Rove's Worrisome Witness (Susan Ralston) Rob. Novak WaPo

[Demeter]

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/05/16/AR2007051602397.html?referrer=email&referrer=email&referrer=email

Rove's Worrisome Witness

By Robert D. Novak
Thursday, May 17, 2007; A17



... Susan Ralston is requesting immunity to testify before Democratic Rep. Henry Waxman's investigating committee....She was an assistant to Jack Abramoff, Washington super-lobbyist and Republican fundraiser, in 2001 when he recommended her for the top job with Rove as he entered the White House. As Rove's gatekeeper, Susan Bonzon Ralston became special assistant to the president and the highest-ranking Filipino American in the administration. For Waxman, she is a link between the disgraced, imprisoned Abramoff and Rove, a principal political target of the Democratic-controlled Congress...Ralston appears to be seeking immunity for self-protection rather than nailing her former boss, and she could be a blank fired by the fierce political marksman from westside Los Angeles... Waxman's committee sought testimony from Ralston about Rove's e-mails. She was deposed behind closed doors last month before her request for immunity.

Ralston told one Republican on the committee last week that her lawyers wanted her to seek immunity, and another GOP committee member told me she is doing so. According to her friends, she has nothing to say that would cause problems for Rove. Her request for immunity, they explained, resulted from caution by her attorneys. It was forwarded to the Justice Department, whose recommendation may or may not be followed by Congress.

Ralston did not return my telephone call.

In such a climate, Rove telephoned Rep. Mark Kirk of Illinois last week to dress him down for allegedly giving the media an account of a private meeting at the White House in which Kirk and other moderate Republicans complained to the president about his Iraq war policy. "That's not the first time I got blamed for doing what Ray LaHood did," Kirk told a colleague.

No matter who was responsible for the leak, Rove's scolding of Kirk was not well received in the House Republican cloakroom... Rove could use enthusiastic support from Republicans on Capitol Hill. Many of these congressmen believe that Rove should have quit when he was ahead as manager of the two Bush elections and left in January 2005. However, they do not want to see him limp out of Washington with his scalp hanging on Henry Waxman's belt. "We're not hostile to the administration," one prominent conservative House member who did not want his name used told me. "We just want it to be over."

[sellitman]

1. Traitor Novak should be behind bars.

Not having anything posted on DU.

Just saying.

[Demeter]

2. You Have To Read Between the Enemy Lines

His claiming that Ralston needs protection for herself, and that she can't take down Rove--that's pure fiction.

[goclark]

3. Why have we been blessed to not see Novak spitting

on our TV's?

Did they fire him?