Rove Agrees To Be Deposed Under Oath After Three Subpoenas

Rove agrees to be deposed under oath after three subpoenas

http://rawstory.com/news/2008/Rove_a...oath_0304.html

3/5/2009

The House Judiciary Committee announced late Wednesday afternoon that they had secured the agreement of former White House Deputy Chief of Staff Karl Rove and former White House Counsel Harriet Miers to testify in transcribed depositions under threat of perjury.

The Committee did not immediately announce what terms, if any, had been reached with Rove, but said the agreement had been made with representatives of the former Bush Administration.

They did say that they would get access to Administration documents, and that Rove and Miers had agreed to testify publicly if called. But the announcement left open the possibility that Rove and Miers could testify in private.

"The Committee has also reserved the right to have public testimony from Rove and Miers," House Judiciary Committee Chairman John Conyers (D-MI) said in a statement.

Rove's attorney, Robert Luskin, said the agreement was "good news."

The "agreement is good news," Luksin said in an emailed statement. "Mr. Rove looks forward to addressing the Committee's concerns" and is "pleased that the Committee and President Bush were able to resolve their differences."

"Mr. Rove has consistently maintained that he would not assert any personal privileges to refuse to appear or testify, but was required to follow the direction of the President on matters of executive privilege," Luskin added.

Conyers subpoenaed Rove once in 2008 and twice this year. In his statement, he appeared to be open to some claims of executive privilege during the depositions. The Bush Administration had claimed that Rove and Miers were prohibited from testifying by presidential privilege when they were subpoenaed regarding the firings of nine US Attorneys.

"It was agreed that invocations of official privileges would be significantly limited," the release said.

Conyers said he believed the developments are a breakthrough.

"I have long said that I would see this matter through to the end and am encouraged that we have finally broken through the Bush Administration's claims of absolute immunity," he said in a statement. "This is a victory for the separation of powers and congressional oversight. It is also a vindication of the search for truth. I am determined to have it known whether US Attorneys in the Department of Justice were fired for political reasons, and if so, by whom."

The Committee also released other information about the agreement.

"If the Committee uncovers information necessitating his testimony, the Committee will also have the right to depose William Kelley, a former White House lawyer who played a role in the U.S. Attorney firings," the Committee said.

"The Committee will also receive Bush White House documents relevant to this inquiry," they continued. "Under the agreement, the landmark ruling by Judge John Bates rejecting key Bush White House claims of executive immunity and privilege will be preserved. If the agreement is breached, the Committee can resume the litigation."

The House Judiciary Committee Chairman has subpoenaed Rove three times regarding his role in the firings of US Attorneys and his alleged involvement in the prosecution of a former Alabama governor. He failed to show up all three times for scheduled depositions.

Rove has denied any involvement in the Alabama governor's case.

He was also subpoenaed by the Senate Judiciary Committee in 2007, and did not appear.

The House Judiciary Committee's full statement follows.

House Judiciary Committee Secures Rove and Miers Testimony in U.S. Attorney Firings
In an agreement reached today between the former Bush Administration and Congressman John Conyers, Jr. (D-Mich.), Chairman of the House Judiciary Committee, Karl Rove and former White House Counsel Harriet Miers will testify before the House Judiciary Committee in transcribed depositions under penalty of perjury. The Committee has also reserved the right to have public testimony from Rove and Miers. It was agreed that invocations of official privileges would be significantly limited.

In addition, if the Committee uncovers information necessitating his testimony, the Committee will also have the right to depose William Kelley, a former White House lawyer who played a role in the U.S. Attorney firings.

The Committee will also receive Bush White House documents relevant to this inquiry. Under the agreement, the landmark ruling by Judge John Bates rejecting key Bush White House claims of executive immunity and privilege will be preserved. If the agreement is breached, the Committee can resume the litigation.

Chairman Conyers issued the following statement:

"I have long said that I would see this matter through to the end and am encouraged that we have finally broken through the Bush Administration's claims of absolute immunity. This is a victory for the separation of powers and congressional oversight. It is also a vindication of the search for truth. I am determined to have it known whether U.S. Attorneys in the Department of Justice were fired for political reasons, and if so, by whom."

The following video is from CNN, today, March 4, 2009:

Video At Source