Posted on 02/07/2006 1:58:19 AM PST by balch3
The White House has been twisting arms to ensure that no Republican member votes against President Bush in the Senate Judiciary Committee’s investigation of the administration's unauthorized wiretapping.
Congressional sources said Deputy Chief of Staff Karl Rove has threatened to blacklist any Republican who votes against the president. The sources said the blacklist would mean a halt in any White House political or financial support of senators running for re-election in November.
"It's hardball all the way," a senior GOP congressional aide said.
The sources said the administration has been alarmed over the damage that could result from the Senate hearings, which began on Monday, Feb. 6. They said the defection of even a handful of Republican committee members could result in a determination that the president violated the 1978 Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act. Such a determination could lead to impeachment proceedings.
Over the last few weeks, Mr. Rove has been calling in virtually every Republican on the Senate committee as well as the leadership in Congress. The sources said Mr. Rove's message has been that a vote against Mr. Bush would destroy GOP prospects in congressional elections.
"He's [Rove] lining them up one by one," another congressional source said.
Mr. Rove is leading the White House campaign to help the GOP in November’s congressional elections. The sources said the White House has offered to help loyalists with money and free publicity, such as appearances and photo-ops with the president.
Those deemed disloyal to Mr. Rove would appear on his blacklist. The sources said dozens of GOP members in the House and Senate are on that list.
So far, only a handful of GOP senators have questioned Mr. Rove's tactics.
Some have raised doubts about Mr. Rove's strategy of painting the Democrats, who have opposed unwarranted surveillance, as being dismissive of the threat posed by al Qaeda terrorists.
"Well, I didn't like what Mr. Rove said, because it frames terrorism and the issue of terrorism and everything that goes with it, whether it's the renewal of the Patriot Act or the NSA wiretapping, in a political context," said Sen. Chuck Hagel, Nebraska Republican.
Finally, something useful.
The only Judiciary Committee senators running for reelection this November are Jon Kyl, Mike DeWine, and Orrin Hatch. The only one of those that seems iffy is DeWine, who is also the only one in a tight election.
I hope and pray that this is all true!
PS. And of the others who seem to have raised questions, Specter probably doesn't much care if he's blacklisted, Brownback might actually welcome it (since it seems he wants to run in '08 as an outsider), and Graham I'm not really sure about. He seems to want to inherit the McCain maverick title some day.
Insight seems to have forgotten that any impeachment proceeding has to originate in the House.
"Those deemed disloyal to Mr. Rove would appear on his blacklist."
Shouldn't that be "Those deemed disloyal to the President..."
Well, a lot of people seem to have forgotten that. It's a bit of a mystery to me why impeachment is even a topic for discussion since it would take a political seashift for the GOP House to vote to impeach GWB. Now, if the Dems somehow manage to pick up the House in the fall, that's a whole 'nother story. I fully expect them to find reason to impeach Bush no matter what, so in that case it doesn't really matter what the Senate does now.
Yup. Dems hate Bush, and they're still looking for "payback" for the Clinton impeachment. It will take a sea change for them to get the House, and I'm not seeing that right now.
By the way, what "vote" is Insight talking about?
Since clearly, Senator Hagel has no clue- I will give him a clue. Up on capital hill, right now- the Patriot Act and the NSA wiretapping, are political issues. Senator Hagel is a politician, not a fireman or a police officer or a doctor. Senator Hagel is responsible for looking out for the safety of Americans. Senator Hagel needs to worry about doing his job, and not worry about Karl Rove.
and the terrorists are laughing their asses off at us.....
If Karl Rove would stop making himself a distraction by this blackmail it would be easier.
But,but,but..Hagel doesn't like it!/s
Enough of that and Rats might take back the House... waytago Rove
"Sources say"
Well, those named aren't really Republicans....
As I keep trying to teach my students....EVERYTHING is politics.....
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