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First Read is an analysis of the day's political news, from the NBC News political unit. First Read is updated throughout the day, so check back often.

Chuck Todd, NBC Political Director

Mark Murray, NBC Deputy Political Director

Domenico Montanaro, NBC News Political Reporter



Dems subpoena Rove

Posted: Thursday, July 26, 2007 1:18 PM by Domenico Montanaro
Filed Under:

From NBC’s Domenico Montanaro

Congressional Democrats subpoenaed White House senior adviser Karl Rove, and Judiciary Committee Chairman Sen. Patrick Leahy (D-VT) charged that “political considerations factored into the unprecedented firing of at least nine United States Attorneys last year," the AP reports.

“E-mails released by the Justice Department show [Attorney General Alberto] Gonzales’ aides conferred with Rove” on the firing of the prosecutors, the AP reports.

NBC’s Kelly O’Donnell reports, while not specifically addressing the possibility of Leahy issuing a subpoena for Rove, a senior WH official responded with another hit on congress:

"This is becoming an out of control Congress--calling for special prosecutors, launching investigations, issuing subpoenas and generally just settling scores--all while appropriations bills go unpassed and FISA modernization, energy and other important issues go unaddressed. It's unfortunate and embarrassing that this Congress continues to neglect the issues important to Americans, and Americans are taking note."

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ha ha ha....clinton and lewinsky were the only ones involved in the impeachment proceedings???


bwa ha ha ha ha...thats good.  smoking marijuana affects the memory....in some.  not in all cases, but im amazed by the percentage of liberal potheads who cannot remember how exactly things went down.
This administration is just too much.  They're BUSTED!!  They'd like us to think that getting to the truth of the matter is irrelevant because there are bills that need to be passed, like Congress doesn't have their priorities straight.  Congress is right on the dime.  While my own ancestors were kidnapped and brought here against their will, the people on the mayflower came to America to escape a totalitarian government.  Here we are in 2007 with a political party acting as if they are the great court of England with Bush as their king.  The peuwbbs want to act like their ish don't stink, but as far as I'm concerned, the smell of rot and stink has been in the American air ever since Bush took over the presidency.  ONLY GOD IS INFALLIBLE!!  NOT the president, NOT albie gonzo, and certainly NOT penis cheney.  When their time of reckoning comes, they'll be roasting like swine in the flames along with the likes of Richard Nixon.
Remember 9-11 when this entire problem was created and it has been nothing but politics ever since. Quit bellyaching and vote in a president who will lay down and roll over after the next 9-11.
Well, to those who feel Congress is on a "witch hunt", all I have to say is this... let justice prevail. Without justice, our form of government is completely without merit. The US Constitution without justice being served is only useful as a memo pad. I hope that so much comes up in the investigations underway that all involved turn in their resignations, including Bush and Cheney. They are the worst lot we've ever had in the White House. They all deserve to face justice in a court of law... let them resign only to face indictments.

Of course, Bush will pardon Rove, Gonzo and even Cheney. That's Justice - Bush Style.
payback for the 8 years of Clinton abuse from Republican partisans and ALL the Republicans could find was a little quick sex with an office girl. Whitewater found nothing, except the Clintons invested in a deal that went bust. The ONLY thing Clinton was evasive about was a little CONSENSUAL sex with an adult female. Unlike that Republican Rep who went after young boys.  When Clinton lied, nobody died. We will go after the Entire White House. "Scooter" was CONVICTED. Swallow that, your moralistic, preachy, holier than thou Republicans.
Bush is a DIVIDER, not a Uniter. He Promised to restore dignity and integrity, all I see are lies, political hack jobs, partisan firings, outing of agents when their husbands disagree. Our nation is now hated everywhere, we have ceased to be relevant, the economy is collapsing and only the rich get medical care. Republicans have said "let them eat cake." Wonder if they remember Marie Antoinette & the guillotine. Tsar Nicholas got his country in a war. Remember what happened to his family? History does repeat itself.  We voted to end the war, the Legislators no longer rule with the consent of the Governed. Jefferson would say it is time for the masses to overthrow the government as a mob and take back our democracy. Currently, we are a Theocracy with the American Fundamentalist Christian Taliban as government.
Thomas Jefferson made the statement "The devil himself could run this country and do no harm", referring to the checks and balances in the U.S. Constitution.  I believe he was wrong.  Should Congress succeed in convicting any of the Bush adminstration members of any crime, Mr. Bush can simply pardon them.  He has managed to block all investigations, including refusing to testify in the 9/11 attacks while under oath.  This is a man who ignores and violates the U.S. Constitution, and from what I can see, can very easily get away with it.  Let me use an example.  Had Congress impeached Richard Nixon, his successor, Gerald Ford, could simply have pardoned him of those charges.  If Bush were impeached, Cheney could simply pardon him, unless he too, were impeached.  The Constitution needs to be amended so that the President can not use his pardon rights to pardon any member of his administration or any Presidential predecessor, and Executive Privilege must be modified so that it can not prevent criminals from being prosecuted or to block investigations into possible crimes within a Presidential Administration.  Without these amendments, a president who is so disposed, could simply ignore the Constitution and run the nation any way he saw fit.  I believe that as excellent a document as our Constitution is, our well-meaning founders simply never expected a President to be as flagrantly corrupt as this one.
It's time to get rid of these neocon jerks/crooks that are shredding our Constitution and making a joke out of our country.  The citizens of the United States now look like fools in the eyes of the world.  Impeachment will not CAUSE a Constitutional crisis, we already have one and Impeachment was put there as a cure!  Support HB.333.  IMPEACH NOW!!!
What about all the special investigations, special prosecutors etc., that were used to villify the Clinton's during their White House years?  Democrats and many others felt that was a big to do over very little.  They are two lawyers as well as excellent politicians, wouldn't that be important to consider in spending millions of dollars which did very little except keeping busy defending!  Clinton's marital porblems were theirs, and should not have been used to include the whole country.  Now is payback, the old what goes around comes around is real.  Let's credit the people that are really working to correct this mess we are in and give a little help....My vote is for Joe Biden for all the obvious reasons plus in addition to knowledge he really has what most seem to have lost, common sense. Our reps have given away the country for the biggest reason of all, money.  Let's pray all our notes don't get called in all at once.!
dont care if gonzo fired them or bush ,rove, monica goodling or barney the dog they were all republicans they may as well get used to being fired because when hillary gets in as president were going to fire 93 republican attorneys along with the heads of the office of budget ,and everyother office bush has politicised and then you will come to know what the dems already know were better than you at running things ,republicans show off thier incompentance everyway ,gonzo,rumsfield,brownie,libby,wolfowitz,the list can go on and on but come 2008 the vote just like 2006 will proove which way america is headed hopr you repubs enjoyed your time ,sorry you didnt get rid of abortion when you controlled the senate ,congress and the white house oh yea and the supreme court maybe ask yourself if the republicans really wanted an end to abortion or just liker collecting your money saying it .We will see if the dems can do better because thanks to you we will be in charge AMERICA LOVE IT OR LEAVE IT
It's amazing that the SHORT memories of the Republicans haven't come back to bite them.....oh wait, it has.
Sen. Sam Brownback (R-Kansas): Released into Congressional Record, February 12, 1999

President Clinton repeatedly chose to lie and obstruct justice rather than tell the truth and comply with court orders throughout this ordeal. By his words and deeds he chose to place himself above the law. By his words and deeds he has undermined the rule of law in America to the great harm of this nation. By his own words and deeds, he has undermined the truth-finding function of the judiciary, at great harm to that branch of our government. By his words and deeds, he had done great harm to the notions of honesty and integrity that form the underpinnings of this great republic.

If A + B = C
and
Democracies (A) are "peaceful countries" (B) = (C)

Then the US is not a democracy nor is it peaceful.

Look at the words to the Star Spangled Banner and you'll get my drift.... "the bombs bursting in air"

Two marches on DC in September 07... one on the 15th of September.  The other on the 29th of September.

BE THERE!

YOUR COUNTRY NEEDS YOU!    NOW!
For whom the Bell Tolls. It Tolls for thee Decider!
Finally we are getting to the good part. Americans could regain their high status around the world if we gave the White House crooks a few years in the slammer. The first president and veep to go to jail. I like that. It will be almost as much fun watching the rednecks and other morons whining and crying in their beer. How do you morons like your crow? Yum, yum, huh Dave and Jerry? They thought they were the smart ones and we were the morons. Go figure.
8 more Americans have died today... and this CRAP is going on?

How the hell did we become so NUMB to ourselves...

Wake the hell up!  This is not "politics as usual" and I refuse to heed the "grow up y'all"

My son is on a third tour in Afghanistan!  

THIS IS YOUR COUNTRY!  DO SOMETHING!
Executive privilage....Just a way to hide the truth.  Only a proven national security issue MIGHT be valid.  Its obvious he, they are trying to hide something that will nail them.
Suddenly the GOP is the VICTIM....what a farce!
Just wait til he's out of office.  Get the UN to bring war crimes against him and his cronies!!!!  Invaision of a country. Death of thousands of innocents not to mention the death of our servicemen and -women.  
It is about time the spineless dems did something about these criminals.  But for the dems- "Be careful what you wish for, you might just get it".
What Americans are taking note of is how this satanic administration is and has been ignoring the will of the people in getting us out of Iraq!  I cannot stomach this White House telling others what the American people think!  What would THEY know about it, or CARE?!!
They are correct about one thing, Americans are taking notice, notice that is, that this administration cares NOTHING about America or it's people, it's all about power and money!!!  Yeah we ARE taking notice of the Commander in Chief calling OUR constitution,quote "just a G.D. piece of paper"
No Mr. Bush it is much more than that, but of coarse thats something a non-patriot like yourself would not understand!!!
Hey Apologists for Corruption,
I think you are all whistling past the graveyard.  Face it, America is wise to your pretender in chief.
Interesting what is happening in this apparent effort to cover up wrong-doing.  One thing confuses me.  I thought George Bush was a religious person.  I wonder if his religion includes the commandment, "Thou Shalt Not Lie."
Jerry and others wanting Dems to 'keep to the issues': this IS one of the issues.  A BIG one- lack of oversight of Bush and his gang of God-knows-how-many for the past 6+ years.
justice bush style??


sounds like he took notes from clinton...
And to those of you, like Bush & Co. who love your "cut-and-run" term, you need to realize that this is a war, not a football or baseball game. We're not talking about points on a board. The losers don't just go home feeling down - they are down as in dead or maimed for life. We're talking not just military people, but innocent civilians - THOUSANDS of women and children and men. Think if what is occurring in Iraq was occurring here - in your bullheaded red state neighborhoods, with soldiers barging in your home and rousting your families from sleep looking for the bad guys, if they CAN sleep with bombs going off constantly.  Would you like to raise your children to the sound of bombs and gunfire?  How would you feel about "voting in someone who will roll over after the next 9/11 then?" Anyone with a brain knows this war has nothing to do with 9/11 and never did. That's the Bush propaganda talking. Why do you think every smart and able politician (the few they had) left this administration, and left us with people worthy only of being indicted for criminal behavior?  Stop thinking with your infantile ego and start thinking with your brain and your heart, if you have either. I'm fed up with your stupidity. This is not America, and you should be mortified that you even defend this administration!
Hey, Jasson, go ahead and just continue to ignore reality. That's what all stupid loyal bushies do. "Nothing to see here" is what this administration want everyone to believe. At least they didn't have any trouble convincing you. Wouldn't they love an America with all people like you in it who can't think for themselves.
Rove subpoenaed, SOUNDS like great news but, don't you think they'll stonewall just like with Harriett Miers? ....AND anyone who thinks the administration SHOULD act this way must have flunked out of 7th grade social studies...its called balance of power...accountability...it was built into our gov't by some brilliant men for YOUR protection. WAKE UP!
This is no longer about Democrat or Republican its about the blatant disregard of our liberties and the law of the land! I dont care what political party they are affiliated with if this is the kind of crap they want to pull they should be thrown in jail. WAKE UP AMERICA!!! Its time to put an end to all of this
John: Ford did pardon Nixon, just so you know.
J CURTIS- My sentiments to a tee. To all you neocons that continues to harp that congress lower approval than the shrub has to do with the Democrats;think again; it is called obstructionist Republicans....You do remember their fight with Clinton resulting in the federal government shut down....um who won that round? Exactly!Jerry-If you continue to refer to me as Juanito I WILL JUST REFER TO YOU AS IDIOTA.FIGURE IT OUT!    
That is so wierd!  The WH keeps referring to the American people, but Bush hasn't listened to the American people since he's been in Washington.  Does anyone out there know if the reason why these attorneys were fired was because they were investigating election fraud?  That's my understanding.  I knew the election was rigged when exit polls indicated that Bush was behind in votes but somehow won anyway.
Bush is mentally impaired, Cheney is the man behind the curtain.  The only reason they attacked on 9/11 was because they knew he was a whack job that would take the bait.  "They" got the Soviets into Afghanistan and it led the their downfall, and now they suckered us in their since that simpleton is constantly reliving the ALAMO.  By the way, the ALAMO was fought over illegal "Americans in Mexico".  Another bright topic of GW.
d nn va oh the pothead joke is so current I hear J edgar (I lke to wear womans clothes hoover "laughing Try some oxy cotton I hear republicans like rush limbaugh love it or maybe some crack with the evangelical minister who got nailed  with the male hooker right before the 06 elections,that kind of name calling will only get you called names back.
I love it when Tony (skeletor) Snow has the Hutzpah to say Dems are playing political revenge games. Does this guy really believe the BS that comes out of his mouth. Has he forgotten that this is a country of LAWS.Or have the Rape-ublicans forgotten that they screwed this country over by not keeping the Idiot in Chief in check for 6 years. Now its up to the Dems to rebuild the faith in the system that they(rape-ubs)have squandered.
Tell me what do you wear to an impeachment proceeding?
News flash to Juan: ALL U.S. Attorney General dismissals (to you: firings) done by ALL past and present Presidents, ARE POLITICAL , by their very nature.

THEY SERVE AT THE PLEASURE OF THE SITTING PRESIDENT.

It is asounding, the level of IGNORANCE displayed on this blog.

The President can dismiss them at ANY TIME, FOR NO REASON AT ALL, any time, anywhere, and it is legally within any President's perogative.
a senior WH official responded with another hit on congress:

"This is becoming an out of control Congress--calling for special prosecutors, launching investigations, issuing subpoenas and generally just settling scores--all while appropriations bills go unpassed and FISA modernization, energy and other important issues go unaddressed. It's unfortunate and embarrassing that this Congress continues to neglect the issues important to Americans, and Americans are taking note."

ISN'T THIS AN ISSUE THAT'S 'IMPORTANT TO AMERICANS'? I thought the last election showed that it was. This administration has destroyed the constitution and the reputation of the United States.
Tony Snow is drunk on the Kool-Aid, saying the American people would rather have Congress do more important things than go after Gonzo and rest of this Admin.  Actually, many - most - Americans DO want Congress to go after these liars and restore the system of checks and balances this administration has tried to obliterate.  And any bill that Congress doesn't get passed these next 16 months isn't for lack of trying; it's the idiot in the White House using his veto power to spite the Dems and the people they represent.

Gonzo is just the latest in the growing club of "Scapegoats and Fall Guys for W."  I'm sure I'm forgetting some, but DeLay, Brownie, Libby are in the club.  Gonzo, Rove, Snow, and the other survivors are safe in the knowledge that they can continue lying, concealing information, and everything else, because they know they'll be commuted or pardoned and never serve a day of any sentence.  No wonder this is considered the worst, most corrupt administration in our history, even before it's over.    
Hey Joe,

John Doe is my alter ego?

Anyway, a conviction?

If you're waiting for the AG to investigate you can quit, he ain't.

There is no independent prosecuter.

Which will leave congressional hearings with righteous and indignant demands for info and the admin saying 'executive privilege'.

something of a standoff.  i suppose it could make it's way to the supremes though they'd have to agree to hear it.



Americans are indeed taking note of this arrogant administration. WE'RE AMERICANS, NOT SERFS. This is OUR government, not court-anointed King George's. If we want information, if we want testimony, don't you DARE tell us we are not ALLOWED to have it.

From Prescott Bush to King George, the Bush family tradition of fascism continues unabated.
GoNzO-GaTe it just will not go away. Hi Karl ! Hi Georgie !
Congress is exercising its constitutional duty, and I'm behind them 100%. The day of reckoning is fast approaching for this lying, arrogant, immoral bunch of rat bastards. Let justice prevail, and let them pay for their political crimes against our constitution
Do nothing Congress?  Hmmm, anyone else catch the news that the Senate Republicans are on pace to double the record number of filibusters this year?  And they wanted to get rid of them when they had the majority.

Who's having trouble getting anything through Congress?  May as well investigate as the Republicans have the Senate tied up.  
DON'T let the Bush Administration get away with all corruption they have perpetrated.  

If this Administration survives, and they walk home free, the remnants of their corruption will return greater the next time around, as history has shown.  Bush 41 and his Iran/Contra/Drug deals.  All these Administraion officals have ties back to Nixon.
This Bush Crime family won't end, just cause "W" leaves office.  Each succeding Republican Adminsitration since Nixon has broken more laws, and corrupted the Constitution in greater and greater ways.

The only way to get this coruption out of control of America is to prosecute these criminals.  Clean out the government America.

Bush, isn't he the President who flew into Washington onboard ENRON Jets?
Welcome to the New World Order.

"Annuit Coeptis Novus Ordo Seclorum"

In 2006 Halliburton was awarded $385 million to build detention centers.  HERE in the United States of America!  Who are they going to detain?

Me?
You?

Part of the New World Order babies:

"It is believed that there are to be numerous internment camps located within the United States and that these internment camps will start being seen as signs before any action is taken. These camps are to be used to store any Americans who protest or give any sort of fight against the Secret Service Guard that is to be used to control the population and new laws."

Time to wake up!
"This is becoming an out of control Congress--calling for special prosecutors, launching investigations, issuing subpoenas and generally just settling scores--all while appropriations bills go unpassed and FISA modernization, energy and other important issues go unaddressed. It's unfortunate and embarrassing that this Congress continues to neglect the issues important to Americans, and Americans are taking note."

I seem to remember the Republicans doing the same thnig to Clinton!
www.icasualties.org

Go there.  OFTEN.  See the news the government doesn't want you to see.

V for Vendetta.  Watch it.

"There's something terribly wrong with this country..."

The US has 750 bases in 131 countries around the world.  14 PERMANENT bases in Iraq.  An Embasys in Baghdad that is LARGER than Vatican City!

Your government doesn't trust you.  Why would you trust it?
The Bush Administration is collapsing under the weight of it's own filth. IT's about damn time after 6 years that Congress is doing it's job to remind Bush he is President George Bush NOT King George.  The system of checks and balances was set up to do keep one branch from becoming too powerful and the Republicans let George Bush have a free reign for 56 years - WHY????????  Because they were and are scared of him.  All I can say IT'S ABOUT DAMN TIME.
Impeach, Impeach, Impeach....this is not about being republican or democrat...it is however about being a citizen of the United States, who believes in a democracy, not a theocracy, monarchy, or dictatorship, etc, etc.  We are witnessing the demise of the democracy as this lying, powergrabbing, moneygrubbing administration bastardizes the constitution while the well connected laugh all the way to the bank.... follow the money trail folks!  Write your congress-person and sentor and demand action to re-establish the checks and balances that were purposefully established over 200 years ago to prevent such abuses of power.  Nancy Peolosi has no right to tell us that impeachment is "off the table" !  
The courts have been stacked to preserve these neocon's bastardization of constitution... scooter libby walks for committing treason  and the next day....the "faux news" reports a new bin laden video and potential attacks on US soil....they think we're stupid!  Send them all to jail, we want our country back.
FISA needs no modernization; it needs to be followed like the rest of the laws this administration has broken ...
So where are all the law loving republicans who want to enforce the rule of law?  Why have they not come out? If I were the g.o.p. I would be first to call for gonzales's impeachment, perjury trial or whatever. What is good for the goose should be good for the gander, lest you are hypocrites like David Vitter. Where are your morals, chris cannon, dan lundgren, et. al? I guess you are just stuck in your redneck football mentality..defending your team, rather than the constitution.


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