Dems worry Bush could pardon Rove, Miers

Democrats are worried that President Bush may pardon Karl Rove, Harriet Miers and other key administration officials alleged to have played a role in the firing of nine U.S. attorneys.

Rep. Linda Sanchez (D-Calif.), who chairs a Judiciary Committee subcommittee, expressed concern Friday that Bush pardons on the final day of his tenure in the Oval Office could cut off any chance of former White House officials being forced to testify before Congress about their role in the U.S. attorneys' removal in 2006.

{mosads}The Department of Justice (DoJ) Office of Inspector General (IG) issued a report Monday that found substantial evidence that the federal prosecutors were fired for improper political reasons. Attorney General Michael Mukasey subsequently appointed Connecticut federal prosecutor Nora Dannehy to investigate the IG’s findings.

Earlier this year, Democrats filed a lawsuit challenging the Bush administration’s assertion of executive privilege to shield current and former White House officials from congressional subpoenas related to the firings.

Rove, a former White House senior political adviser, and Miers, a former White House counsel, did not cooperate with the inspector general’s report.

At a House Judiciary Committee hearing Friday about the report, Sanchez asked DoJ Inspector General Glenn Fine what impact Bush pardons for Rove and Miers would have on Dannehy’s investigation.

“It would prevent any prosecution from going forward … it would have that impact,” he said.

“Would that preclude us from finding them in contempt and forcing them to appear?” Sanchez then asked.

Fine responded that he wasn’t “in a position to make a legal judgment on that particular set of facts.”

Rep. Darrell Issa (R-Calif.) suggested that any pardons would actually produce more information for Congress because they would alleviate the threat of prosecution for whatever role they may then be willing to admit they played in the DoJ firings.

On Monday, Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) warned the White House that pardoning those involved in the U.S. attorney ousters would be viewed as an admission of wrongdoing.