DNC Links Rove's Sudden Departure to U.S. Attorney Scandal: "Resigns under a cloud of suspicion"

[bigtree]

WASHINGTON, Aug. 13 /- Karl Rove, chief architect of Bush's failed and reckless policies, resigns under a cloud of suspicion, refusing to testify before Congress regarding the US Attorneys scandal. Like so many senior Bush Administration officials before him, Rove's departure is marked by controversy -- not only over the US Attorneys scandal but his involvement in the Valerie Plame scandal where he leakedn the name of the covert CIA agent. Undoubtedly, Rove's departure will not end the Bush White House's policies of putting what's best for the Republican Party ahead of what's best for America.

"Karl Rove's departure may be a loss for the Bush White House but it's
no loss for America," said DNC Press Secretary Stacie Paxton. "Whether it's
his involvement in the politically motivated firings of US Attorneys or his
leaking the name of a covert CIA agent or his fear and smear tactics along
the campaign trail, Karl Rove's type of leadership has no place in the
White House. And it certainly shouldn't stop him from being held
responsible for his actions. Rove may now join a long list of senior
Republican officials forced to resign under a cloud of scandal, but the
true problem rests with a Bush White House that for eight years has put
what's best for the Republican Party ahead of the American people."


Other officials resigning after the US Attorneys' scandal:

White House Political Director, Sara M. Taylor: Sara M. Taylor,
"political director and microtargeting guru" resigned a month after a
subpoena from the Senate Judiciary Committee was authorized ... While
subpoenas have been authorized, White House officials have not yet been
compelled to testify." "The White House political strategist was first
identified as playing a role in the removal of US Attorney for the Eastern
District of Arkansas H.E. 'Bud' Cummins during the Senate Judiciary
Committee hearing with D. Kyle Sampson, the former Chief of Staff to
Attorney General Alberto Gonzales. Taylor was also identified by Monica
Goodling, Gonzales's former White House Liaison" After Goodling was asked,
"what Karl Rove knew about the firing of the US Attorneys, she suggested
Taylor had signed off on the plan. 'There was an e- mail that Mr. Sampson
forwarded to me, I think, on December 4, if I'm remembering correctly, that
said that it had been circulated to different offices within the White
House and that they had all signed off,' Goodling answered. 'I think it
said that White House political had signed off. Political is actually
headed by Sara Taylor but does report to Mr. Rove, so I don't know for
sure.'" Washington Post, 5/28/07; Raw Story, 5/28/07

Former Chief of Staff to Attorney General Alberto Gonzales at the
Justice Department D. Kyle Sampson: D. Kyle Sampson resigned from the
Justice Department "in the midst of a growing scandal involving eight fired
U.S. attorneys," and "two weeks later became the first top level official
to testify under oath after the release of e-mails propelled the expanding"
scandal. Sampson "said he took responsibility for changing and
contradictory explanations about the firings, which in turn fueled
congressional inquiries that turned into 'an ugly, undignified spectacle.'"
Sampson's ties to the current White House are strong. "Before going to the
Justice Department he was an associate counsel to President Bush from 1999
to 2001. He also served on the Bush transition team when the president
first took office to provide legal advice to the incoming administration."
Desert Morning News, 3/14/07; Salt Lake Tribune, 4/22/07

Deputy Attorney General Paul J. McNulty: Paul J. McNulty announced his
resignation "after 18 months on the job, becoming the fourth senior Justice
Department official to quit amid the controversy surrounding the dismissal
of nine U.S. attorneys last year ... McNulty began work as Gonzales's
deputy in November 2005. McNulty became a central figure in the furor after
he told the Senate Judiciary Committee in February that the White House
played only a marginal role in the dismissals -- a characterization that
conflicted with documents later released by Justice and with subsequent
testimony. He also said most of the prosecutors were fired for
'performance-related' reasons. That statement angered many of the former
U.S. attorneys, most of whom had sterling evaluations and had remained
largely silent about their departures." Washington Post, 5/15/07

Former Counsel and White House Liaison for Attorney General Alberto
Gonzales, Monica Goodling: Monica Goodling resigned from the Justice
Department after refusing to testify to Congress about her role in the
firings of eight U.S. attorneys. Now the "Justice Department is
investigating whether its former White House liaison used political
affiliations in deciding whom to hire as entry-level prosecutors in some
U.S. attorney offices around the country ... Such consideration would be a
violation of federal law." The inquiry has raised "new concerns that
politics might have cast a shadow over the independence of trial
prosecutors who enforce U.S. laws." AP, 5/2/07

Director Of The Executive Office Of U.S. Attorneys: Michael Battle:
Michael Battle "who had carried out the dismissals, resigned March 16."
USA Today, 5/14/07

Former White House Counsel Harriet Miers: Harriet Miers resigned just
weeks before the White House and Justice Department faced questions
surrounding eight fired U.S. attorneys. Two weeks after Ms. Miers'
effective last day as White House council, the New York Times reported that
Miers intervened on behalf of a replacement to a United States attorney in
Arkansas who was dismissed from his job without explanation. "As White
House counsel, she initially suggested that Mr. Bush replace all 93 U.S.
attorneys after his re-election, and she received copies of correspondence
from Mr. Gonzales' underlings as the list was narrowed." Another report
indicated that, "Less than a month before the firings, Miers said she would
consider whether the president should be brought in. Three days before the
firings, the White House signed off the plan." Miers' role in the growing
scandal remains "murky" because the White House refuses to let Ms. Miers
testify Washington Post, 1/5/07; New York Times, 2/16/07; Dallas Morning
News, 4/19/07; Knight Ridder, 3/21/07


http://www.democrats.org/a/2007/08/karl_rove_resig.php

[rfranklin]

1. yeah, so when do the impeachment proceedings begin?

Let's have a little less talk and a little more action.

[bigtree]

2. yeah, when IS the DNC going to begin those impeachment hearings?

that's where they originate, right?

[rfranklin]

6. Are you totally ignorant?

Actually, it seems that we will have to go to the RNC to get any action.

[madfloridian]

7. It was sarcasm....the DNC is not congress. Can not impeach.

People here at DU credit the DNC with magical powers and then refuse to donate when the prestidigitation doesn't work.

And then they come to DU and demand all these amazing things from Dean when he is actually doing his job.

Go figure.

[bigtree]

8. go figure

:beer:

[bigtree]

3. Democracy Now: Bush's Brain Steps Down: Facing Subpoenas,

Bush's Brain Steps Down: Facing Subpoenas, Karl Rove Resigns

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President Bush's top adviser Karl Rove announced on Monday he will step down as White House deputy chief of staff at the end of the month. The move comes while he is at the center of several Congressional investigations. We speak with Dallas Morning News reporter Wayne Slater, co-author of two books on Rove, "Bush"s Brain" and "The Architect." President Bush's top adviser Karl Rove - the man nicknamed Bush's Brain and the Architect - announced on Monday he will step down as White House deputy chief of staff at the end of the month.

Bush and Rove have known each other for over three decades. Rove helped guide Bush to the Texas governorship and later to two terms in the White House. They appeared together yesterday on the South Lawn to address reporters. Bush began by thanking his longtime adviser.

* President Bush and Karl Rove, speaking on the White House lawn, August 13th, 2007.

While Karl Rove says he is resigning in order to spend more time with his family, the move comes while he is at the center of several Congressional investigations. Last month Senate Judiciary Chair Patrick Leahy subpoenaed Rove to testify about his role in the politicization of the Justice Department and the firing of nine U.S. attorneys. So far Rove has ignored the subpoena and has refused to testify, citing executive privilege. In addition, two weeks ago Rove skipped a Congressional hearing on the allegedly improper use by White House aides of Republican National Committee email accounts. Leahy has vowed to continue the investigation. Speaking to reporters aboard Air Force One, Rove said "I'm Moby Dick and they're after me."

Rove previously escaped indictment in the CIA leak case. While then-White House spokesman Scott McClellan initially publicly denied that Rove had anything to do with the leak, the special prosecutor's investigation later determined that he had in fact divulged or confirmed undercover CIA operative Valerie Plame's identity to columnist Robert Novak and Time magazine reporter Matthew Cooper.

audio: http://www.democracynow.org/article.pl?sid=07/08/14/1352243

[DFW]

4. This is all cosmetic

As long as Rove has a cell phone and a laptop, he could be running Bush from
New Zealand, although my bet is he is checking out places with no extradition
treaties. Halliburton is already there.

[bigtree]

5. maybe strategic

trying to shake off the investigations of the WH

[L. Coyote]

9. "a long list of senior Republican officials forced to resign under a cloud of scandal"

Who will be next? Gonzales, I expect, leaving Bush and Cheney.

Did I miss anyone?