A pardon for Karl Rove?

November 28, 4:44 PMProgressive Politics ExaminerJay McDonough

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On Wednesday, President Bush pardoned a couple turkeys.  Which raises the question: will Mr. Bush issue a preemptive pardon for "the architect" of his presidency, Karl Rove.

It should be noted that Mr. Rove has not been indicted for any offense.  However, his involvement is alleged in a number of involved in a number of controversial actions by the Bush Administration:

At present, Rove, who withstood five grand jury appearances in the case concerning the illegal outing of covert CIA agent Valerie Plame Wilson, has not been charged with a crime. But he has been linked to the case involving Justice Department firings of U.S. Attorneys which is still under investigation. He also could face legal exposure on a number of other incidents—ranging from a Texas money laundering scandal to the Abramoff case... (Link)

As a recent Paul Alexander essay suggests, any pardon to Karl Rove from Mr. Bush further may tarnish the presidents already dulled legacy.  It may prove difficult for the president to pardon, on the one hand, the loyalist commonly known as "Bush's brain" and, on the other hand, plead ignorance to any crimes for which Mr. Rove needs those pardons.

... the scandal that presents Rove with the greatest legal peril was the purging of several United States attorneys at the beginning of Bush’s second term—as well as Rove’s manipulation of the US attorney system in general, as represented by the case of former Governor Don Siegelman of Alabama, whose conviction and imprisonment for an act that was not a crime is now viewed by many observers as nothing short of a political prosecution. Rove had some knowledge of that prosecution, if not outright complicity. Fear over what he might have to reveal concerning his knowledge of or participation in the Siegelman prosecution, not to mention his apparent proclivity to influence US attorneys, seemingly prevented Rove from appearing before the House Judiciary Committee this summer, even after that committee had subpoenaed him to testify. As yet, Rove has still refused to comply with the committee’s subpoena—a flagrant obfuscation by a former government official.

Then, in September, an internal investigation at the Department of Justice concluded that the 2006 firings of the US attorneys was problematic, which prompted Attorney General Michael B. Mukasy to appoint Nora Dannehy, an acting US attorney in Connecticut, as a special prosecutor to investigate the matter. In particular, Dannehy was charged with seeking information concerning Rove’s participation, if any, in the scandal, since Rove had refused to be interviewed for the Justice Department inquiry.

As Mr. Alexander notes, timing is everything.  The president's decision would be made easier should charges be brought against Mr. Rove prior to January 20th.  Having to anticipate future charges, after the president leaves office, and issue Rove a broad, blanket pardon casts a pretty big cloud over not only Karl Rove, but George W. Bush as well.

It may also have a lot to do with how President Bush is feeling about Karl Rove right about now.  The president can't be very happy about his legacy.  Should Mr. Bush attritube some of that legacy to Mr. Rove's advice and actions, writing his signature on those pardons may somewhat prove difficult for the president.