Normally I use blogs to track breaking news, and for the US Attorney story the TPM Empire has been invaluable. Without Josh Marshall's work, this story probably wouldn't even be a story. But this afternoon I was in my car on the way to an appointment, and I heard this story on NPR.
There's a new document dump from the DoJ today (if its Friday, it must be document day), and we're learning all kinds of interesting details about the firing process and the thinking behind it. TPM, for example, has two great pieces on some of the lies told by Monica Goodling and Kyle Sampson. But check out what NPR has learned:
According to someone who's had conversations with White House officials, the plan to fire all 93 U.S. attorneys originated with political advisor Karl Rove. It was a way to get political cover for firing the small number of U.S. attorneys the White House actually wanted to get rid of. Documents show the plan was eventually dismissed as impractical....
By eventually dismissing the eight prosecutors, the White House started down a path that has led to a clash with Congress over executive privilege. The question is whether and how White House officials will testify about their role in the dismissals.In a letter yesterday, White House Counsel Fred Fielding told Congress he won't budge from his original offer — to let Congress to interview White House staffers privately, with no oath or transcript.
Sources now tell NPR that Fielding actually wants to negotiate with Congress about how the interviews will take place. But Fielding has not been able to convince President Bush to go along.
The sourcing on this is admittedly incredibly vague, but if what they say is true, its quite interesting. Rove wanted to use the firing of all 93 as "cover" for a few key firings. They were willing to sacrifice the careers of a number of their own appointees to do.... what exactly? We need to know. They need to testify. Now if only the president understood that his claims of executive privilege are never going to hold up in a court of law...
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