Link from here:
http://www.talkingpointsmemo.com/http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/story?id=2954988&page=1EXCLUSIVE: E-Mails Show Rove Role in U.S. Attorney Firings
Unreleased E-Mails Directly Contradict White House Assertions that the Notion Originated with Harriet Miers
March 15, 2007 — New unreleased e-mails from top administration officials show the idea of firing all 93 U.S. attorneys was raised by White House adviser Karl Rove in early January 2005, indicating Rove was more involved in the plan than previously acknowledged by the White House.
The e-mails also show Attorney General Alberto Gonzales discussed the idea of firing the attorneys en masse while he was still White House counsel — weeks before he was confirmed as attorney general.
The e-mails directly contradict White House assertions that the notion originated with recently departed White House counsel Harriet Miers and was her idea alone.
Two independent sources in a position to know have described the contents of the e-mail exchange, which could be released as early as Friday. They put Rove at the epicenter of the imbroglio and raise questions about Gonzales' explanations of the matter.
The e-mail exchange is dated in early January 2005, more than a month before the White House acknowledged it was considering firing all the U.S. attorneys — and while Gonzales still was White House counsel. On its face, the plan is not improper, inappropriate or even unusual: The President has the right to fire U.S. attorneys at any time, and presidents have done so when they took office.
What has made the issue a political firestorm is the White House's insistence that the idea came from Harriet Miers and was swiftly rejected.
White House press secretary Tony Snow told reporters Tuesday that Miers had suggesting firing all 93 and that it was "her idea only." Snow said Miers' idea was quickly rejected by the Department of Justice.
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