Several Washington insiders viewed Rove's conspicuous "last hurrah" exit - visiting all the Sunday talk shows and giving farewell interviews to select members of the Washington press corps - as designed to help make the point to the public that he is now disassociated from the Bush White House. Rove kept a low public profile and was never charged with perjury, after he apparently tap-danced privately for the grand jury.Īnother attorney suggested that since Rove is facing potential contempt proceedings by the House, and the Senate, or both, for his refusal to appear and testify, he has become a lightning rod for the president and the White House. Out of sight does not always mean out of mind, but it helps. This was also Rove's strategy when Special Counsel Patrick Fitzgerald was focusing on whether Rove had committed perjury when testifying before the grand jury investigating the leak of Valerie Plame Wilson's covert CIA identity. One criminal defense attorney who handles "government affairs" criminal matters said Rove is doing exactly what he would advise a client of his to do: Stay out of sight. Rather, the conventional wisdom holds that Rove is leaving now in order to lower his profile during these forthcoming Congressional investigations. Some Possible Explanations for Rove's ResignationĪfter speaking with several knowledgeable people in Washington, I found none believe Rove is being forced out. This fact calms any qualms I might have about exploring possibilities as why Rove is leaving now, in particular. While I do not much like speculation, a secretive presidency like Bush's invites it. Rove, of course, has announced his departure from the White House. Among those now so defying the Congress is Karl Rove, the Bush White House player many believe to be at the center of virtually all of the Bush Administration's politicalization efforts. So far, the Bush White House has successfully stonewalled all these inquiries by invoking executive privilege, which it construes in a manner so extreme as to lead it to instruct White House witnesses under subpoena to not even show up at the hearings at which they are scheduled to testify. CA), and that inquiry has uncovered the extensive use of federal resources by the Bush Administration to assist its political friends and punish its political enemies.
But an even broader inquiry is underway, initiated by the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, under the direction of Chairman Henry Waxman (D. MI) and Senator Patrick Leahy (D.VT), who are investigating the politicization of the Department of Justice, particularly in the hiring and firing of United States Attorneys. The most prominent among these investigations are those being undertaken by the chairmen of the House and Senate's Judiciary committees, Representative John Conyers (D. Yet in several areas, that appears to be exactly what the Bush Administration has done. With respect to them, it is improper for one political party to use the machinery of government for its own political benefit or to the detriment of its political opponents. By "not political," I mean these activities are properly conducted without partisan interest.
When Congress returns from its summer recess, it will again turn its investigative powers on questions regarding the Bush Administration's politicalization of operations in the Executive Branch that, by custom and law, are not political.
Will A Dark Cloud Follow Karl Rove Back To Texas?: Congress Is Still Investigating Serious Criminal Abuses of Executive Powers
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