Iglesias Points to Rove, Special Counsel Responds

Once again, all roads lead to Rove (who also doesn't believe in global warming and hates it when Sheryl Crowe touches him). This L.A. Times article reports that the Office of the Special Counsel will be investigating Rove and other elements of the Bush administration's political operation in the White House:

... the Office of Special Counsel is preparing to jump into one of the most sensitive and potentially explosive issues in Washington, launching a broad investigation into key elements of the White House political operations that for more than six years have been headed by chief strategist Karl Rove.

The new investigation, which will examine the firing of at least one U.S. attorney, missing White House e-mails, and White House efforts to keep presidential appointees attuned to Republican political priorities, could create a substantial new problem for the Bush White House.

... The question of improper political influence over government decision-making is at the heart of the controversy over the firing of U.S. attorneys and the ongoing congressional investigation of the special e-mail system installed in the White House and other government offices by the Republican National Committee.

... [Scott J.] Bloch [head of the Office of the Special Counsel] said the new investigation grew from two narrower inquiries his staff had begun in recent weeks. One involved the fired U.S. attorney from New Mexico, David C. Iglesias. The other centered on a PowerPoint presentation that a Rove aide, J. Scott Jennings, made at the General Services Administration this year. [emphasis mine]

Responding to Alberto Gonzales' testimony before the Senate Judiciary Committee last week, David Iglesias has pointed a finger directly at Rove, accusing him of being behind the firings. From McClatchy Newspapers:

Gonzales' testimony Thursday left senators convinced he wasn't behind the plan or its execution and in fact knew far less than a department head should have about the details. Former and current members of Gonzales' staff who've been interviewed by congressional investigators also have said their roles were limited or nonexistent.  Absent another explanation, the signs point to the White House and, at least in some degree, to the president's political adviser, Karl Rove.

David Iglesias, the former New Mexico U.S. attorney and one of the eight fired last year, said investigating the White House's role is the logical next step - one that would follow existing clues about Rove's involvement.

"If I were Congress, I would say, `If the attorney general doesn't have answers, then who would?' There's enough evidence to indicate that Karl Rove was involved up to his eyeballs."

Iglesias said another clue that the White House may have been the driving force is the relative lack of Justice Department documentation for the firings in the 6,000 pages of documents turned over to Congress.

"If you want to justify getting rid of someone, you should have at least some paper trail," Iglesias said. "There's been a remarkable absence of that. I'm wondering if the paper trail is at the White House."

Yup, if Gonzales and his staffers don't know (or won't say) how the list was created, who does that leave as the culprit in selecting the U.S. attorneys that needed firing? You don't think Bush came up with it on his own, do you? Political decisions based on political considerations (virtually all decisions in the Bush administration) would naturally be made by the main political operative in the White House -- Karl Rove. No wonder The Decider doesn't want Rove to testify under oath. And no wonder Rove "lost" all those emails. Can it get any more obvious?

At last, it looks like a wide-ranging and cohesive investigation will look into the possible illegalities committed by political operative Rove and his inside-the-White-House campaign office. Let's hope Scott Bloch is true to his word on how deep and comprehensive his probe will be. Don't hold your breath, though. Bloch may be another Gonzales, ready to cover for his bosses, according to this.