Description

Report by The Congressional Research Service (CRS) to Members of Congress. April 2008. Author: Morton Rosenberg
Karl Rove, President Bush's longtime political guru, has refused to obey an order to testify before the House Judiciary Committee.Rove's lawyer asserted that Rove was "immune" from the subpoena the committee had issued, arguing that the committee could not compel him to testify due to "executive privilege."
The panel is investigating allegations that Rove and his White House allies dismissed U.S. attorneys and prosecuted officials who they saw as political opponents.The panel subpoenaed Rove in May after his lawyer, Robert D. Luskin, made clear the former White House deputy chief of staff would not appear voluntarily. This follows refusals by other White House officials to testify under oath after being issued subpoenas; setting the stage for Constitutional crisis.This report explores the subject of executive privilege at length.