House Judiciary Committee Wants Rove's Testimony In Siegelman Inquiry

April 18, 2008 12:33 p.m. EST

Washington, D.C. (AHN) - The House Judiciary Committee wants former White House Deputy Chief of Staff Karl Rove's testimony in its inquiry into alleged politically-motivated prosecutions by the Bush administration against former Alabama Gov. Don Siegelman.

Siegelman, a Democrat, was released on appeal bond last month after being imprisoned for nearly a year. He was sentenced to 7 years for corruption charges including accepting $500,000 from Richard Scrushy, then CEO of the Health South Corporation, for an appointment. He will provide testimony to the Committee in May.

There has been much controversy about Siegelman's case. Democrats have argued that the prosecutor for his case is the wife of a senior adviser for his rival for the state's gubernatorial post, and that local media coverage has not been balanced. Testimony from earlier Judiciary Committee hearings also allegedly say that Rove had planned to neutralize the political threat pose by Siegelman.

Congress has been investigating the dismissals of certain officials, including nine federal attorneys. Critics of the Bush administration have said these were part of politically-motivated campaign to minimize opposition in the government. Rove was subpoenaed by the Senate in July 2007 together with presidential chief of staff Josh Bolten in connection with the probe but both officials refused to provide information and cited executive privilege.

"(Given) the troublesome facts identified to date, it is clear at a minimum that current and former Department leadership has been derelict in failing to review these matters," a 40-page report about the dismissals by House Judiciary Committee said, according to the Detroit Free Press.

"There continue to be numerous complaints of selective or politically motivated prosecution since our investigation began last year," House Judiciary Committee John Conyers Jr. (D-MI) said in a statement after the report was issued, according to the Hill. "The actions we are taking today, including calling Karl Rove to testify, are an effort to get to the bottom of this matter."