While Pres. Obama is "very sympathetic to those who want to find out
what happened,"
he will not "do anything that would undermine or weaken the
institution of the presidency."
So the need to see Rove answer questions under oath is a matter not
of justice, but of curiosity,
on the part of "those who want to find out what happened."
Apparently the President is not one of "those" himself, since his
primary concern is to maintain
the majesty of his own office, whose powers today are now imperial,
thanks to Dick Cheney
and his men (and the electoral black magic of Karl Rove).
This is, to say the least, a disappointment--and it's confusing, too,
since Rove's own
lawyer now says that his client is not covered by "executive privilege":
Click here: The Raw Story | Exclusive: Rove not covered by executive
privilege in political prosecution case, lawyer says
So what's up here? Why is the White House honoring a "privilege" that
Rove doesn't
actually enjoy?
MCM
February 14, 2009, 11:47 PM
White House Not Challenging Rove's Privilege
Posted by
<javascript:loadAuthor('politics/politicalhotsheet',%20503544,%20'Mark_Knoller')>Mark
Knoller|
<http://www.cbsnews.com/blogs/2009/02/14/politics/politicalhotsheet/entry4803349.shtml#ccmm>102
<http://www.cbsnews.com/blogs/2009/02/14/politics/politicalhotsheet/entry4803349.shtml>http://www.cbsnews.com/blogs/2009/02/14/politics/politicalhotsheet/entry4803349.shtml
The Obama White House is not challenging whether a valid claim of
"executive privilege" can keep former presidential advisor Karl Rove
from testifying in the matter of the U.S. Attorney firings during the
Bush Administration.
In a statement provided to CBS News, White House Counsel Gregory
Craig says Pres. Obama is "very sympathetic to those who want to find
out what happened."
But at the same time, Craig makes it clear that Mr. Obama is not
disputing the claim of privilege.
"He is also mindful as president of the United States not to do
anything that would undermine or weaken the institution of the
presidency," Craig says in the statement.
A White House spokesman says the Counsel's Office is still studying
the question of executive privilege.
Rove is under subpoena to testify to the House Judiciary Committee on
February 23 about political motivations in the firings of U.S.
Attorneys.
During the last days of the Bush presidency, White House Counsel Fred
Fielding informed Rove's lawyer, Robert Luskin, that Mr. Bush was
continuing to assert "executive privilege" and directed that Rove not
testify or provide documents about the U.S. Attorney firings - even
after Pres. Bush left office.
After Barack Obama was inaugurated, Luskin asked the new White House
Counsel to advise on "whether there is a valid claim of executive
privilege."
Craig's carefully worded statement straddles the fence on that point.
His statement says Pres. Obama backs the investigation of the U.S.
Attorney firings - but doesn't challenge whether "executive
privilege" can be claimed after a President leaves office.
Craig says Pres. Obama "is urging" Rove and the House Judiciary
Committee to settle the matter of privilege and testimony on their
own.
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