(If this has already been diaried, just let me know and down it goes... )
I know it's a big surprise: George W. Bush obviously has something to hide. House Democrats have pushed to renew their efforts to force Karl Rove to testify in a probe into Justice Department controversies.
The Bush administration blocked congressional demands for Rove to testify for over a year, but now, with a new president and Democratic majority, there's been a faint glimmer of hope that Rove may be forced to spill the beans.
More below the fold...
On Monday, Michigan Rep. John Conyers, Democratic chairman of the House Judiciary Committee issued a subpoena to Mr. Rove, seeking his presence at a deposition on Feb. 2.:
Change has come to Washington, and I hope Karl Rove is ready for it. After two years of stonewalling, it's time for him to talk.
I couldn't agree more but, alas... Not so fast, Rep. Conyers. Newsweek has obtained a letter from Bush's lawyer -- sent just a few days before Bush left office -- asserting retroactive privilege.
Fred Fielding, White House counsel under George W. Bush, sent a letter to Karl Rove's lawyer, Robert Luskin, instructing Luskin that Rove "should not appear before Congress" in response to any subpoenas issued.
We have previously been advised by the Department of Justice that Mr. Rove has absolute immunity from compelled Congressional testimony as to matters occurring while he was a senior advisor to the President
This will be a huge test for the new Obama administration. In the past, President Obama has criticized the Bush Administration executive-privilege claims. But previous presidents have been reluctant to ruffle any feathers regarding these same types of claims made by previous administrations.
Surely President Obama knows how his progressive base feels about this: We want justice to prevail. The likely crimes of the Bush administration -- from starting ill-conceived, illegal wars, to torture, to outing CIA officers for cheap, political gain -- should absolutely be investigated.
We should know something in a few weeks. The Obama White House told Newsweek it's still studying the issue and is scheduled to file a brief in that case by February 18th.
In the mean time, we can and should let our president know how we feel about executive privilege being extended to that bottom-feeder known as Karl Rove. It will give new meaning to "travesty of justice" if he does not have to testify, under oath, as to the likely high crimes, misdemeanors and probable felonies of his former boss, George W. Bush.