Karl Rove’s Retirement and Executive Privilege
White House Deputy Chief of Staff Karl Rove announced this week that he is
retiring at the end of August. For nearly a decade and a half, Rove has
been at George W. Bush’s side. According to Paul Gigot, editor of
The Wall Street Journal’s editorial page, “It is his long
and personal relationship with Mr. Bush that has made Mr. Rove arguably the
most influential White House aide of modern times.”
Arguably, also the most controversial. Rove has been embroiled in many
White House controversies, the most prominent of which found him facing investigation,
but not indictment, in the Valerie Plame leak case. Most recently, Rove
was among the senior White House officials prevented by President Bush, on grounds
of executive privilege, from testifying before the Senate on the firings of
nine U.S. attorneys.
Rove’s retirement announcement has some political analysts questioning
what impact, if any, his departure will have on the argument by the White House
that executive privilege shields him and others from having to testify before
Congress.
Recently, Caleb Burns, an associate with the law firm of Wiley Rein LLP, joined CFIF Corporate Counsel & Senior Vice President Renee Giachino to discuss the battle brewing over executive privilege.
What follows is the interview originally heard on "Your Turn — Meeting Nonsense With Commonsense" on WEBY 1330 AM, Northwest Florida's talk radio...[Listen to the interview here.]