Last Thursday, former Bush advisor Karl Rove “defied a congressional subpoena and refused to testify” before the House Judiciary subcommittee. His failure to appear may result in contempt of Congress charges. Rove is scheduled to be in Hampton Roads this coming Friday for a fundraiser for Congresswoman Thelma Drake.
This afternoon, Delegates Bobby Mathieson and Joe Bouchard held a telephone press conference on the subject. Both Mathieson, who represents the 21st House District, and Bouchard, who represents the 83rd House District, live in the 2nd Congressional District which Drake represents. Citing his nearly 30 year career in law enforcement, Mathieson said that he was taught to obey the law and to use good judgment when dealing with issues such as these. Bouchard, a career Naval officer, previously served in the White House and has testified before Congress. Should Rove be held in contempt of Congress, Drake will have to vote on it. Bouchard sees this as “a serious conflict of interest,” saying that Drake is “appearing to endorse his [Rove’s] defiance.”
“I hope she will cancel the event,” Bouchard said, “and choose her constituents over her loyalty to Rove.” Mathieson also said that he hopes she will “do the right thing.”
As noted in the linked USA Today story:
House Republicans called Thursday’s proceedings a political stunt and said if Democrats truly wanted information they would take Rove up on an offer he made to discuss the matter informally.
Neither Mathieson nor Bouchard agrees with this assessment. Mathieson said that Drake serves in Congress and Rove is defying the power of Congress. Bouchard, who hold a PhD in political science, pointed out that there is always politics involved when discussing the executive versus the legislative branches of goverment. However, he said, the constitution does not “endorse a concept of absolute executive priviledge,” which is what Rove and others are relying on. “Rover’s offer [to discuss the matter informally] is disengenuous, ” Bouchard said, “and not consistent with any constitutional law.”
I suspect this is not the last we have heard of this.
VIVIAN J. PAIGE | All Politics is Local 
Just one of the many reasons to support Glenn Nye!!!
Go Glenn!
It must be nice to have famous felons. Er, friends.
In protest of Karl Rove’s refusal to comply with subpoenas, a Virginia Beach group is planning a Mock Trial of Karl Rove for Friday:
Mock Trial of Karl Rove to be held at Virginia Beach Town Center Fountain
When: Friday, July 18, 2008, from 10:30 AM to 11:45 AM
Where: Fountains at Town Center / Va Beach (In front of Ruth Crist’s & Funny Bone; across from CA Pizza Kitchen), Virginia Beach, VA 23462
Karl Rove is at the center of nearly every Bush Administration scandal: Arrest Karl Rove
http://www.democrats.com/node/17139
I heard about this from organizer Chris Jaramillo, Navy Veteran 25 years, 757-387-0028. I am not involved in organizing this but I hope to attend!
I’d give these guys more credit if I thought that there was any chance they’d act the same way if Rep. Drake were a Dem.
So you concede that anyone ought to feel ashamed our outraged over this obvious conflict of interests regardless of individual party affiliation and the affiliation of Thelma Drake?
Not really. This is the sort of thing outrages you when the other side does it, but not when your side does.
Oh. See I was going to give you more credit because I thought there was a chance you’d react the same way since Rep. Drake is a Republican. But if you think a conflict of interest is contextual, that’s fine, whatever works for you.
Admitting to outing a covert, non official cover CIA operative should put the slimy SOB behind bars. But wait, she was only involved in uncovering the extent of the Iranian nuclear program, no big deal.
Of course el presidente promised to fire anyone involved…whoops, one more disgusting lie from this “Born Again Christian President”
How about the blatant influence peddling of US foreign policy for dollars for the brutal Kyrgyzstan regime…Another treasonous act by bush and the neocon pimps.
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/us_and_americas/article4322684.ece
Full details at http://thinkprogress.org/2008/07/12/bush-library-donation-scandal/
There is no end to the destruction to this nation brought about by the 5-4 decision of a “conservative” SCOTUS to overturn state law.
It’s only a short 3 1/2 hour trip up to Washington. Why not arrest Rove Friday and take him back to Washington? Save gas and hassle.. Congress DOES have that power – Use It! Put his conptmptable ass in jail. As for Bush Lite – we just need to bear another 188 days before his big sendoff.
NND:
Admitting to outing a covert, non official cover CIA operative should put the slimy SOB behind bars.
That’s not very nice thing to say about Richard Armitage. Nice paranoid rant, by the way.
A quote about Richard M. Nixon made by Hunter S. Thompson also applies to Carl Rove: “It just goes to show you, you just can’t trust an egg-suckin dog.”