Of Course

Of course Karl Rove had a direct and illegal hand in the firing of U.S. Attorneys for purely political reasons:

Aides to former President George W. Bush have asserted that the Justice Department took the lead in the dismissals, which set off a political firestorm that lasted months. Mr. Rove played down his role in the firings in a recent interview and in closed testimony last month before Congressional investigators.

But the documents, released by the House Judiciary Committee after a protracted fight over access to White House records and testimony, offer a detailed portrait of a nearly two-year effort, from early 2005 to 2007, by senior White House officials, including Mr. Rove, to dismiss some prosecutors for what appear to be political reasons.

Internal e-mail messages in the spring of 2005 at the White House showed that there was widespread unhappiness with David Iglesias, the United States attorney in New Mexico, because of the perception among top Republicans that he was dragging his feet on voter fraud and corruption investigations involving Democrats.

And of course that means Karl Rove committed perjury. Because he thought -- and surely still thinks -- he'll get away with it.

Will he?

Cooking Geese

Two or three more nails in the coffin of the Cheney/Bush Administration today, depending how you count them. Are the contempt of Congress indictments approved out of committee for vote in the House of Representatives one nail as they came together, or two, as one is for current White House Chief of Staff John Bolton, while the other is for Former Supreme Court Nominee Harriet Miers.

Both Mr. Bolton and Ms. Miers decided they could ignore a Congressional subpoena. Unless we let them get away with it, they can't, it's like getting a subpoena to appear in court. And Ms. Miers is no longer even working for our government -- CheneyBush's claim of Executive Privilege is moot.

You can always come and refuse to answer questions under the Fifth Amendment, at which point you can be investigated. You're not supposed to come and just lie -- as in court, that's perjury, and that is against the law. Even for Republicans. Even for Attorney Generals. Just because the Attorney General does it, that doesn't make it legal.

Which is why Alberto Gonzales wasn't just funny yesterday, he committed clear and actionable perjury:

Documents indicate eight congressional leaders were briefed about the Bush administration's terrorist surveillance program on the eve of its expiration in 2004, contradicting sworn Senate testimony this week by Attorney General Alberto Gonzales.

The documents underscore questions about Gonzales' credibility as senators consider whether a perjury investigation should be opened into conflicting accounts about the program and a dramatic March 2004 confrontation leading up to its potentially illegal reauthorization.

A Gonzales spokesman maintained Wednesday that the attorney general stands by his testimony.

I give him a week. Oh, but what henchman could CheneyBush possibly get to replace him -- both continue to cover up their crimes and get confirmed by Congress?

And if you can't fill the top job at Justice, are you even operating as a President anymore?

I hear goose is a little gamy, but if you cook it just right...