Tuesday, January 27, 2009

Questions for Karl Rove

Via TPM, Rep. John Conyers (D-MI) has subpoenaed former White House adviser Karl Rove.

The subpoena by Rep. John Conyers, D-Mich., continues a long-running legal battle with ex-President George W. Bush’s former White House political director. Rove previously refused to appear before the panel, contending that former presidential advisers cannot be compelled to testify before Congress.

The subpoena commanded Rove to appear for a deposition on Feb. 2 on the firings of U.S. attorneys for political reasons. Conyers also demanded testimony on whether politics played a role in the prosecution of former Alabama Gov. Don Siegelman, a Democrat.

Bush upheld Rove’s legal position, but Conyers said times have changed.

“That ‘absolute immunity’ position … has been rejected by U.S. District Judge John Bates and President Obama has previously dismissed the claim as ‘completely misguided,'” Conyers said in a statement.

The Obama administration said they wanted to “look forward,” and I agree with them: I look forward to seeing Mr. Rove having to elucidate exactly what his role was in firing the eight U.S. attorneys for political reasons and railroading Gov. Siegelman. If it’s true that Former President Bush had nothing to do with it, then executive privilege doesn’t apply.

And remember: it’s only a partisan witch-hunt when it’s your guy in the dock.