr. Johnson
(D) Georgia, 4th
202 225 1605

[AzRealProgressive]

Kucinich! Yes ! The American people have felt him behind them many times.

[pilotinfla]

All those are is a listing of various areas in which the Congress has had policy disputes with the President.

[4AmericaTheBeautiful]

I have one question for Linda Sanchez: what are you DOING about it? There are PLENTY of people who can write these op-eds (thousands on this site alone). Until you DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT, you're failing the American people.

[WatchIt]

Ma'am.

Enough already. Where is Mr. R'ove. Last I read, he was in Sweden, his "favorite" country, speaking at a Timbro event. Will congressional police be present when his plane lands? What is going on, ma'am?

Let's get this guy in front of a hearing now. I can't take much more of this indecision. What, ma'am, are they holding over you? What power does K'arl have over the Congress?

[flatus]

The power being held over Congress is called "Executive Priviledge>. That way I understand it is that it is sort of like Congressional kryptonite rendering them weak and useless

[DebbieKat]

This is just getting absolutely ridiculous. Unless you want this blatant pandering and condescension towards the American people to continue, we NEED TO ENACT the NATIONAL INITIATIVE FOR DEMOCRACY. www.ni4d.us.

So, if you're happy complaining on comments for bloggers rather than having any type of voice in your own government then fine. Ignore this website and continue handing over your vote every 2-4 years to people who couldn't care less about you or your concerns. Then you can return home where you can bury your heads in the sand or continue to write post after post on messages boards and blog comments about how ineffective the people you've elected are.

Again, that website is www.ni4d.us. National Initiative for Democracy. Will allow us to PARTICIPATE in legislation and have a REAL say in what our government does and doesn't do.

[baronmerlot]

Rep. Sanchez. Please stop talking about it and DO something then. If your average American citizen can be arrested for outstanding parking tickets, or getting into a scuffle with a neighbor, why can't you pick up Karl Rove for ignoring Congressional subpoenas? It seems like a lot of political posturing on your and Congressman Conyer's part. I am all for arresting Karl Rove, but stop with the talk and get to the action!

[youknowwhat]

Karl Rove is sitting somewhere enjoying life. I really don't think he too much worried about having to testify. The Democrats haven't done anything to anybody else who has thumbed their nose at a subpoena. So Rove's thinking why should he testify.
Rove is telling Congress and the American people to kiss his ass.

[Rosey]

Karl Rove, Harriet Myers, Alberto Gonzalez, Rummy and Georgie Porgy Bush should ALL be in jail for crimes against Humanity and crimes against our nationm ande crimes against our environment. But our Congress is too wimpy to make an substantive moves. And this is coming from a middle of the road Democrat over the age of 50 -- not some young progressive left-wing type!

[PuffDragon]

Honored Committee Members,

I appreciate the fact that you are up against the most lawless administration in US history.

What I fail to understand is why Reps. Conyers and Sanchez are writing editorials instead of acting to arrest Karl Rove. It begs the question, why not impeach Mr. Cheney or Mr. Bush, why not arrest Mr. Rove? What is it that stalls or derails this necessary legal process? What is it that has apparently brought our legal system to its knees?

"IMPEACH" signs are up on nearly every lawn even in conservative areas all over the country. You certainly have the full support of the public. The famous prosecutor, Vincent Bugliosi, has written a solid and convincing legal argument for convicting George W. Bush for murder. This isn't a joke, or even a stretch of imagination.

The Bush administration and the current Republican leadership have reduced the US Flag to a mere logo - a tiny lapel pin. It is the political equivalent of flag-burning, by gutting the ideals behind the symbol. It should not be tolerated if the US is to survive as a law-abiding, Constituti­onally-bas­ed democracy.

People are tired of seeing our precious US Constitution trampled, our Bill of Rights shredded. Supplanting democracy under hyped threats of terrorism.

Your Judiciary Committee is in a unique position to help guide the future course of America - I pray that you take a brave stand for real democracy, the Constitution and rule of law.

[Bobbygoode]

RIGHT ON! Excellent comment! I AGREE. So ARREST ROVE and THEN write on Huffington Post about it. Even if they hold a majority of ONE, the Democrats are thus able to HOLD HEARINGS and indeed hold these criminals' feet to the fire. I agree with the puzzlement over their ditherings. Yes the Republicans, even though in the minority, can block legislation and such (and still blame the Dems as "do nothing"), but as committee chair people, the DEMS are in charge of the agenda. GET ON WITH IT! If there is a God, or at least some sort of justice still left to us, Joe Wilson may get to see Rove do his shackled "perp walk" yet.

[MsDoc]

'Tis a puzzlement for sure. The Congress and the Judicial committee are whispering and whining when they should be screaming from the rooftops.

I simply cannot wrap my mind around this cowardice and lethargy. Has J. Edgar Hoover come back from the dead with his onerous files? Are all the committee members afraid? It 's an insult to the American people of gigantic proportion­s...that our elected representatives cannot or will not support the very laws and procedures they themselves created, and we, the citizenry, are expected to follow.

Two quotes.. From George Orwell....­" All animals are created equal, except that some animals are more equal than others", and my favorite, from T.S. Eliot

"This is the way the world ends
This is the way the world ends...
Not with a bang but a whimper."

If Congress has a shred of dignity left they will haul Rove, et al, before the committee and do what has to be done. Otherwise they should all be out of a job come November..­.and that little I, for incumbent, will be the kiss of death.

-AMD

[nirek]

Rove is trampling all over the constitution and our leaders are letting him do it. Vote all the bums out.

[TomR]

Rep. Sanchez, can you answer one question for me? Why are many Democrats on the Judiciary Committee and in the House stopping short of doing the right thing?

I can only guess at what's going on. It must be either a paralyzing fear or a selfish indifference to protecting and defending the U.S. Constitution for the American people.

Either answer is sorrowful.

- Tom

[dana94591]

I am truly sick of this, too! The lily-livered democrats talk but we don't see any action. What are they afraid of? I bet if they grabbed Rove and did the "perp walk" with him I bet there would be such a tidewave of screams of support, they would be a shoe-in in November! But, no!! They keep talking about how these people are breaking laws and showing disrespect for the very institutions of our country. It makes me sick!!! Like Bill Cosby says, "Come on, people"!!!!

[gemstone1000]

What is the hold up? Put Rove in jail today.

[dana94591]

I'm hip!!!