By Bill Sammon
FOXNews.com
Karl Rove tells FOX News he is looking forward to telling the House Judiciary Committee about his alleged role in the firing of federal prosecutors and the prosecution of former Alabama Gov. Don Siegelman.
Although he says it could turn into a show trial Karl Rove tells FOX News he is looking forward to telling the House Judiciary Committee about his alleged role in the firing of federal prosecutors and the prosecution of former Alabama Gov. Don Siegelman.
Until now Rove had been shielded from testifying by his former boss President George W. Bush who had asserted executive privilege on Roves behalf. But on Monday lawyers for Bush and President Obama reached a deal that will allow Rove to be deposed by the Judiciary Committee which is chaired by Rep. John Conyers Michigan Democrat
Were closing in on Rove Conyers was overheard saying by two people just off the House floor last year. Someones got to kick his ass.
Rove acknowledges that Conyers probably has more interest in him than in two other former Bush aides entangled in the case White House Counsel Harriet Miers and Chief of Staff Josh Bolten.
I understand they may be the hors doeuvres but Im the main course said Rove who was Bushs top political adviser in the White House. Some Democrats would love to have me barbecued.
Rove said that during his White House tenure he fielded complaints about U.S. Attorney David Iglesias of New Mexico and Kevin Ryan of San Francisco and passed those complaints along to Miers and Attorney General Alberto Gonzales. The two were among nine prosecutors who were eventually fired by Gonzales.
Rove defended his role in the episode by pointing out that Gregory Craig who actively campaigned for Obama is now White House General Counsel.
If White House contact with the Justice Department is inappropriate then what are we doing by allowing anybody who has anything remotely to do with the political campaign -- like the general counsel of the Obama White House -- to have any contact with the Justice Department? Rove said. I mean we named the Justice Department building after the campaign manager of the 1960 presidential campaign - Robert F. Kennedy.
Rove also denies any wrongdoing in the political corruption trial of Siegelman a Democrat who said he was prosecuted for political reasons possibly by Bush officials.
