WHAT DID THE PRESIDENT KNOW AND WHEN DID HE KNOW IT?

It has been over thirty years since the last totally corrupt Republican administration caused the average citizen to lose all hope that politicians could ever be trusted again to tell the truth. After four and a half years of being bombarded by lie after lie, from Medicare “reform” to Iraq “WMDs”, we now face a potential crisis caused by revelations of the apparent crime committed by Karl Rove and the question of who else in the White House may be involved. While the Republicans try to muddy this issue by trying to make it appear more complicated than it is, the political and legal ramifications are clear cut. On the legal side, the special prosecutor will continue his investigation to show that Rove intentionally outed a CIA operative for purely political reasons in violation of federal law. Given Rove’s past activities, one may have little doubt that the reporter’s notes are accurate and that Rove revealed “Wilson’s wife’s” CIA status as political payback for Wilson’s failure to tow the party line on creating a drum beat for war, when he revealed that the administration was blatantly lying about Iraq trying to obtain nuclear materials in Africa. But that is a legal issue that will be played out in court and we shouldn’t waste our time arguing about it. However, it is amusing to watch the hypocrisy of Republicans who attacked Bill Clinton like rabid dogs for legalisms like “it depends on your definition of is” attempting to dance on the head of a legal pin arguing that because Rove did not use the woman’s actual name, he did not violate the statute.
What we should be talking about is the political issue. Two years ago when the Wilson issue first arose, the White House sent out its spokesman to tell the press and the American people that “it was ridiculous to think” that Kark Rove or anyone else in the administration was involved in the crime of revealing a CIA operative’s status. We now know that this was a lie. Anyone who knew it to be a lie and who repeated the lie under oath to the grand jury investigating this crime is likely to be found guilty of perjury. Anyone who encouraged others to tell this lie would be guilty of suborning perjury.
What should our next steps be find the truth and try to restore some semblance of trust in our political systems that have been decimated by this administration?
First, the American people should pressure their Congressional Representatives, especially Republicans, that Congressional hearings should be held now. This issue is too important to wait for the 2006 elections to play out in which an electorate sick of the lies, hubris and hypocrisy of the party of Tom DeLay will usher in a new House ready to face their responsibility.
Second, these hearings must determine when and to whom Rove revealed his crime. Given the fact that Rove is Deputy Chief of Staff, it is not beyond the realm of possibility that he had informed Bush of his culpability. As Scooter Libby (what kind of grown man goes by Scooter?), Chaney’s chief of staff was also involved in these shenanigans, it is not unlikely that Chaney was involved. If that is the case, the House should then vote an article of impeachment for subordination of perjury against both the president and the vice-president. Certainly there will be calls to add articles for the lies relating to the justification for the war in Iraq.
Third, the Senate will then have the responsibility to hold a trial to determine if the president and the vice-president actions are “high crimes and misdemeanors” amounting to impeachable offenses. Only then will this country be back on the road to restoring trust in our federal government.