Karl Rove is promising to defy the subpoena issued by John Conyers — citing instructions from Bush lawyers shortly before the end of the Administration. The statement may indicate that President Bush is preparing for a novel fight: asserting executive privilege against the position of the sitting president (who would presumably support Congress in this matter). In the interview, Rove compares himself to the Great White Whale in Moby Dick.
Appearing on O’Reilly this week, Rove had the following exchange:
Rove: I have been directed, again on January 16, by the outgoing president’s legal counsel, not to respond to a subpoena, exerting privilege on behalf of the former president and his close aides.
O’Reilly: So you’re not even going to show?
Rove: No, and —
O’Reilly: What if they hold you in contempt of Congress?
Rove: Look, this issue is — let’s step back for a minute. This issue of whether or not I should show up — I’ve never exerted any personal privilege, I’ve never said I have a personal right not to show up.
O’Reilly: No, but you’re a counselor to the president, it’s executive — I got all that. But let’s go beyond the argument. I know your argument. Say Conyers says Mr. Rove is in contempt of Congress. What happens then?
Rove: Well, look, this issue is before the United States Circuit Court of Appeals in the District of Columbia. Rep. Conyers could have waited until they resolved the issue one way or the other, gave guidance to him and gave guidance to the former president and to the current president. But instead, he decided to go forward with this — I don’t know if I want to call it a witch hunt, I don’t think of myself as a witch, but I’m certain — this is a guy who went to the cloak room and said, ‘Somebody has to get his –‘ and then filled in a crude way to describe my posterior. He’s sort of like Captain Ahab and I’m the whale.
This could be extremely interesting. While Obama appears (again) eager to avoid a fight over such issues, Conyers to pushing ahead. It will force Obama to take a side. If he supports Conyers, he would waive any executive privilege claims. This would leave Bush as asserting the privilege while the current president sees no need to protect the information. This is precisely the plan that Bush lawyers have clearly discussed with Rove, who noted ” “It’s generally agreed that former presidents retain executive privilege as to matters occurring during their term. We’ll solicit the views of the new White House counsel and, if there is a disagreement, assume that the matter will be resolved among the courts, the president and the former president.”
It would also put pressure on Eric Holder to lift the bar on the submission of the criminal contempt charge to a grand jury.
For John Conyers, I suggest that he explain the reason why he has chosen to go forward to force this testimony. Here is the relevant quote:
Captain Ahab: Speak not to me of blasphemy, man; I’d strike the sun if it insulted me. Look ye, Starbuck, all visible objects are but as pasteboard masks. Some inscrutable yet reasoning thing puts forth the molding of their features. The white whale tasks me; he heaps me. Yet he is but a mask. ‘Tis the thing behind the mask I chiefly hate; the malignant thing that has plagued mankind since time began; the thing that maws and mutilates our race, not killing us outright but letting us live on, with half a heart and half a lung.
The “malignant thing that has plagued mankind” is scheduled to appear in the House Judiciary next week or facing a new harpooning by a criminal contempt sanction.
For the story, click here.
And if you can’t stand the heat, stay out of the kitchen, whiner.
And while we’re at it, your opinion of decent matters as much as as your Nazi buddies opinion of civility.
Wayne,
I’ve already told you how to get in touch with me, chicken shit.
Buddha Is Laughing 1, January 30, 2009 at 12:18 pm
“Patty,
That would explain his personal animosity toward me since I made CCM look like a fool on my way in. ”
The only fool is you two conspiracy nuts. Everytime someone comes in you don’t like you both claim it’s me. Well, I’m familiar with Tracert dickhead, and you don’t need it to find my IP. I’ll give it to you.
This guy isn’t me asshole. None of the guys you’ve been claiming are me are me stupid. I haven’t commented in here since our last encounter when your big bad self started talking about what a big martial artist you are. And the IP’s will prove that.
You’ve got a big mouth Buhdda, and you and that foul witch you hang around with bullying everyone in this blog are both two of the most immature self righteous pricks in the blogsphere. You might think JT thinks something of you but I’ve discussed this with him and I know that you aren’t half as respected as you think. You’re a child. A big mouthed tough talking child, who I offered the opportunity to exchange contact info with, in hopes that once you spoke with me you’d see I was just a business man, family man, and a decent citizen, not some troll that you and patty have smeared me as in your internet blog bullying sessions.
I left the day we spoke. I come in all the time and read, but I do not comment. Here, let me say that again. I DO NOT COMMENT.
I told JT I respected him but did not wish to subject myself to the constant bullying of Patty and you and the one or two other regular cuckolds who hang with you.
I tried exchanging contact information with you so you could speak with me. I assumed once we did that you’d tone down your constant bullying, and constant attempts at physical intimidation by declaring what a big bad martial artist you are and other subtle threats.
Instead of exchanging contact information, you chose to set a time “in the parking lot” on your turf, like I, a grown man in my 50’s was going to climb on a plane, fly down to whatever southern shithole you live in, and meet you (and your friends) in a parking lot. You really are a fool. A big talking lowbrow, pompous twit.
You’ve referenced your martial arts training in here so many times I’m not sure if this is a legal blog or a Bruce Lee memorial. No one cares about your martial arts training, yet you draw it like a gun.
Anyone who has IP viewing rights on this blog will see I always come in off the same corporate subnet, because I blog from work. So right there you can see that whoever this person is, he ain’t me. And you and Patty can cry about it till the cows come home, talking about how you made a fool of me when in fact, I offered to exchange my information with you and you weren’t brave enough to do that. Apparently you’re not so tough when it comes to actually being introduced to the people you’re slandering and trying to intimidate. That anonymity is your shield, and you hide well behind it.
After all, its easy to talk like a tough guy when you’re anonymous.
I’m not a troll. I sure as hell ain’t a right winger, and none of my posts ever suggested that. I’ve always supported President Obama, and I’m sick of your lies about me in here.
I left. I read, but I don’t comment. If I do comment, it will be under my own handle, and it sure as hell won’t be troll comments.
But I won’t comment, not as long as blog bullies like you and that foul, ugly person named patty are allowed to drive out anyone they don’t like.
And just so there’s no confusion, here is my email, one more time tough guy.
Waynebro@yahoo.com
Shoot me an email and we’ll arrange to speak offline and exchange info and maybe once we speak you’ll be able to back off your juvenile bullying behavior, and start acting like a decent human being.
Or you can continue to hide behind your anonymity. Like Patty and other trolls who do best intimidating others when no one knows who they are.
I’d also like to state, once again, that you giving anyone lessons is civility is like teaching a dog to fix a diesel. Fuck both you and your sense of civility, Mr. If Anyone Wants to Kick My Ass. You’ve been given MORE than one chance by more than one person. You’re a confessed enemy of the state who backs torturing traitors and openly endorsed fascism. Beyond the fantastic negative example you provide, it should be clear no one of conscience or possessing clarity of thought would care what you think is civil.
You endorse torture.
You’re evil.
You have no defense, no retreat. You’ve boxed yourself in.
And you’ll reap what you’ve sewn.
The boys you back are going down. Period. Whether its at the hands of the Court or the hands of torch wielding villagers is up to vile little trolls like yourself. History’s lessons place you square on the losing side.
Deal with it. Deal with it someplace else preferably, but please, keep coming back so we can point to the enemy among us.
Patty C:
I think you’re right that that plague of locusts know as Bartlebee has returned in earnest. I also think Buddha is correct that his mom has yet to let him see the light of day.
“Off to your room now for some milk and cookies. Tell you mom “hi” for me.”
Mespo, this assumes his mom let’s him out of the basement.
“Oh, poor me!”
You’ve used that tactic, PNAC Nazi.
Try again.
It’s not ‘these’ poeople. It is ‘this’ person.
Maybe you should have just stayed out of it, Jill, when I told Bartlebee to get lost the first time time – last spring!
Bron98:
“I like the part where Ahab ends up going down with the whale.”
**************
You do? Gracious me, I bet you like the part when the wolf blows down that nasty pig’s straw house too. Good for you. Off to your room now for some milk and cookies. Tell you mom “hi” for me.
Jill,
You can see the success they are having too (sarcasm). Normally, I’d agree, but I think this particular troll serves a purpose. OUR purpose. Submitted for your approval, his hate filled ramblings illustrate in detail why the criminals who hijacked the GOP are in truth modern Nazis without the balls to form concentration camps. Violent amoral fascist thugs. The more he comes back, the more he reinforces the position that we are not dealing with a simply difference in policy, but actual evil acts perpetrated with malice aforethought by evil people. The more he illustrates why their forcible removal from political processes in this country isn’t a vendetta based on party, but a necessity dictated by evil.
Buddha:
I actually have no animosity toward any of you. I just have a difference of opinion. I have gone on the web sites you have sited and actually think about what you say and what are the arguments against what you are saying. It is actually quite interesting. I wish I had been a little more civil the first time out but that is certainly water under the bridge at this point and I see no hope for a rapproachmont.
Although based on what I have read had I just said I have a difference of opinion about Bush and Rove being tried for war crimes I expect that I would have been called a NAZI thug right out of the box. And been asked to commit suicide as a public service.
Although I think Mespo might(that is a big might) have cut me some slack. I hope I havent tarnished your image Mespo.
I do think Bron/Puddha is trying to control the discussion by redirecting the posts to be about him and not the topic at hand. These people show up when their masters get nervous.
To be clear, who you are is less salient than what you are.
I don’t think anyone was ASKING.
It’s called OBSERVATION.
My Pudd is Laughing:
I am not CCM incarnate.
Buddha:
yes I do have penis issues, I am hung like a peanut. Thank you for asking
Bron98
Bronnieboy
theocraticanarchis troll
troll
Please do then, troll.
Kill yourself that is.
You’d be doing the gene pool a favor by taking out the garbage, little pecker.
Patty C:
I made your cookie recipe and it was very tasty. Thank you.
Patty,
That would explain his personal animosity toward me since I made CCM look like a fool on my way in. And you’re right. Whomever this little Nazi is, he seems to have penis issues.