Lawyer says Rove will cooperate with US Attorney firings probe
Raw Story- Stephen C. Webster
Published: Monday February 2, 2009
Rove’s lawyer says he’s speaking to investigators about Siegelman; Doesn’t indicate stance on executive privilege
Karl Rove, former President Bush’s Deputy Chief of Staff and longtime political adviser, will cooperate with the Department of Justice in its investigation of the firing of nine US attorneys, according to an interview with Rove’s lawyer by Washington, D.C. investigative reporter Murray Waas.
Waas, who spoke with Robert Luskin, Rove’s attorney, was also told that Rove has already spoken with the Justice Department regarding an internal probe of prosecutor misconduct in the jailing of former Alabama Governor Don Siegelman. Luskin asserted that Rove would not assert “personal privilege” regarding Siegelman’s case, saying, “At no time has he or will he assert personal privilege in that matter.”
The article, however, did not indicate the level of Rove’s potential cooperation. Though Luskin said Rove wouldn’t assert personal privlege, he did not indicate whether Rove will continue to seek protection under executive privilege. Several days before President Bush left office, the White House instructed Rove not to cooperate with subpoenas or produce documents to Congress relating to the US Attorney firings.
Luskin says Rove has deferred to the White House on such arguments. House Judiciary Chairman John Conyers (D-MI) subpoenaed Rove last week to testify to Congress regarding the firings and the Siegelman case.
Luskin did not answer specific questions about what Rove told investigators about Siegelman. But he maintained that Rove had no involvement in his prosecution.
“What Karl has said [to investigators] is entirely consistent with what he has said publicly–that he absolutely nothing to do with this,” Luskin said.