Conyers defers subpoena showdown with Rove Muriel Kane

Published: Friday January 30, 2009





Print This Email This House Judiciary Committee Chair John Conyers has agreed to a request from Karl Rove's lawyer to delay the deadline by which Rove must appear in response to a subpoena from his committee.



In a letter to attorney Robert Luskin, Conyers wrote, "I understand that you wish to have the date for your client Karl Rove's deposition moved back to accomodate your travel schedule and also so that you may consult with President Obama and his advisors regarding Mr. Rove's obligation to appear. I am happy to reschedule Mr. Rove's deposition for Monday, February 23, 2009, at 10:00 a.m."



Rove has indicated that he intends to defy the subpoena, claiming that excutive privilege gives him "absolute immunity" against having to testify about his activities while in the White Houte. The Judiciary Committee is seeking his testimony on the politicization of the Justice Department and the allegedly political firing of US Attorneys.



The Obama administration has indicated that it will not support Rove's -- and former President Bush's -- interpretation of executive privilege but, according to Politico, "they have yet to fully formulate their own response to the question."



However, a specialist in executive privilege who served in the Clinton White House predicts that Obama is unlikely to support Bush's claim that his former aides continue to be covered by executive privilege even now that he is no longer president.



"Remember what Obama kept saying during the transition: 'There's only one president at a time?'" Neil Eggleston told Talking Points Memo. "This is one where I think a court's going to decide there's only one president at a time."





