"All Those Who Want To See ROVE In Jail-May Get Their Wish" (New Findlaw Article by: John Dean)

[kpete]

New Developments in the U.S. Attorney Controversy:
Why Bush Refuses to Allow Karl Rove and Harriet Miers to Testify Before Congress, and What Role New White House Counsel Fred Fielding May Play

By JOHN W. DEAN
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Friday, Mar. 23, 2007


In truth, much more is at stake here for both the Congress and the White House than this bare description of the conflict would indicate. These issues strike at the heart of what post-Watergate conservative Republicans seek to create: an all-powerful presidency. Thus, for the same reason that Vice President Cheney went to extreme lengths to block Congress from getting information about the work of his National Energy Task Force, as I discussed in prior columns such as this one, I expect President Bush to take what will appear to be a similar irrational posture. For both Bush and Cheney, virtually any limit on presidential power is too great.

............

It Seems Likely Bush, with Fielding, Will Go to the Wall on Executive Privilege

This time, it is my belief that Bush -- unlike Reagan before him -- will not blink. He will not let Fielding strike a deal, as Fielding did for Reagan. Rather, Bush feels that he has his manhood on the line. He knows what his conservative constituency wants: a strong president who protects his prerogatives. He believes in the unitary executive theory of protecting those prerogatives, and of strengthening the presidency by defying Congress.

In short, all those who have wanted to see Karl Rove in jail may get their wish, for he will not cave in, either -- and may well be prosecuted for contempt, as Gorsuch was not. Bush's greatest problem here, however, is Harriett Miers. It is dubious he can exert any privilege over a former White House Counsel; I doubt she is ready to go to prison for him; and all who know her say if she is under oath, she will not lie. That could be a problem.

more at:
http://writ.news.findlaw.com/dean/20070323.html

[Norquist Nemesis]

1. I have this horrible feeling Rove's going to sit in front of Congress

take an oath, then read an opening statement that says: "These were political appointments serving at the pleasure of the president. Yes, it was allllll politics. So what?" Then he'll give a big shit eating grin to the panel.

[MrModerate]

4. Which wouldn't disarm the issue of obstruction of justice . . .

Which cannot be conducted "at the pleasure of the president." Karl can eat all the shit he wants, but that issue shows no sign of going away.

It could nuke Wilson, Dominici, Gonzales, Rove, additional Justice apparatchiks, maybe Cheney and whoever was RNC head in November 2006, and, of course, Bush himself.

That's the strategery behind the highly redacted flood of DOJ paper and the reluctance to testify according to the usual practices.

[Norquist Nemesis]

12. I'm sure you're correct

It's just something about KKK... when he flashes that shit eating grin, he's got something up his sleeve. He loves this political game to fanatic proportions.

[yodermon]

7. But if they ask him if he

recommended that certain prosecutors be fired due to their actual cases/pending cases against other Republicks, and he says "yes it was allll politics", then he can be indicted for obstruction of justice. yay!

[thereismore]

8. The issue is obstruction of justice. nt

[Auggie]

2. Harriett Miers could be the key

[helderheid]

3. to the greatest with you

[waiting for hope]

5. For someone that lived

during a very dark time in our history and was convicted - John Dean sure has pulled himself up out of the fray. KO truly enjoys having him on - it's a shame that so few people look at the lessons of history.

[tanyev]

15. I've become a big John Dean fan.

His books do a great job of laying out all the legal issues in an easily understandable manner.

[KansDem]

6. This is why you don't put CEOs in the White House...particularly loser CEOs

For decades we've heard Republican candidates for public office claim that, if elected, they'll run the government like a business. Their logic was that government would operate more efficiently and effectively. Well, they succeeded with Bush/Cheney and look at what we have: a "government" that embraces corporatism (fascism) and all the woes that go along with it: secrecy, fraud, corruption, lies, deceit, and the list goes on. Bush and Cheney don't want to "govern:" they want to "rule." They give the orders and others obey; there is no discussion or compromise.

Don't get me wrong! Corporatism works if you want to peddle hamburgers, CDs, or soap. Just don't use it when the commonweal is at stake.

[thereismore]

9. "if she is under oath, she will not lie. That could be a problem." A great line, that!

[Octafish]

13. Bush won't worry.

Accidents "happen."

[WiseButAngrySara]

10. B* 'manhood'? What a joke !

He believes in the urinary executive theory! Go Barney Go! (Unless you've been fed some of those 'accidental' brands of pouchie chow, in which case you can no longer 'Go' because you will have kidney failure.)

[CrazyOrangeCat]

11. Urinary Executive.

I never thought of that!



(Of course, he's still too dumb to poor piss out of a boot.)

[WiseButAngrySara]

14. LOL! "too dumb to poor piss out of "little boots" ...n/t

[Peace Patriot]

16. John Dean is an amazing man--a Republican who believes in the rule of law.

I remember when the Republicans' banner was "Law and Order." Har-har. We, the People, always knew they meant "law and order" for petty thiefs, and lawlessness for themselves--protection for major thieves. They then proceeded to loot the Savings and Loan institutions--bastions of middle class finance and values--and re-wrote the tax code, ending the progressive tax system--the first big tax cut for the rich. "Law and Order" to the benefit of the rich. Now they've taken it to the extreme: multiple tax cuts for the super-rich in time of wars of choice, boffo war profiteering and looting of the federal government and of the American people, and of all future Americans, with a $10 TRILLION deficit! Plans to loot Social Security. Already borrowing against it, and against the government pension system. That's your "Uni-Bush executive" theory. Follow the money. John Dean should know about that.

-----------

Some gems in his article:

John Dean: "I have never been an advocate of executive privilege, except as it might relate to the most sensitive national security information. To the contrary, you show me a White House aide who does not want his conversations and advice to the president revealed, and I will show you someone who should not be talking with or advising a president."

This is a great quote: "...show me a White House aide who does not want his conversations and advice to the president revealed, and I will show you someone who should not be talking with or advising a president." --John Dean

-----

A great Dean parenthesis at the end of this:

"In a piece last year for The New Republic's July issue, legal journalist Jeffery Rosen summed up George W. Bush's outlook on the presidency: 'One of the defining principles of the Bush administration has been a belief in unfettered executive power. Indeed, President Bush has taken the principle to such unprecedented extremes that an ironic reversal has taken place: A conservative ideology that had always been devoted to limiting government power has been transformed into the largest expansion of executive power since FDR.'

"Rosen reported that Bush's perspective is not 'mere political opportunism--a cynical rationale devised after September 11 to allow the president to do whatever he likes in the war on terrorism.' Rather, Rosen explained, Bush's actions stem from his embrace of the 'unitary executive theory.' (Of course, Bush may not himself have mastered the fine points of this theory, but it is clear he understands the core idea, and acts accordingly.)"

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Me: Yup, he understands the "core idea" all right. "It would be a lot easier if it were a dictatorship--with me as the dictator."--Bush. You can always count on Bush to make a joke out of death and destruction. I'm still open-mouthed at the lack of notice by our war profiteering corporate news monopolies of Bush's joke (revealed in "Fahrenheit 9/11") of looking under the Oval Office rug for WMDs. Bodies being blown all to smithereens in Iraq--babies, old people, soldiers--for the phantom WMDs. And he jokes about it. For that matter, why isn't that segement of "F-9/11" broadcast every day in the proceedings of Congress, as a reminder of just what we're dealing with?

My only argument with John Dean--but it's an argument with a lot of other people as well (many Democratic leaders included)--he's just a bit too polite.

[opihimoimoi]

17. Look for something horrid to happen to Miers on the way to the Capital

[cassiepriam]

18. Rove has the resources and power of the entire US at his fingertips.

I look to see him pull another rabbit out of his hat
like he did with Fitz.