W. House: Undecided on Rove testimony on attorneys

[maddezmom]

W. House: Undecided on Rove testimony on attorneys
Fri Mar 16, 2007 1:10pm ET

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The White House on Friday said no decision had been made on whether to let top political strategist Karl Rove testify to Congress in the flap over U.S. prosecutor firings that is prompting calls for Attorney General Alberto Gonzales' ouster.

The Justice Department has released documents and e-mails related to the firing of eight U.S. attorneys after critics questioned whether it was politically motivated.

President George W. Bush has expressed confidence in Gonzales and said the firings were justified. But he said the issue was not handled properly and Gonzales should go to Capitol Hill to answer questions.

~snip_

Asked if Gonzales would be fired, White House spokesman Tony Snow said: "I know of no such plan."

Democrats say they are trying to get to the bottom of what was behind the firings and want Rove to testify. Snow said the White House would leave the issue to chief lawyer Fred Fielding to decide.

The White House typically argues that officials who are not confirmed by the Senate, like Rove, do not have to appear before Congress.

more:http://today.reuters.com/news/articlenews.aspx?type=topNews&storyid=2007-03-16T171542Z_01_N16442669_RTRUKOC_0_US-USA-PROSECUTORS.xml

[onehandle]

1. Congress is the decider, smirk.

They're going to drag your propaganda minister in by his tiny little dick.

[sutz12]

2. I'd love to see it, but I doubt it....

They'll be screaming executive privilege all the way to SCOTUS, and the precedent set for Bill Clinton is that they might uphold it. Dragging that scumbag out into the light might be more than Congress can do.

[Snellius]

3. They're beginning to cave

I'm surprised they're even leaving the door open for Rove to testify. Don't let it hit you on the way out, Turd Blossom.

[Kagemusha]

4. Odd that the answer is not "HELL NO".

Why would they even consider it?

[maddezmom]

5. I think because they are throwing Gonzo under the bus first and hoping it's enough

:shrug:

[maddezmom]

6. I think because they are throwing Gonzo under the bus first and hoping it's enough

:shrug:

[MLFerrell]

7. Subpoena time!

That fat bastard WILL testify, whether der Chimperor likes it or not.

How does it feel, assholes? :evilgrin:

[rodeodance]

8. The committee has delayed a decison on that till next week

[ShockediSay]

9. Confidence? Like Brownie? Like Poo Poo Rumsfield? {Donald's constant refrain}

But you know where Bush stands!

Over his eyeballs in Bu{ll}shit!!!

[HuffleClaw]

10. "no decision had been made on whether to let" ???

what crap is that? are they TRYING to force a showdown? they'll lose.

[maddezmom]

11. House leader ready to subpoena Rove

House leader ready to subpoena Rove
By Richard A. Serrano and Richard B. Schmitt
Originally published March 17, 2007

WASHINGTON // Congressional Democrats and the Bush administration hit an impasse yesterday in the probe into the firing of eight U.S. attorneys, with White House officials delaying decisions to turn over documents or allow officials to testify and the House Judiciary Committee threatening subpoenas to force them to comply.

As speculation mounted that Attorney General Alberto R. Gonzales' job is in jeopardy, another Republican suggested that it would be best if he stepped down. "It is ultimately the president's decision, but perhaps it would benefit this administration if the attorney general was replaced with someone with a more professional focus rather than personal loyalty," said Rep. Dana Rohrabacher, a California Republican. He also said that there has been "a pattern of arrogance in this administration."

White House and Department of Justice officials said no announcement was imminent on Gonzales' status.

Also yesterday, a lawyer for D. Kyle Sampson, Gonzales' former chief of staff who has been at the center of the controversy, issued a statement seeking to dispel the notion that Sampson had withheld from superiors information about plans to fire U.S. attorneys.

"The fact that the White House and Justice Department had been discussing the possible replacement of several U.S. attorneys since approximately 2005 was well known to a number of other senior officials at the department, including others who were involved in preparing the department's testimony to Congress," Bradford Berenson said.

more: http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/nationworld/bal-te.attorneys17mar17,0,7177160.story?coll=bal-nationworld-headlines

[w4rma]

12. They have no choice. Waxman is delaying the subpoena out of respect to allow them to come

on their own free will.

[DeepModem Mom]

13. NYT: White House Delays Action in Democrats' Inquiry on U.S. Attorneys

White House Delays Action in Inquiry on Attorneys
By SHERYL GAY STOLBERG
Published: March 17, 2007

WASHINGTON, March 16 — The White House has delayed until next week a decision on whether to release additional documents and to permit top aides to President Bush, including Karl Rove, the chief political adviser, to testify in a Congressional inquiry into the dismissal of federal prosecutors.

Fred F. Fielding, the chief White House counsel, spent Friday evaluating the request and conferred with President Bush about it before Mr. Bush left for Camp David, a White House official said.

Mr. Fielding had initially told Democrats on the House Judiciary Committee that he hoped to have an answer by Friday, but he now expects to report back to the panel after the weekend....

Democrats expressed disappointment with the delay, and Representative John Conyers Jr., Democrat of Michigan, the committee chairman, said he would move forward with subpoenas for Mr. Rove and other top officials, including Harriet E. Miers, the former White House counsel, and Scott Jennings, a deputy to Mr. Rove.

Still, Mr. Conyers and Senator Charles E. Schumer, the New York Democrat who is spearheading the inquiry in the Senate, seemed inclined to give the administration a few more days. Separately, the committees expect to receive additional documents from the Justice Department on Monday....

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/03/17/washington/17attorneys.html

[texpatriot2004]

14. K & R nm

[calimary]

15. Whatza matter, george? kkkarl? Can't get your stories straight yet?

Shredder break down on ya? It's taking longer to cut everything up by hand? What's the problem, guys? Taking too long for everybody to memorize the convoluted talking points you just issued office-wide?

Fuckers.

[TomInTib]

16. If they are f***ing with Fielding...

Then they are f%^%ing themselves.

They are out of options.

Fielding isn't in this to lose face.

[TomClash]

17. A little weekend erasing, shredding and purging? nt,