Rove calls Fox host 'agent of Congress' for asking about US Attorney firings David Edwards and Muriel Kane

Published: Sunday August 19, 2007





Print This Email This Want to get news as it breaks? Get Raw headlines in your browser . Fox News host Chris Wallace encountered unswerving resistance from Karl Rove when he attempted to ask him on Fox News Sunday about his refusal to respond to the subpoena issued by the Senate Judiciary Committee as part of its investigation into the fired US Attorneys. "Why not appear under oath or at least allow a transcript?" asked Wallace. "Because of the Constitution of the United States," replied Rove, citing the separation of powers and suggesting there would be a public outcry if either Congressional aides or Supreme Court clerks were called to testify by one of the other branches. "The Constitution does not prevent you from speaking to me, so in fact I'll ask you some questions," responded Wallace. "Why did you push to fire some US Attorneys in the president's second term?" "Nice try," Rove came back. "The president has prerogatives that stand up not only to Congress but also to you. ... What I advised the president is protected by that prerogative. Nice try, Chris." Rove then spelled out the doctrine of executive privilege, saying, "You don't understand you're being an agent of Congress when you ask me that question, but you are." "So you say that the Constitution protects -- in fact, prevents you from talking to the press, talking to the public?" said Wallace, adding "I think I'm an agent of the public, not of the Congress." "In this instance, you're an agent of Senator Leahy and Congressman Waxman," Rove concluded. The following video is from Fox's Fox News Sunday, broadcast on August 19.





