Leahy to Rove: Not So Fast Buddy...

Senator Leahy has responded to the news today that Karl Rove plans to resign from his White House post.

Rove ignored Leahy's subpoena for documents and testimony which set an August 2nd deadline for Rove's response.

Leahy offers Rove a little weather forecast as Rove prepares for his White House exit: Cloudy

Full statement from Leahy below the fold...

Comment Of Sen. Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.),
Chairman, Senate Judiciary Committee,
On The Resignation Of White House Deputy Chief Of Staff Karl Rove
August 13, 2007

"Earlier this month, Karl Rove failed to comply with the Judiciary Committee's subpoena to testify about the mass firings of United States Attorneys.  Despite evidence that he played a central role in these firings, just as he did in the Libby case involving the outing of an undercover CIA agent and improper political briefings at over 20 government agencies, Mr. Rove acted as if he was above the law.  That is wrong.   Now that he is leaving the White House while under subpoena, I continue to ask what Mr. Rove and others at the White House are so desperate to hide.  Mr. Rove’s apparent attempts to manipulate elections and push out prosecutors citing bogus claims of voter fraud shows corruption of federal law enforcement for partisan political purposes, and the Senate Judiciary Committee will continue its investigation into this serious issue.

"The list of senior White House and Justice Department officials who have resigned during the course of these congressional investigations continues to grow, and today, Mr. Rove added his name to that list.  There is a cloud over this White House, and a gathering storm. A similar cloud envelopes Mr. Rove, even as he leaves the White House."

                             # # # # #

LINK: http://leahy.senate.gov/...

Cloudy skies ahead for our friend Karl Rove...

Funny thing about this whole US Attorney scandal - I would be good money that it would never have gotten to this point if Alberto Gonzales had resigned immediately in February.  But he did not and the scandal grew and grew...

Now Rove is resigning.  

So does this mean that Karl Rove isn't as close to the President as Alberto Gonzales is?  Did Bush have to pick between his two best boys?  Does this mean that Karl Rove thinks it would be better to politicize government from the outside rather than trying not to get caught on White House grounds and/or does this mean that the House and Senate Judicary Committes are really starting to hit close to the bone?

Leahy it seems will continue to pursue the matters that put this cloud over the White House.  That is good news folks.

Forecast: Cloudy & Stormy

•  Tip Jar.

  The White House is hoping that resignations like this one will placate Leahy and Conyers.  

  I hope that Leahy and Conyers will continue to pursue these matters regardless of who decides to leave willingly.

  by inclusiveheart on Mon Aug 13, 2007 at 09:22:39 AM PDT

  •  Interesting question

    So does this mean that Karl Rove isn't as close to the President as Alberto Gonzales is?

    I think it means that Gonzales' presence is still a net positive for Bush: he can continue to serve as a firewall against discovery of Bush's direct culpability in the politicization of the DOJ in particular and the rest of the American government in general.  

    Rove, on the other hand, is likely a net negative: as Bush's "architect" for the GOP, he puts the scandal in the White House, and there are multiple avenues that could lead to disaster: the US attorney investigation, the Hatch Act violations first uncovered at GAO (but widespread throughout the government), and the still-festering Abramoff/K Street Project affair.  

    What does Rove bring to the table to offset those negatives?  At one time it was his reputation for success -- but after the Socia Security debacle, the immigration bill, and the 2006 elections, that rose has wilted, withered, and died.

    Adios, Karl.

    by Califlander on Mon Aug 13, 2007 at 09:29:38 AM PDT

    •  I think Rove is going to work on the elections.

      I was being a bit tongue and cheek on the question about who is the "bestest bestest" friend, but at the same time there may be something that SJC and HJC know that has forced Bush's hand on Rove.  We'll see.  

      by inclusiveheart on Mon Aug 13, 2007 at 09:32:48 AM PDT

      •  as was I

        but something is up - that's for sure.

        by MadAsHellMaddie on Mon Aug 13, 2007 at 09:42:58 AM PDT

        •  Rove's sad, sad tears seemed to indicate

          that he was not bouncing out of there on his own volition.  And he was choking back sobs because he realized he would now have to spend more time with the family.  

          by dotster on Mon Aug 13, 2007 at 10:16:46 AM PDT

          •  spend more time?

            I hope it's "serve more time"

            by ThatsNotFunny on Mon Aug 13, 2007 at 10:27:49 AM PDT

            •  It's spending more time before...

              It's spending more time before he gets to serve more time.

              by Josiah Bartlett on Mon Aug 13, 2007 at 10:56:47 AM PDT

              •  Is Karl going to spend more time

                with his family just like David Vitter did?

                by deaniac83 on Mon Aug 13, 2007 at 11:49:30 AM PDT

                •  Rove has "family business" to take care of.

                  But Leahy's fixin' to go to the mattresses with him.

                  by Kimball Cross on Mon Aug 13, 2007 at 12:34:54 PM PDT

            •  hopefully 'The family'

              being fellow inmates at a penitentiary somewhere.  

              by stevej on Mon Aug 13, 2007 at 12:08:38 PM PDT

          •  Yeah I saw the original

            Press conference and picked up right away on KKKarl's 'choking' back the tears--it was readily apparent to me at least, this isn't a guy who is 'resigning' voluntarily but one who has been pushed out.

            He's also tainted now, Bush's term is ending with him a disaster.

            IF Rove attempts to work on other campaigns in other states, I think he's so tainted that word will get out because of his lack of credibility and because he's so well known and hated.

            There's no way he can slide 'under the radar' any longer.

            Good for Leahy on his letter! Good for him!

            by Wary on Mon Aug 13, 2007 at 10:28:13 AM PDT

            •  The fact that Rudy Giuliani hasn't

              been laughed out of the public eye proves that there is no one too debased for Republicans to love.

              by sap on Mon Aug 13, 2007 at 10:56:35 AM PDT

            •  tears??

              I'm nowhere near a camera. Why was Karl crying? Don't know where he could generate sympathy. Sure won't get it around these parts.

              Asshole.

              by CocoaLove on Mon Aug 13, 2007 at 11:16:24 AM PDT

              •  mebbe he's thinkin o dat orange jumpsuit+stripes

                by concerned on Mon Aug 13, 2007 at 12:29:39 PM PDT

            •  I think he could be heading straight for

              Fred Thompson's pocket to work on the campaign.  I haven't seen Rove's resignation announcement so I think he is just repositioning himself for the next power grab.  I would be ecstatic if I could really believe he is "on the lamb."  

              by macmcd on Mon Aug 13, 2007 at 11:38:05 AM PDT

              •  I think you're right...

                he is just repositioning himself for the next power grab

                by MissInformation on Mon Aug 13, 2007 at 12:28:32 PM PDT

              •  oh, for some photoshop skill

                I would be ecstatic if I could really believe he is "on the lamb."  

                macmcd, did you mean "on the lam"?

                or is he riding a recently-born wool-bearing ovine ...

                by wystler on Mon Aug 13, 2007 at 12:33:54 PM PDT

                •  I don't know if this helps

                  but his ride just picked him up...

                  

                  by MadAsHellMaddie on Mon Aug 13, 2007 at 01:14:21 PM PDT

                •  hahahaha....yes, what an odd frame of mind

                  all of this must have put me in.  I must have unconsciously been spaced back to Gannon/Guckert.  

                  by macmcd on Mon Aug 13, 2007 at 01:18:38 PM PDT

                  •  quick

                    somebody textmsg Santorum about Rove-on-lamb

                    by wystler on Mon Aug 13, 2007 at 02:29:34 PM PDT

            •  Don't think he'll be a factor

              I don't think he'll end up with another campaign because he was umbilically bound to Bush. There was history and loyalty there that he doesn't have with anyone else in the field. And I think Mitty and Rudy (especially Rudy!) seem to have their own tight inner circles and big egos and loyalty demands of their own. Karl knows that as much as they might respect and appreciate some of what he has to offer, he'd always be an outsider with less influence than others who have been around those candidates longer. And I don't think HIS ego could accept that.

              by anastasia p on Mon Aug 13, 2007 at 07:20:25 PM PDT

          •  Rove's tears

            put 7 hazmat teams on high alert.

            by JoeWPgh on Mon Aug 13, 2007 at 11:07:59 AM PDT

            •  lol sounds like crocodile tears 2 me

              by concerned on Mon Aug 13, 2007 at 12:31:36 PM PDT

          •  Some people cry over

            dead American troops and dead Iraqis, some weep for children orphaned by the war, some grieve for those crippled and mutilated by violence in Iraq. Some people sob when loved ones suffer unnecessarily because they can't afford medical care. Some are choked up when their city is destroyed because the levees are inadequate.  

            Others shed tears when forced out of a job they have exploited ruthlessly and deceitfully for years, with smug disregard for the good of individuals or the nation.

            No surprise at what makes Rove cry. It's all about him, and he's so very, very sorry for himself.

            by Cowalker on Mon Aug 13, 2007 at 11:12:30 AM PDT

            •  spot.on. absolutely. right on. great comment. thx

              by concerned on Mon Aug 13, 2007 at 12:34:12 PM PDT

            •  well said----perfect n/t

              by dotster on Mon Aug 13, 2007 at 01:30:01 PM PDT

          •  I missed that.

            Got a link? I would loooove to see it.

            by psnyder on Mon Aug 13, 2007 at 11:15:16 AM PDT

            •  Here is a link to the story and video on CNN

              http://www.cnn.com/...

              The video link is teeny tiny in the middle of the article next to the bottom of the photo.

              by inclusiveheart on Mon Aug 13, 2007 at 11:19:58 AM PDT

              •  Thank you for the link. It makes my day. WOW!

                I thought when I heard it on the Young Turks this morning that it must surely be some dastardly move to try to fix the next election.  But a weepy Karl Rove doesn't look like he is going to a "better" place.  He has the look of a man who is being thrown under the train.  My guess is that he is in very real trouble and Bush doesn't believe he can safely help him so he is kicking him out.  Has anybody heard what Fitz is up to these days?  Is there a subpoena or something worse coming from there?  I know the Congressional hearings are pressing on but I didn't think they were this close to him.  This is a wonderful turn of events.

                by macmcd on Mon Aug 13, 2007 at 11:49:38 AM PDT

                •  Leahy has it right:

                  

                  by ca democrat on Mon Aug 13, 2007 at 12:36:02 PM PDT

              •  thx 4 link-whatta freepin $cam performance a$hole

                by concerned on Mon Aug 13, 2007 at 12:47:14 PM PDT

          •  The family is weeping too

            thinking of having Rove around the house. In the home there will be a secure office reserved for skullduggery where Rove will communicate behind a firewall on private channels.

            He didn't say he was retiring, he's going undercover.

            The party wants distance from him and he wants to be able to peddle his influence while he still has some.

            Leahy will still be a cloud over the horizon for him.

            by Agathena on Mon Aug 13, 2007 at 11:22:41 AM PDT

          •  Or Maybe

            Rove and the Gannon Cannon can spend mroe time together!

            by f furney on Mon Aug 13, 2007 at 11:33:16 AM PDT

            •  Rove has been in love

              ...with Mister Bush for decades. Did anyone remember reading that Vanity Fair article a few years ago (sorry, don't have the link) where he was gushing about his first sight of Mr Eye Candy, the denim shirt, the cowboy boots, it almost stopped his heart.

              And yes, I think he was Jeff Gannon's inside man.

              by Stripe on Mon Aug 13, 2007 at 01:04:54 PM PDT

          •  The truth

            that GW really likes Pretty Boy Alberto more than Cute rolly-polly Karl has just dawned on Trud blossum and its making him so sad.But now the real thing thats going on,all this is just an act Rove is going to be doing everything that he's been doing just look at how often crime gangs leaders keep ruling the gangs from inside prisons and how the mafia was run from the old country when the heat was on and this is how this will be rove will still call the shots.

            by defluxion10 on Mon Aug 13, 2007 at 12:24:19 PM PDT

        •  maybe someone finally has the goods on him

          I first thought, like inclusive heart, that he is going to get involved in the next Republican campaign.  Once Bush is out of office what was Rove going to do with himself.  However, the article I read said that he was NOT going to be involved in the '08 campaign.

          My thought then was that maybe somebody finally put the finger on Rove.  Maybe someone on the inside that has finally gotten tired of the White House hooligans trashing the reputation of the Republican party.

          Has incriminating information been passed to Congress?  Hmmm.

          by blue drop on Mon Aug 13, 2007 at 12:38:10 PM PDT

          •  My guess is that he is grooming the next

            president and he might be coming to California to push the inititative that allows the electoral votes to be unbundled.  That is the only way the Rethugs can win in '08.

            by hairspray on Mon Aug 13, 2007 at 12:45:39 PM PDT

            •  I agree. He's so shameless that he's got to

              be leaving because of another opportunity to promote Rethugs. He and Gonzo do whatever the hell they want, they don't care about what anybody thinks.

              by betson08 on Mon Aug 13, 2007 at 02:00:42 PM PDT

      •  Maybe California?

        If they are successful in changing the way California sends it delegates, it would be much more difficult for us to win presidential elections.

        by jiffykeen on Mon Aug 13, 2007 at 09:53:50 AM PDT

        •  I sure hope not.

          The thought of that sneaky snake slithering into California turns my stomach.

          by zbctj52 on Mon Aug 13, 2007 at 10:01:42 AM PDT

          •  Not to worry; we Californians have people........

            ........who are experts at abating Texas rattle-snakes and fire-ants.

            by calibpatriot on Mon Aug 13, 2007 at 12:45:16 PM PDT

            •  I am only a transplant to Ca,

              so I am glad you know what you are doing.  :-)

              by zbctj52 on Mon Aug 13, 2007 at 12:55:03 PM PDT

        •  And Texas.

          another diary pointed out earlier that Dexas is going Dem.-especially dallas. these are 2 strongholds for a Presidential election.
          also don't forget Jeb and Pappa Bush have put thier money on Romney-airhead that he is.
          Still think Jeb might actually get VP seat on his ticket. (You think GW was bad....)
          I think this is a strategic move for GOP who knows they are in trouble in these states.
          Roves' gonna be ties up with his own legal problems though.

          by bethincary on Mon Aug 13, 2007 at 10:10:30 AM PDT

          •  Can we buy insurance policies on Romney's life?

            [snark] If Jeb is tapped for the VP slot, I'd put the odds of MR serving out his term at even money.[/snark]

            by Dick Cheneys Heart on Mon Aug 13, 2007 at 10:34:19 AM PDT

          •  But Rove was so weepy that it doesn't have the

            look of an exciting adventure to turn California around or to save Texas.  He is going out as if he were on his way to the gallows not like he was riding at the head of a bunch of Texas Rangers to save the GOP.

            by macmcd on Mon Aug 13, 2007 at 11:52:17 AM PDT

            •  that actualy looked pretty staged texas style 2me

              by concerned on Mon Aug 13, 2007 at 12:50:19 PM PDT

            •  I didn't watch.

              Who knows-maybe I'm wrong-maybe the GOP is ready to throw him under the bus too..

              by bethincary on Mon Aug 13, 2007 at 01:13:42 PM PDT

              •  I watched the link. I don't have television at

                my house.  I am from Texas and that wasn't Texas-style weeping.  That seemed more like "OMG, what's gonna happen to me" weeping.

                by macmcd on Mon Aug 13, 2007 at 01:23:46 PM PDT

        •  That was my first thought...

          ...didn't Gov. Steriod meet with Rove and Lay prior to swinging the lights on and off  in Callee-forn-neeyeah. That union bought lots of unemployed here (the ones who canvassed me were from Nevada) to collect Mickey and Minnie Mouse names for the "recall." A recall that grew from Repug manipulation, not the people. And taxpayers were stuck with the multi-billion dollar costs. The L.A. Times didn't expose all of the disgusting gropings of Mr. Steroid until just before the election.

          Karl Rove is probably en route here at taxpayers' expense.

          Also, 14,000 (or was it 40,000) votes for Kerry in the California primary got funneled into a candidate who was going to lose. Was this intentional?

          by candice on Mon Aug 13, 2007 at 10:47:22 AM PDT

        •  End of winner take all

          If the electoral college were to reflect the vote in each congressional district, rather than a simple a majority state-wide, then Democrats would benefit the most.  Provided that every state enacts the same provision.  

          The Republicans are starting in California because that's where they can pick off the most electoral votes, and that's where the process of getting the proposition on the ballot is easiest.  After all, the Republicans were able to unseat a sitting Democrat and replace him with Arnold.  

           I expect New York, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Michigan, and Illinois to be their next targets.  We Democrats need to get busy and target Texas and the rest of the Southern and border states.  

          I suspect the California initiative is Rove's farewell gift. I would like it to explode in his face.  

          by gottschee on Mon Aug 13, 2007 at 12:46:25 PM PDT

      •  I wonder if he will

        get to keep his security clearance. That he shouldn't really have in the first place, IIRC.

        by marina on Mon Aug 13, 2007 at 10:27:59 AM PDT

      •  With his record?

        Honestly, let's look at this.  He barely snaked by two Presidential wins, one by way of the SC 5/4 majority, and one by way of simple cheating, if there's any "there" there in Ohio.

        Even with Diebold all over the 06 elections he couldn't keep Republicans in power.

        The man is poison.  His only success was in keeping Bush from looking like a complete fool for long enough to appear to be elected.  Now that the shine is off that particular image, there is nothing for him to work with.

        by slippytoad on Mon Aug 13, 2007 at 10:28:29 AM PDT

      •  Exactly. Rove is going to concentrate his energy

        on...

        Caging lists.  This bastard needs to be put in jail in an orange jumpsuit.

        by deaniac83 on Mon Aug 13, 2007 at 11:42:54 AM PDT

      •  Hmmm...I can't believe this is a forced move.

        Nothing Rove does comes from weakness.  He's usually a step or two ahead of us in the battle.

        Being cynical, I think the tears and restrained emotion are calculated: make this seem like a difficult situation.  I'd love to be wrong on this, yet I don't feel this a big victory.  This might be putting him in better position to screw with the 08 elections.  Dunno.

        One benefit: Rove's no longer White House staff so Leahy and Conyers should be able to rattle his cage better with the subponeas.

        Dunno...

        by JVolvo on Mon Aug 13, 2007 at 12:29:06 PM PDT

        •  There are a lot of different things coming out

          today including some news on the Abramoff scandal front regarding Susan Ralston not being granted immunity and in Larry Johnson's diary he says that Abramoff has been saying that Rove was going to go down recently.  So I don't know.  It could be a big old mixed bag where they decided to try to rearrange the deck chairs on the Titanic to see if it would work better for them.

          It also could be that he is going off to work on the elections unfettered by the Hatch Act.

          by inclusiveheart on Mon Aug 13, 2007 at 12:38:44 PM PDT

          •  As I said below...

            ... he's at the peak of his earning capacity.  It's only going to sink from '08 forward.

            by gsbadj on Mon Aug 13, 2007 at 12:41:59 PM PDT

        •  take the $$ and run

          IMO, it's a 100% cash-out move.  

          Rove will never be able to command as much cash in consulting fees for Congressional races as he will right now.  He couldn't have made any money from the '08 races unless he got out.

          And by '10 and '12, Rove's name will be mud, associated as it is with GWB.  Hell, in another few years, GWB's approval will be below 20%.  Rove dare not wait that long.

          by gsbadj on Mon Aug 13, 2007 at 12:40:34 PM PDT

          •  Yep, that does make more sense.

            Cash out now, consult for the big dogs for 08 and screw with us w/o the Hatch Act impediment (cuz we know he can still pull whatever strings he will need just as well from the outside).

            Maybe I've been traumatized by the "genius of Rove" to the point that I fear he can do 10 evil things at once.  Sigh...

            by JVolvo on Mon Aug 13, 2007 at 02:26:24 PM PDT

            •  Actually...

              ... I've never quite figured out how he didn't violate the Hatch Act in '06, considering that his job description included increasing the GOP majority in those elections... all while collecting taxpayer $$ while working at the WH.

              Another thing that we won't have the stomach to investigate once he's gone?

              by gsbadj on Tue Aug 14, 2007 at 05:23:05 AM PDT

      •  Rove is having plastic surgery & faking his death

        to avoid prison.  That simple.

        by xrepub on Mon Aug 13, 2007 at 04:01:45 PM PDT

      •  I agree... I have the feeling that

        they are going to move Jeb in.  You know that 41 won't let Jr. destroy the good name of the dynasty, don't you?

        by victoria2dc on Mon Aug 13, 2007 at 07:38:37 PM PDT

    •  Rove has been with the Bush family since the late

      70's.

      I wrote a comment downthread with links and blockquotes.

      by PatsBard on Mon Aug 13, 2007 at 09:45:35 AM PDT

      •  He's been at it

        longer than that.

        

        http://www.youtube.com/...

        by justme on Mon Aug 13, 2007 at 10:31:42 AM PDT

    •  Bush cannot let Gonzales go

      He just can't.  No AG nominee is going to get past the Senate Judiciary Committee without having to make all sorts of concessions, starting with delivering those pesky RNC e-mails.  And it would be difficult to make a recess appointment under current circumstances.  Not impossible, but difficult. If Gonzales resigned, it would simply draw more attention to the scandal.  No, definitely better to stonewall from their perspective.  

      AGAG's role is defined by his office.  Not so with Rove.  By resigning, Rove is free to continue to advise the Administration.  Perhaps they were thinking that his departure would take a little pressure off of the DOJ scandal. Rove can continue to function without a formal White House position. Also, Rove's replacement does not need Senate confirmation.  A chief political advisor is expected to, well, politicize his office.  

      by ivorybill on