Rove, Bolten recommended for contempt

Posted: Thursday, December 13, 2007 4:35 PM by Domenico Montanaro
Filed Under: Pete Williams

From NBC’s Pete Williams
The U.S. Senate's Judiciary committee voted today to recommend that Joshua Bolten, White House chief of staff, and former top aid Karl Rove be found in contempt of Congress.

The committee voted 12-7 to send the contempt issue to the full Senate. The votes follow refusals by Bolten and Rove to comply with committee subpoenas for documents and testimony about the fired US attorneys. The White House has asserted executive privilege for both of them.

Two Republicans, Arlen Specter and Charles Grassley, joined the committee Democrats in the contempt vote. Today's action means contempt citations are now pending in both the House and Senate. The House Judiciary Committee has recommended finding Bolten and former counsel Harriet Miers in contempt.

If either the full House or Senate vote to cite Rove, Bolten, or Miers for contempt, that would send the question to the Justice Department and, ultimately, to court, beginning a process that would very likely take at least two years to resolve.

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Comments

Yawn. If Congress was a serious organization with level headed people running it, then this might mean something. Being that it is run by power hungry lunatics, it pretty much means zip.

Cale Douglas (Sent Thursday, December 13, 2007 4:48 PM)

I am sure Rove and Bolton,along with Harriet will laugvgh this off because George will get them out of this with his executive superpowers.

HMT-MI (Sent Thursday, December 13, 2007 4:55 PM)

Bout time. They've been in contempt of their fellow man for years.

John B, Des Moines, IA (Sent Thursday, December 13, 2007 5:15 PM)

Thank you Arlen!

John Alexander,Edinboror,PA (Sent Thursday, December 13, 2007 5:31 PM)

Rove should be cited for contempt of the American people. That sleazy little biatch has done more harm than Al -Qaida. Hell! Al-Qaida brought us together, for a little while. Rove has done nothing except to purposely bitterly divide this country (through his agent of change and Cheney puppet).

Lee in CA (Sent Thursday, December 13, 2007 5:44 PM)

It is about time that Congress stepped up to the plate and limited the so called Executive privilege. They have for too long abrogated their responsibility in the checks and balances that is supposed to exist in our government.

Support Ron Paul in the Caucuses and Primaries

Richard in Idaho (Sent Thursday, December 13, 2007 6:01 PM)

You're kidding, right? How much time/$ did they spend on this?

American Voter (Sent Thursday, December 13, 2007 6:11 PM)

They may recommend it but, concidering the spinelessness of our congress in the face of the Bush people, nothing is going to be done.
Until they grow a spine, which I highly doubt, I don't look for anything to change and for these criminals to continue doing their illegal activities.

diane (Sent Thursday, December 13, 2007 6:21 PM)

Congress can't even fix the Healthcare crises.What makes anyone think there's even one piece of backbone in this do-nothing,cave-in Congress?They're nothing but spineless losers!!!

docrock,tx (Sent Thursday, December 13, 2007 6:23 PM)

Lee in california, your statement rings TRUE.

Rick,ky (Sent Thursday, December 13, 2007 7:32 PM)

Its all for show. They know that they can never win in court. All they are doing is pandering to their base. I wish they would get a real job where results were demanded!!!

lets think (Sent Thursday, December 13, 2007 7:40 PM)

Next stop: Impeachment.

Let's send Dick & Georgey out with a bang.

Impeachbush.org

Bam (Sent Thursday, December 13, 2007 8:53 PM)

Rove will get his. Eventually. Boy will he get his.

Death to ROve (Sent Thursday, December 13, 2007 9:19 PM)

Democrats - spineless phony cowards who crave power and wealth and couldn't care less about America. Republicans -- ditto. Sick of them all. I'm voting Libertarian all the way from now on. Call it a "wasted vote" but face it, no one person's vote matters EXCEPT TO HIMSELF. I will vote my conscience.

Fred Sanford (Sent Thursday, December 13, 2007 9:24 PM)

Do you mean the Turd Blossom might be held responsible for something? I might have some hope. But, alas, this adminasration has turned me into a hard line cynic.

P.D. (Sent Thursday, December 13, 2007 9:48 PM)

Yeah! Nothing will happen because the government has cancer and will be lucky to survive. When the supposed servents very existance hinges on how much they have sold their trust you can bet your last nickel they will do nothing to jepordize their fat career.

Pacheck, Huntington Beach, Ca. (Sent Thursday, December 13, 2007 9:59 PM)

They should start from the top down. Chenny, bush, them the rest of the human corruptions that put the stench in our Government..

violet Wi (Sent Friday, December 14, 2007 12:21 AM)

22 million American families will get hit with huge increases in their tax bill while these clowns play around with BS like this. Who cares about a bunch of fired attorneys? Bill Clinton didn't when he fired 90 of them at one time. Time is running out on the Democrats on the AMT fix bill. They will pay the price for their inability to find a workable bill. 22 million families will not be happy when they wake up and find out about the way the Democrats have messed this up by playing politics. Harry and Nancy are running the worst Congress in history. It has failed to live up to any of its promises and continues to attach earmarks to anything that doesn't move. What a joke.

Mad Jayhawk, Madison, SD (Sent Friday, December 14, 2007 12:34 AM)

Dems have nothing else to do, so they do this. They'll all get lifetime vacations in about a year.

Robin M. (Sent Friday, December 14, 2007 12:58 AM)

What else is new. The whole administration along with this president have broken the LAW and has anything happened? Will anything happen? No because they always find ways of hiding the truth.

Carmen Colorado (Sent Friday, December 14, 2007 8:02 AM)

Funny how the people who thought the rule of law was all important when talking about an extramarital affair could care less when it comes to official misconduct.

John B, Des Moines, IA (Sent Friday, December 14, 2007 9:31 AM)

They cant prove illegal conduct. The President has acted within the law. Come on people, If they bring up charges they have to give proof. Thats why they wont. This way every one can say it, use it in the political arena, have it repeated in the blogs, so people think its fact, like Clinton with Obamas past drug use.... politics as usual, attorneys are trained to cause confussion, guess what they are all attorneys!!!

lets think (Sent Friday, December 14, 2007 11:21 AM)

Contempt of Congress. Rove and Bolten are in good company then.

Lee Holmes (Sent Friday, December 14, 2007 12:03 PM)

John B -- You are so correct about that. I mean to say that extramarital affair should be nothing for the government to investigate. That is a for divorce court or trashy TV.

The rule of law and respecting the job of Congress is important. When Bush claimed executive privilage for Rove and Bolton among other, that was trying to hide information from Congress trying to do their constituted job of oversite of the executive branch. I mean if the current administration was really not worried about anything, then everybody would be in front of Congress talking about how they operate. We can't know that because it is a "secret." What happened to this being a government of the people for the people and by the people? I am guessing that Bush and his brains don't really like since they assumed power.

S.B. Stein E.B. NJ (Sent Friday, December 14, 2007 12:24 PM)

"They cant prove illegal conduct. "

Like hell. Even with the stonewalling and "executive dirt-bag priviledges." Cheney openly defied a court order to turn over the names of his "energy committee." Contempt of court - right there.

These criminals SNEER at the laws that would put you or me away for years. YOU defy a court order and see what happens.

Lee in CA (Sent Friday, December 14, 2007 12:37 PM)

The words the Bush administration fear most are not that there has been another terrorist attack against this nation, but I swear to tell the truth.

David Farmington MN (Sent Friday, December 14, 2007 1:02 PM)

Back and forth threats is about all that will come out of this, a lot of posturing but no action. Our government will not function as the framers of the Constitution envisioned until someone breaks up the "good ole boy" tug-a-war two party system that forces us to choose between the lesser of two evils time and again. We are badly in need of an open election or atleast a third party who can act as a referee to block bad legislation or get good ideas passed, just enough votes to prevent either major party from acquiring a controlling majority, or enough to override a veto if need be.

Ellis B. Kingman, Az. (Sent Friday, December 14, 2007 1:46 PM)

"22 million American families will get hit with huge increases in their tax bill while these clowns play around with BS like this." You should be aware that there is a perfectly workable bill out there that would be revenue neutral by rolling back a small part of Bush's tax breaks for the wealthy to help the middle class. It has been blocked by Republicans in Congress and the President has promised a veto if it gets to his desk.

John B, Des Moines, IA (Sent Friday, December 14, 2007 2:18 PM)

Lee, the energy commitee or any other executive commitee are to remain annonimus. This is to ensure honesty without fear. There has never been a court order for this. The practice goes back through several admins. The fact that you said that proves my point...

lets think (Sent Friday, December 14, 2007 2:33 PM)

"There has never been a court order for this. "

The GAO SUED and WON a court order for Cheney to disclose what skanks (Ken Lay, Taliban members) set our energy policy.

This is a fact - not your "If I say it, it's true," and "appease the fascists at all costs" nonsense.

Lee in CA (Sent Friday, December 14, 2007 3:11 PM)

"WASHINGTON (CNN) -- A federal judge has ordered the Energy Department to release information related to Vice President Dick Cheney's energy task force, a move that environmentalists hailed as a victory for the people's right to know. - February 28, 2002 Posted: 10:57 PM EST (0357 GMT)

It's a fact that interferes with your right wing cheerleading, so it won't any difference to you, I know.

Please - continue telling us of your alternate reality where Bush is a good president and Cheney doesn't deserve to wear soap on a rope for the rest of his unnatural life.

darn facts! (Sent Friday, December 14, 2007 3:30 PM)

darn facts!, I thank you for your correction, the case was heard before the supreme court in 04. They in turn upheld the lower court ruling. The vice Pres then opened the files... Guess what, a smoking gun could not be found. Thats why we never heard anymore about it. I do thank you for your info. I stand corrected. We do need to wonder no matter who is President, will the people they need help from feel comfortable in their service? Even someone you think is flawless my need to make an unpopular statement. Knowing it can now show up in print may change things a little....for the better or worse who knows...

Greg Okc (Sent Friday, December 14, 2007 5:00 PM)

Darn Facts: Which can be unpleasant things. You forget that the administration immediately appealed the 2002 decision resulting in the May 11,2005 decision by the Federal Court of Appeals of the DC District[unanimous] backed Cheney on the privacy componant of these meetings and gunned down the GAO,SIERRA CLUB,et al. Further ,it found that no participants were there in an official capacity. We now return you to ''alternative reality''.

www.findlaw.com

Lee Holmes (Sent Friday, December 14, 2007 5:33 PM)

Karl ROVE is the master of our goverment's policies and BS. Just because he understands congress and the way they manipulate the public into thinking that they're "acting in our best interest", doesn't mean he's ever had ill intentions. To all you ROVE 'haters' and 'impeachbush' proponents, educate yourself more on what your talkin' bout' before slandering those in politics who are not narrow-minded like most of em'. Think for yourself and learn the facts, try not to believe everything you hear or see. The administration we have is focusing on long term positioning for something greater than we could ever imagine.

ET (Sent Sunday, December 16, 2007 1:10 PM)

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