Rove Blocked From Testifying. Leahy asks, is Bush Responsible?

Executive Privilege - yet again. President Bush on Wednesday ordered White House adviser Karl Rove and a senior political aide to refuse on grounds of executive privilege to testify before the Senate on the firings of nine U.S. attorneys. In a letter to Senate Judiciary Committee leaders, White House counsel Fred Fielding declared that Rove, "as an immediate presidential advisor, is immune from compelled congressional testimony" about matters involving his service to the president.

Sen. Patrick Leahy, D-Vt., chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, called it "a shame that this White House continues to act as if it is above the law." The Senators are asking and I think rightly, what is Rove hiding that he cannot testify? "We are quickly reaching the point where, given the claim of executive privilege, the logical question is what did the President know and when did he know it?" asked Senator Patrick Leahy (D-VT) in his opening remarks. "By his claim of executive privilege, is President Bush now taking responsibility for the firing of such well-regarded and well-performing U.S. attorneys?"

"How can communications with the Justice Department, the RNC and others outside the White House be subject to any claim of 'executive privilege?'" he asked, further pointing out that Rove had spoken in public about the US Attorneys firings on several occasions.

The Senators at the hearing next criticized Alberto Gonzalez for his confusing testimony. Arlen Specter went on the offensive: He is playing a cat and mouse game with Congressional oversight," the Ranking Republican on the committee said.

Here is an excerpt from the beginning of the hearing today regarding the Senior aide Scott Jennings who appeared, but refused to answer certain questions. This shows the ridiculousness of executive privilege and it is as Specter says "a cat and mouse" game.

Senator Leahy started his questioning on Jennings' use of a 'gwb43.com' e-mail account supplied by the Republican National Committee. Jennings at first noted that he had stopped using that particular e-mail address because it had been filled with spam and 'hate mail' after it first emerged in documents turned over to Congressional investigators.

Ironically, the Vermont Democrat had just asked the White House aide if he was still using an RNC e-mail account. Jennings confirmed he was, and then said the new address out loud.
Leahy then asked Jennings when he chose to use the RNC e-mail account in place of his White House account.

"I must respectfully decline to answer your question at this time," he responded.

"It sounds like the American taxpayers are paying you to stonewall," Leahy said at the end of his time. That says it all.