John Dean: Will A Dark Cloud Follow Karl Rove Back To Texas?

[seafan]

Will A Dark Cloud Follow Karl Rove Back To Texas?: Congress Is Still Investigating Serious Criminal Abuses of Executive Powers

By John Dean
August 24, 2007

When Congress returns from its summer recess, it will again turn its investigative powers on questions regarding the Bush Administration's politicalization of operations in the Executive Branch that, by custom and law, are not political. By "not political," I mean these activities are properly conducted without partisan interest. With respect to them, it is improper for one political party to use the machinery of government for its own political benefit or to the detriment of its political opponents. Yet in several areas, that appears to be exactly what the Bush Administration has done.

The most prominent among these investigations are those being undertaken by the chairmen of the House and Senate's Judiciary committees, Representative John Conyers (D. MI) and Senator Patrick Leahy (D.VT), who are investigating the politicization of the Department of Justice, particularly in the hiring and firing of United States Attorneys. But an even broader inquiry is underway, initiated by the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, under the direction of Chairman Henry Waxman (D. CA), and that inquiry has uncovered the extensive use of federal resources by the Bush Administration to assist its political friends and punish its political enemies.
So far, the Bush White House has successfully stonewalled all these inquiries by invoking executive privilege, which it construes in a manner so extreme as to lead it to instruct White House witnesses under subpoena to not even show up at the hearings at which they are scheduled to testify. Among those now so defying the Congress is Karl Rove, the Bush White House player many believe to be at the center of virtually all of the Bush Administration's politicalization efforts.

.....

After speaking with several knowledgeable people in Washington, I found none believe Rove is being forced out. Rather, the conventional wisdom holds that Rove is leaving now in order to lower his profile during these forthcoming Congressional investigations.
One criminal defense attorney who handles "government affairs" criminal matters said Rove is doing exactly what he would advise a client of his to do: Stay out of sight. This was also Rove's strategy when Special Counsel Patrick Fitzgerald was focusing on whether Rove had committed perjury when testifying before the grand jury investigating the leak of Valerie Plame Wilson's covert CIA identity. Then, too, Rove largely disappeared. Out of sight does not always mean out of mind, but it helps. Rove kept a low public profile and was never charged with perjury, after he apparently tap-danced privately for the grand jury.

.....

The Washington Post reports that Rove has been running a Nixonian-type political operation to benefit Bush in his 2004 reelection bid and to assist Republicans country-wide. It appears, in fact, that the U.S. Attorney firings and the White House political briefings at the departments and agencies, in blatant violation of the Hatch Act (which prohibits such activity), are merely examples of a grander scheme that operated behind closed doors.
I have long suspected that these are only small chips that have fallen from a mighty iceberg - a systematic, broad-based, wide-scale program to infuse the Executive Branch from top to bottom with Republicans stalwarts and thinking, creating an influence that will remain long after Bush has left Washington. These efforts, I believe, are part of Rove's desire to create an enduring GOP majority; it is for this reason that he has worked to operate the Executive Branch not for the public interest, but rather for the particular interests of Republicans alone.

This is all strikingly familiar to anyone familiar with the Nixon presidency.

.....

Given the basically un-cracked secrecy of the Bush Administration, it is not unreasonable to suspect that Rove has managed to accomplish what Nixon failed to do, and that the Bush Administration has undertaken a large-scaled politicalization program throughout the Executive Branch during the past six-plus years.
This, I suspect, is the reason for Rove's resignation. Chairmen Conyers, Leahy, and Waxman are looking closely for such an operation, as are a number of similar but less visible inquiries underway by the Democratic Congress. Thus, the potential for such activities becoming known is very real, and this gathering storm means a few dark clouds are following Rove back to Texas. Should they burst, Rove may have far more serious problems than being in contempt of Congress.

.....

[shain from kane]

1. That, and a slimey streak. Moby Dick-sized slug that he is. n/t

[bdamomma]

2. rove needs to be arrested!!!

like all of them.

[peacetalksforall]

3. Should it happens that he/they only get caught for violating the Hatch Act,

what is the penalty?

Would Gonazales be connected to violations against the Hatch Act? Say, as assenting Consul before becoming (the worst) AG (in the history of this land).

[seafan]

5. The penalty for Hatch Act violations, according to Dean:

The Senate Watergate Committee's report set forth an array of civil and criminal laws that are applicable to misuse of government for political purposes. For example, the Hatch Act contains a broad proscription that an employee of an executive agency may not use his or her official authority or influence for the purpose of interfering with or affecting the result of a federal election. Such conduct has a civil sanction of dismissal from Federal service.

IMHO, Congress should immediately enter the demand for Rove's dismissal in the record, for using his role in government for the naked political gain of the Republican Party. He should not be allowed to continue in his position until the end of August without this Congressional documentation, as this would allow Rove otherwise to say he "left on his own." This may seem like a moot point, but it is important to document every small bit of the actual circumstances of his leaving. It's the details that will make or break history.



And Dean also says Rove, et. al., may also be found in criminal violation of:

More seriously, it can also be a crime for a federal official to use his or her power for political purposes. On of the broadest federal criminal laws is the conspiracy statute that prohibits defrauding the government. Under federal law, which prescribes punishment by up to five years in prison, such a fraud has been broadly defined.

The leading case is the Supreme Court's 1923 ruling in Hammerschmidt v. United States. There, the Court stated, "To conspire to defraud the United States means primarily to cheat the government out of property or money, but it also means to interfere with or obstruct one of its lawful governmental functions by deceit, craft or trickery, or at least by means that are dishonest. It is not necessary that the government shall be subjected to property or pecuniary loss by the fraud, but only that its legitimate official action and purpose shall be defeated by misrepresentation, chicanery, or the overreaching of those charged with carrying out the governmental intention." Misuse of federal power for political purposes, thus, can fall rather easily within this statute.

There are other criminal statutes that the evidence suggests Rove might have violated, as well. Section 595 of Title 18 prohibits "a person employed in any administrative position" of the Federal Government from using his or her "official authority for the purpose of interfering with, or affecting, the nomination or the election of any candidate for the office of President, Vice President, Presidential elector, Member of the Senate, Member of the House of Representatives…" Violation of this statute can result in a fine or prison up to a year, or both.

Section 600 of Title 18 prohibits promising any Government benefit or "any special consideration in obtaining such benefit, to any person as consideration, favor, or reward for any political activity or for the support of or opposition to any candidate or any political party" in connection with a Federal election. Violation of this "bribery-lite" statute can result in a fine of $1000 or prisons up to a year, or both.

As far as Gonzales, he's in a class by himself for impeachment. For the life of me, I cannot understand why the House has not taken any steps to impeach him. The votes *are there* to do that.


Every single day that passes with these criminals still at the controls is a day closer to unimaginable catastrophe.

[SheWhoMustBeObeyed]

4. Rove & Cheney learned from Nixon's mistakes

They look upon him as the man who fumbled the ball and let the other team win.

Rove and Cheney simply never admit a fumble, never acknowledge any warnings or penalties, and never stop talking trash about the other team.

Nixon would have considered them bad sports. They would have told Nixon to go fuck himself.

One of the strangest parts of this entire administration is the redemption of John Dean. I never could have imagined, watching the hearings so many summers ago, that I would ever have respect for the man.

Thanks for posting.

[seafan]

6. I agree about Dean. He's one of the last members of "our fathers' republican party."

I believe he is really trying to help us regain control over these criminals. He would know/knows how they operate.

[peacetalksforall]

7. "our father's republican party" - great phrase - makes one long

for better times. I seem to remember what I thought were genuine attempts at fair play - the old sports rule - win some lose some. Now, it's we win, you lose ... suckers.

I am always exploring the possibility that getting away with the assassination of the 3 K's emboldened those we've been dealing with for 40+ years - and now they don't seem concerned about getting caught at anything - only a few seem nervous - and they have probably already quit the admin - excluding Rove, Ari, and some others.)

[Hissyspit]

8. k&r n/t

[UncleSepp]

9. Rove will turn up where least expected

I don't think he's evil. I think he's a professional. He'll turn up wherever the biggest opportunity is. I doubt the man believes in anything, any faith, any idea, any ideology.

Anyhow, that's my boozy guess :-D

[badgerpup]

10. "will a dark cloud follow Karl Rove?"

There damn well better be a dark cloud following Rove!
Mark him for what he is.
Dangerous, twisted, and totally dedicated to the BFEE.
Evil.
Not in the religious sense...but in the actions he has taken...he has chosen to cause harm in order to obtain power and money...and if that's not evil, I don't know what is.

:grr::nuke:

[cui bono]

11. I thought Rove WAS the dark cloud. eom