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Rove Called By Congress To Tell Of Political Moves At Justice

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The Associated Press

Published: May 23, 2008

WASHINGTON - The House Judiciary Committee subpoenaed President Bush's former chief political adviser, Karl Rove, on Thursday to testify about whether the White House improperly meddled with the Justice Department.

Accusations of politics influencing decisions at the department led to the resignation last year of Bush's attorney general Alberto Gonzales.

Whether Rove will ever be forced to testify is unclear. The White House refuses to let him or other top aides testify about private conversations with Bush, citing executive privilege.

The subpoena orders Rove to appear before the House panel July 10. Lawmakers want to ask him about the White House's role in firing nine U.S. attorneys in 2006 and the prosecution of former Gov. Don Siegelman of Alabama, a Democrat.

House Judiciary panel Chairman John Conyers had negotiated with Rove's attorneys more than a year about whether he would testify voluntarily.

"It is unfortunate that Mr. Rove has failed to cooperate with our requests," Conyers, D-Mich., said in a statement. "Although he does not seem the least bit hesitant to discuss these very issues weekly on cable television and in the print news media, Mr. Rove and his attorney have apparently concluded that a public hearing room would not be appropriate."

Conyers added, "Unfortunately, I have no choice today but to compel his testimony on these very important matters."

Both Rove and his attorney, Robert Luskin, declined to comment.

The Senate Judiciary Committee also authorized subpoenaing Rove, who did not show up to testify. Senate Democratic leaders, not eager to pick a difficult political fight in an election year, did not plan to seek a vote on holding Rove in contempt of Congress, a criminal offense.

In a letter Wednesday to the House panel, Luskin called the then-threatened subpoena a "gratuitous confrontation." He said Rove was willing to talk to congressional investigators, but only behind closed doors and without a transcript being made of the session.

"While the committee has the authority to issue a subpoena, it is hard to see what this will accomplish, apart from a Groundhog Day replay of the same issues that are already the subject of litigation," Luskin wrote in the letter. It was released both by Conyers' staff and later by a spokesman for Luskin who responded to a call for comment.

The White House all but jeered at the subpoena, calling it "political theater."

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