E-Mail Shows Rove’s Role in Fate of Prosecutors

[L. Coyote]

Source: NY Times

WASHINGTON, March 28 — Almost every Wednesday afternoon, advisers to President Bush gather to strategize about putting his stamp on the federal courts and the United States attorneys’ offices.

The group meets in the Roosevelt Room and includes aides to the White House counsel, the chief of staff, the attorney general and Karl Rove, who also sometimes attends himself. Each of them signs off on every nomination.

Mr. Rove, a top adviser to the president, takes charge of the politics. ....

Read more: http://www.nytimes.com/2007/03/29/washington/29rove.html?_r=1&oref=slogin

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Keeping up on this story today has been difficult at best. Lots more at:

Email-Gate FACTS: Felons, georgewbush.com, gwb43.com , et. al.
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=389x523978#528951

Thanks to ProSense for catching ths one:
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=389x528862

[fshrink]

1. "Takes charge of the politics"?

Like he wasn't before? The NYT works at preserving the laughable myth of a "President" in charge. Perhaps to help justify its own lack of spine since 2000.

[ShockediSay]

2. Obstruction of Justice? On the part of Karl? nt

[L. Coyote]

3. "Mr. Rove was himself apparently still being investigated"

An important point not yet much mentioned, Rove was himself being investigated during the US Attorney firings. Any relationship to obstuction??

Congressional Letter to Gonzales.

"In light of the unprecedented nature of the appointment, we are especidly
interested in understanding the role played by Karl Rove. In particular, what role
did Karl Rove, with whom Griffin was closely associated, play in the decision to
appoint Griffin?"

"Given that Mr. Rove was himself apparently still being investigated by a U.S.
Attorney in June of 2006, it would be extremely untoward if he were at the same time
leading the charge to oust a sitting U.S. Attorney and install his own former aid."

"These questions go to the heart of the public's confidence in the fair
administration of justice. Once appointed, U.S. Attorneys, perhaps more than any other
public servant, must be above politics and beyond reproach; they must be seen to enforce
the rule of law without fear or favor."

[L. Coyote]

4. USA Today: Letter shows Justice misled investigators

http://www.usatoday.com/news/washington/2007-03-28-february-letter_N.htm

By Kevin Johnson and Kathy Kiely, USA TODAY
WASHINGTON — The Justice Department misled a congressional investigation into the firings of eight federal prosecutors last month by saying it was "not aware" that White House political strategist Karl Rove played any role in the dismissals, newly released documents show.

On Feb. 23, the Justice Department said in a letter — signed by acting Associate Attorney General Richard Hertling — to four U.S. senators that it didn't know about any involvement by Rove.

That contradicts a Dec. 19 internal Justice e-mail in which Kyle Sampson, then chief of staff to Attorney General Alberto Gonzales, says that Rove wanted to put former aide Tim Griffin into the Arkansas U.S. attorney's job.

In the e-mail, Sampson says that "getting (Griffin) appointed was important to Harriet and Karl."

...more...

[Bozita]

5. Wondering if this has anything to do with Goodling's "5th Amendment"

Like :

With whom in the White House did you communicate?

Is this the "perjury trap"?

[Loisenman]

6. Catch 22?

Please correct me if my simple logic is wrong. If advisors to the President cannot be questioned by Congress, and if they also carry out their policies without the President being involved (or officially accountable)---then there is no accountability at all. This means the country is completely under the control of you know who!