Tell Congress: Arrest Karl Rove!
American Freedom Campaign
Finally.
More than seven years too late, it appears as if a growing number
of congresspersons are realizing that they are part of a co-equal
branch of government. After allowing their institution to be
disrespected and at times ignored by the executive branch, top
officials in Congress are finally expressing a willingness to use
their full power under the Constitution to rein in an out-of-control
administration.
The current target: Karl Rove.
Rove has been asked by the House Judiciary Committee to testify
about his involvement in the Justice Department's prosecution and
imprisonment of former Alabama Governor Don Siegleman. As Rove has
so far refused to testify voluntarily, members of Congress have
started sending signals that they are prepared to go to the mattresses
over this.
Yesterday, Rep. Robert Wexler sent out a strongly worded E-mail ?
pasted in full below ? advocating the use of "inherent contempt"
against Rove, which would allow the House Sergeant-of-Arms to
forcibly bring Rove to the House to testify.
Also yesterday, House Judiciary Committee Chairman John Conyers
alluded to the use of inherent contempt. "We'll do what any
self-respecting committee would do," Conyers said. "We'd hold him
in contempt. Either that or go and have him arrested."
We need you to let your representative know that you support this
forceful action. If you agree that Congress should arrest Karl
Rove, if necessary, and force him to testify before the House,
please follow the link below and send an E-mail to your representative
immediately:
http://salsa.democracyinaction.org/o/2165/t/1027/campaign.jsp?campaign_KEY=24617
Once you have taken action, please forward this E-mail as widely
as possible or use the tell-a-friend page on the American Freedom
Campaign site to spread the word.
Thank you in advance for taking action.
Best, Steve
Steve Fox Campaign Director American Freedom Campaign Action Fund
=======================
An E-mail from Rep. Robert Wexler, May 15, 2008:
Last night, I appeared on MSNBC's Verdict with Dan Abrams to discuss
Karl Rove's outrageous refusal to appear before Congress regarding
serious allegations that he used the US Justice Department to take
down a prominent Democratic politician. It is alleged that Mr. Rove
personally instigated the prosecution of former Alabama Governor
Don Siegleman. The case has been criticized by legal experts, and
52 former state attorney generals ? both Republicans and Democrats
? have criticized the case and called for an investigation.
If Rove refuses to testify voluntarily and ignores the subpoenas
that will certainly be issued, he should be held in Inherent Contempt
of the House of Representatives.
No American is above the law. None of us should be able to ignore
Congress without consequence. If Mr. Rove ignores a subpoena from
the Judiciary Committee, then the House of Representatives should
pass an Inherent Contempt citation and exercise our right to send
the House Sergeant-of-Arms to gather Mr. Rove and bring him before
Congress to testify.
I do not advocate this option lightly, but the reality is that
Congress has few options left against an Administration that totally
refuses to submit to any type of reasonable Congressional oversight.
Congress has both the right and obligation to investigate these
matters. Never before has an Executive so upset the checks and
balances inherent in our Constitution. If we back off or delay,
we effectively forfeit the power of Congress to investigate the
Executive branch
Rove is not the first White House official to ignore Congress. We
have seen a pattern of refusals based on laughable claims of executive
privilege. First, White House Chief of Staff Joshua Bolten and
former White House Counsel Harriet Miers ignored subpoenas on the
investigation into the firing of US Attorney Generals for partisan
political motives.
Their refusal to testify was unprecedented: never before have
executive officials totally refused to even show up before Congress.
Bolten and Miers are the highest officials ever held in contempt
of Congress. Unfortunately, Attorney General Mukasey ? in a
dereliction of duty ? has refused to enforce the contempt decree
and now Congress is suing them in District Court to demand compliance.
Then, the Vice President's Chief of Staff, David Addington, refused
to testify on the investigation into the Bush Administration's
ordering of torture. Now, Rove continues this executive arrogance
by also refusing to testify.
Enough is enough. We have a Constitutional obligation to provide
accountability to a White House that is trying to usurp the
constitutional powers of Congress.
These are the very reasons why I have been pushing for impeachment
hearings for Vice President Cheney. The Bush Administration has
been running roughshod over the Constitution for eight long years.
We should not allow the promise of a positive election be used as
an excuse to ignore our duty to investigate crimes that weaken the
very fabric of our Democracy.
I thank you again for your commitment to the causes that we hold
so dear.
With warm regards, Congressman Robert Wexler
Unsubscribe from AFC emails:
http://salsa.democracyinaction.org/o/2165/unsubscribe.jsp