Nancy Pelosi Slams Contempt Vote: 'I Could Have Arrested Karl Rove ... But We Didn't'

[MindMover]

WASHINGTON -- House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) said Wednesday that the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee is playing politics with its vote to hold Attorney General Eric Holder in contempt of Congress, an action she said that even she didn't seek as House Speaker when she thought someone was legitimately deserving of it.

"I could have arrested Karl Rove on any given day," Pelosi said to laughter, during a sit-down with reporters. "I'm not kidding. There's a prison here in the Capitol ... If we had spotted him in the Capitol, we could have arrested him."

Rove was senior advisor and deputy chief of staff to former President George W. Bush from 2001 to 2007.

Asked on what grounds she could have arrested Rove, Pelosi replied, "Oh, any number. But there were some specific ones for his being in contempt of Congress. But we didn't."

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/06/20/nancy-pelosi-contempt-darrell-issa_n_1613086.html?1340218706

[Jumping John]

1. One hand washes the other. I am glad she revealed Bush to be such a really nice guy too.

[Bennyboy]

2. Hey Nancy! Why the Fuck didn't you.....

Insted you turned a blind eye to the Bush war criminals. And Attorney General Gonzalez.

Face it, you blew it and if you thought for one minute that republican would not use an all ammunition in their arsenal then you are far more naive that you let on.

[Baitball Blogger]

9. I'm not sure why this is even news.

She isn't saying anything that we didn't know for years.

[appal_jack]

86. K&R for this reply & the many others like it. N/T.

[Jackpine Radical]

3. So, why the fuck didn't ya, Nancy?

Arresting Rove was off the table too?

No good (Hah!) deed goes unpunished.

[ChairmanAgnostic]

4. keeping powder dry is our motto.

[ejbr]

35. + 1 n/t

[Lysistrada]

48. I was hoping that is what was going to happen.

Rove needs some time in 6 by 9 foot home with a partner.
He might learn something there.

[BamaFanLee]

68. A question I often asked

He has earned his place in The Hague. But they let him go. I will never understand that.

[rhett o rick]

78. How many elections will the Republicans steal before a Democrat gets interested?

I think the answer is the same as for your question. We dont have a democracy.

[Enrique]

5. not just any day

that was supposed to happen on Fitzmas Day.

[josejimenez]

73. Ah, the mythical frogmarch

It never materialized. Maybe if Nancy had taken some of the effort wasted towards Rove and put it into comprehensive immigration reform we would be somewhere by now.

[peace13]

6. Aaaaa Nancy you aren't helping your case!

Why the *ell didn't you uphold the laws that the rest of us have to live by? Please do explain. Maybe they should put Holder in a cell and then the real work can begin. Arrest the war criminals that thumb their noses at us every day. Arrest KKarl for stealing an election and fraud of election results. Please do that or get out!

[villager]

7. Huge goddamn mistake in retrospect, right Nancy?

and more evidence that Democrat spinelessness.... never pays off.

[Politicalboi]

8. Thanks Nancy

We are paying big time now for your mistakes over "Impeachment is off the table" shit too.

[bobthedrummer]

10. You took impeachment "off the table" despite what we, the people seeking accountability wanted.

You are a multimillionaire from a well established political family. Hope your grapes are doing well this season, Nancy.

[proud2BlibKansan]

11. Do you get it now, Nancy?

This just infuriates me. I personally called your office multiple times back in 2007 asking you to PLEASE hold Bush and his people accountable. I begged you to impeach him and arrest Rove.

And I was one of literally THOUSANDS.

Damn it.

[Joe Bacon]

110. Nope.

She doesn't. She still want to pursue that "bipartisan" Broderism that the DC Pundit bubble adores.

[Angry Dragon]

12. Nancy drops the ball

[tapermaker]

13. alot of nancy bashing going on

dont forget that this women was the most prolific speaker in modern history. She got a lot of things done ,and doesnt deserve to be bashed here for being reasonable and professional .

[bigmonkey]

16. It's unprofessional to prevent the advance of fascism in the United States.

That's precisely the fulcrum that the right has been using for years. You point right at it, yet actually support it.

[peace13]

17. Doing good does not absolve her from turning a blind eye to criminal behavior.

She said it herself here. She could have (and should have) arrested Rove. She did not and to this day he continues to visit the campuses of our country training more young people that it is A-OK to break the law. Snicker , snicker..she signed the death warrant on our Democracy. Good luck trying to protect Nancy from words that are true!

[One of the 99]

23. This is exactly why most Dems won't stick their necks out

on contraversial issues because they know the left won't have their backs. They know that many on the left will not support them because they are not in 100% ideological lockstep. Which is an imposibility. Unfortunately, the effect is that the left winds up marginizing itself.

[jeff47]

32. So...you want the left to back Pelosi ignoring crimes?

You sure that the left should get behind Pelosi sweeping Republican crimes under the rug?

'Cause that doesn't sound at all like a good idea.

[One of the 99]

42. I want the left to stop insisting that every Dem

must walk in ideologial lockstep and quit making the perfect the enemy of the good. In the end that only helps the right.

[jeff47]

43. So it was a good thing for Pelosi to cover up criminal activity? (nt)

[One of the 99]

44. Never said that

But Pelosi should not be judged by one issue where she didn't walk in ideological lockstep but for everything that she has done, for all the good she has done.
By focusing on one single issue, you're just proving my point.

[jeff47]

47. Pelosi's the one bringing up this failure

Thus it's the topic of conversation. It's not a situation where "the left" is bringing this up long after the fact and harassing her for it.

However, you seem to be saying we should shut up about anything Pelosi did not do well - that we should just fall in line behind the leader and never criticize.

[One of the 99]

49. Again you try to put words in my mouth

Never told anyone to shut up. But Pelosi shouldn't be bashed because she didn't do everything the left wanted. She should be judged on her whole record and not just one issue.

As far as wanting people to "just fall in line" that is what the left seems to want and anyone who doesn't "just fall in line" with what the left wants 100% is being demonized like Pelosi is being demonized.

[jeff47]

71. And you're putting words in the mouths of those you disagree with

After all, you're claiming we're only judging Pelosi on her statement today.

[One of the 99]

74. No I didn't write all the post here bashing her

And I'm not refering to her comments today either.

[jeff47]

75. No, but you've decided that those posts mean she's being judged only on today's statement. (nt)

[One of the 99]

77. Again never said that

But she is being judged by many on one issue, not on the whole of her record. One only has to read the posts in this thread to see that.

[jeff47]

79. So this entire sub-thread is a hallucination?

FFS at least keep your story straight.

[One of the 99]

81. No this entire sub-thread is

the product of someone who rather play dishonest games than actually discuss the issue.

[peace13]

50. We had her back, back then we said, 'Do the right thing'!

She chose to do her own thing and that is that. I don't know who can be bashed for not supporting someone who does not protect the laws of the land!

It is asinine to say what she said today. She reminded everyone that she had turned her back on criminals and to make it worse she is insinuating that Holder has something to hide! She made matters worse as far as I can see. At least she has folks that will support that!

[One of the 99]

52. I agree her comments today were stupid.

But Pelosi or any official should not be judged by one issue. They should be judged by their whole record. When the perfect is the enemy of the good the evil often triumph.

[frylock]

90. that is fucking ridiculous on it's face!

jerry sandusky did many good things as well, so based on your argument we really shouldn't be judging him on that ONE issue. fuck me.

[One of the 99]

93. Total false equivalency

Pelosi didn't molest underage children.

[frylock]

95. no, she just helped to facilitate war crimes..

no big.

[One of the 99]

96. That's a matter of opinion

not of fact.

[JoeyT]

105. Yeah, sure it is.

Hey, what's this on the Youtubez?

A three second clip: "I've always said that impeachment is off the table".

Whoops, the past is getting inconvenient! Time to look forward!

[One of the 99]

109. No one is disputing that.

The issue is should Pelosi be defined by this one issue rather than her entire career.

[coalition_unwilling]

53. Her statement perfectly illustrates why the Occupy Wall Street

movement remained and remains resolutely apolitical. That cavalier disregard for the rule of law makes Occupy say "A plague on both your houses."

I personally take issue with OWS' apolitical stance, but statements like this from Pelosi only make OWS' point for them.

[Fantastic Anarchist]

34. She wasn't reasonable and she wasn't professional.

She didn't do her goddamn job.

[Spitfire of ATJ]

39. Oh sure

Rove outed a CIA agent and the whole attitude is to just let it go in the name of getting along.

[bvar22]

46. She Sure DID get "a lot of things Done"!

...and for All the "Right" People too (wink) !

[harmonicon]

100. Yes, she let many war criminals walk free.

She firmly established that the meritocracy rules our country, and we are nothing but adorable pets to them, to be used at their whim. What she accomplished was to show us that the ruling powers don't give a shit about political stripe compared to keeping themselves in power.

[AnotherMcIntosh]

14. Nancy Impeachment-Is-Off-The-Table Pelosi? That Nancy Pelosi?

[RBInMaine]

62. Bush was a major asshole, but impeachment would NEVER have flown. Let it sink.

[DonCoquixote]

72. maybe not

But it would have crippled Rove, which would have made our job a lot easier.

The Scientology folks are a bit nutters, but they have one truth down pat. The purpose of lawsuits is NEVER to actually win the lawsuit, again, the actual goal you are suing for is not relevant.

The purpose of legal action is to harass the victim, make them testify about anything and everything on record, make them hemorrhage money and lose their political and economic power. The beauty of this is, the actual truth is not needed. Yes, Rove could have afforded lawyers, but even the rich wind up losing legal battles, especially when the whole power of Rove is that he is considered untouchable. It is like seeing Superman swoon from Kryptonite, once you know someone is vulnerable and mortal, they lose a lot of their mystique, which means their client and friends abandon them for the inevitable hot shot trying to take Rove's place.

[Blue Owl]

15. So a criminal is still at large, in other words...

And justice is not applied to crimes that damage her own party?

Meanwhile, we're all paying the price for your table manners, Nancy...

[rateyes]

18. Hey, Nancy...

you betrayed your oath to the constitution for failing to arrest that pos Rove.

[otohara]

19. I Could Have Squished Him With My Car...

but I didn't, and I regret it.

[peace13]

55. : )

Rove came to my town and I called all of my peacenic friends and we protested him! Vowing never to let him come to town without a reminder that some of us will never forget his crimes. Would do the same for *, Shooter, Pickles and Rummy. But....Wolfeowitz and his comb licking may be just too creepy!

[otohara]

59. I Was Waiting For My Kid At Airport

and out walks Turd Blossom. He's getting in the car in front of me, but first he put his bags in the trunk. Slip of the foot on my SUV with my new clunky brace, I think I could have gotten away wit it. Satan passed in front of me and I freaked out. My heart was beating out of my chest - but I chickened out, he had his cute kid with him.

[peace13]

66. Good call! n/t

[frylock]

20. thanks for the laugh, nancy!

don't quit your day job, whatever that is.

[harmonicon]

101. As if she's ever had a job.

Rich people are ADORABLE.

[robinlynne]

21. so did you learn something from this, Ms. Speaker?

[LaydeeBug]

22. It just goes to show her that she SHOULD HAVE arrested Karl Rove.

FUCK playing nice when they're playing a different game.

[Jamaal510]

24. Since Nancy didn't have KKKarl arrested when she had the chance,

I think it's only fair that she calls for the release of everyone behind bars for marijuana-related offenses.

[JDPriestly]

25. Nancy. Now will you please apologize for your mistake?

Occupy protestors arrested, but oh, no, not Karl Rove. That would make us look "political." Well, Rep. Pelosi, you were elected to public office. That is the definition of political action. Please, not so demur and ladylike in the future. Please.

[Uncle Joe]

26. Nancy you didn't do your duty, that's nothing to brag about.

Thanks for the thread, MindMover.

[avebury]

27. I have no sympathy for her. She should have known from the

Clinton impeachment efforts that the Republicans have no problem going after Democrats. She was stupid to take impeachment off of the table and let the Bush Jr White House crooks get a pass. We have and will continue to pay the price for her ineptitude on that one.

[msider]

28. Hilarious but Sad

Hilarious that everyone and their Mama knows that the Dems should've impeached the Rove/Bush/Cheney Hydra of Doom.

Sad that we think it's because they are spineless, scared, polite.

When I was little i went to a Harlem Globetrotters game and I thought the Washington generals were spineless, inept and downright goofy. As it turns out, the Generals were just pretending to be that way because they were in on the fix too.

[valerief]

29. Why the fuck didn't she? nt

[Mz Pip]

30. and that is the difference

between Republicans and Democrats. The Democrats wuss out on things like this. The republicans don't give a shit if what they do may have some negative consequences. They just go for the jugular and let the blood fly where it may.

[msider]

31. AND....

Can't we still can arrest the Hydra of Doom (Bush/Cheney/Rove) ...I'm pretty sure the statute of limitations on war crimes is longer than 3.5 years

[Fantastic Anarchist]

33. She fucking should have ... Republicans don't give a shit.

She was a horrible disaster with everything "off the table."

Fucking fight, people!

[Spitfire of ATJ]

36. I'm reminded of Luis in "Rio"

"I got you gooood! I could'a ripped your throats out! But I didn't!" pause, then ominously, "But I could'a".

[jerseyjack]

37. That's why she is as useless as my left nut.

[They_Live]

38. Is it really too late?

Give it a whirl, maybe it will still work.

[madinmaryland]

40. Well, why the fuck did you not arrest KKKarl Rove? I really wanted to see...

[lame54]

41. Rethugs look for contempt charges while dems...

look for reasons to ignore them

[radhika]

45. See how well that worked out for the USA?

Rove continues his right-wing machinations, Bush/Cheney remain free, and meaningful House hearings were not done.

Impeachment off the table? America wants to look forward not back? Yeah, smart move.

[pa28]

51. Nancy's "off the table" doctrine really paid off.

Now congress has a double standard in law and ethics oversight and it's partly our own fault.

[diane in sf]

54. You should have had Rove arrested, Nancy.

[JustAnotherGen]

56. I think Minority Leader Pelosi

Is awesome . . . But it is the "I could have . . . " that is why if we win - we need a no holds barred leader in the House. And I'm not too keen on Reid either.

Change means change - no repeats of the accommodating approach.

[harmonicon]

102. "Awesome" as in "inspiring awe"? In that way, I think she's pretty awesome.

I am in awe at how fucking out of touch she is with normal people. That someone elected to office as a Democrat could be that much in the pocket of the wealthy elite should inspire awe.

[JustAnotherGen]

107. Awe in this way

That she is the first female speaker of the house.

That she has run with the big dogs.

That she holds her head up when men act like vicious little "bitches" to her. And anyone who reads the feminist boards at DU knows that it takes a lot for me to A)Use that word and B) start a shit storm by directing it at the men in the Republican Party - and Democratic Party that think she she should be a good little 'girl' and go sit in the corner.

Yep - she's awesome. If I have a daughter those are character traits I'd like her to have.

But for the SOH - I can dream that it would be Alan Grayson can't I? I would love it - good time, hilarity and laughter would ensue.

[siligut]

57. So basically she thought it was all just a game until now . . .

Now, the thugs aren't playing by the secret rules, is that it?

[OrwellwasRight]

58. BBBBBut people don't want to see the Bushites punished, they want us to forgive. . .

No, Nancy, we the people wanted to see you all get off your asses and punish Bushco for the evil they wrought.

[Rosa Luxemburg]

60. It's not too late Nancy!

[MindMover]

61. Amen.....cmon Nancy....create a real crisis...with some real contempt citations....

these fake ones are really just irritating....

[midnight]

70. Maybe she will.... She just needed the motivation to get the powder wet.

[lonestarnot]

63. Good gawd. This just makes me want to puke.

[kld92]

64. Oh Well

Nancy will never change. All talk. Could have done something while she had some power. Now it comes across as false. Sorry Nancy.

[calimary]

65. Why didn't you, Nancy?

Arrest him some night when few people are paying attention. Have him locked up. Then forget where you put him. We'd all have been a LOT better off.

[AnotherMcIntosh]

67. It might have been the money.

[grandpamike1]

69. Yes you did

but you didn't. We Dems just keep wringing our hands and let the Repugs take our ball away every time. When will the time come when you play like the other side and not be the patsies ?

[OnyxCollie]

76. If you're not part of the solution, you're part of the problem.

Thanks for the confirmation, Nancy.

[AllyCat]

80. Gee, Nancy. Who could have seen this double standard coming? I mean how could anyone have seen it...

So why didn't you arrest the bastard!!???!!!???

[iamthebandfanman]

82. lmao

i dunno if its a good idea to go around touting that...
as i recall,
alot of people wanted you to do that Nancy!!!!!!!

and for way more reasons!!!

[barbtries]

83. should have

and should have kept impeachment on the table.

[anniebelle]

84. And that was her first mistake.

Then kept piling on with excuses for not having hearings on these war criminals. I was turned off from day one.

[JHB]

85. Perhaps she was lulled by the effuse courtesy they showed Bill and Hillary Clinton...

...the deference they showed toward proper procedure in the 2000 election, and their careful and respectful consensus-building during the Bush years.

[malthaussen]

87. Keeping your powder dry is the counsel of fear

What ever happened to "use it or lose it," eh? Mrs ex-Speaker?

-- Mal

[abelenkpe]

88. Dear Nancy Pelosi

It was a mistake to not go after the Bush Administration. I hope you see that now.

[Arugula Latte]

89. It's Charlie Brown and the football over and over again ...

[bigwillq]

91. Could've, would've, should've

Karl goes free again.

I guess that was off the table too.

What a joke some of our elected leaders are. And no wonder why the country is a mess.

[marshall]

92. She's equating Rove to Holder

Probably not a good analogy to make.

And it's not very bright that she is admitting her own incompetence and/or complicity.

[Jakes Progress]

94. This is the perfect example of today's Democratic party.

The President and the elected Democrats keep being surprised that when they bow and kiss the republican's feet, the republicans spit on them over an over. Then our leaders apologize for blocking their spit path.

Then they do it again. And again.

[rury]

97. Well, Nancy, you should have done it

and you also should not have taken impeachment (of Dubya) "off the table!"

[harmonicon]

98. I'm guessing that she didn't add, "I'm an inept shit-head."

I also imagine she didn't add, "I was a complete failure." I understand that the rich are adorable, and that her life must make mine look like a hobo living under a bridge, but some of us could have actually taken a bit of justice when she was in power. It may be something to laugh about to her, but, to me, it would have really meant something.

[MindMover]

99. I totally agree....we have elite politicians who have little in common with middle class....

[harmonicon]

103. There's a "middle" class?! Tell me more!! (nt)

[cr8tvlde]

104. Nancy is a Marin County CA DINO

and for those not from CA, Marin County is the West Coast equivalent to Martha's Vineyard on the East Coast...the very exclusive San Francisco north suburb...the rustic hills overlooking the Pacific Ocean. One place where the real estate "bust" did not happen. The median price is still around a million dollars.

[polichick]

106. Dems were complete idiots for not arresting Rove...

They throw mud pies at an army using tanks.

[WI_DEM]

108. Well, Nancy, that's the difference--they would and we don't