The Real Reason for Rove's Resignation

Posted by Jane Hamsher at 7:59 AM on August 13, 2007.

This post, written by Jane Hamsher, originally appeared on FireDogLake

Watching the morning kabuki on television about Rove's resignation is quite something. They're all taking it at face value and nobody is speculating as to what the truth of the matter might be. You know that behind the scenes they're saying something else amongst themselves, but they really just do not see their identity as journalists who report what they know. Their loyalty is to a "tribe," a whispering coffee klatch that viewers simply do not get a chance to be a part of.

Marcy, on the other hand, thinks that one of three investigations are probably reaching critical mass and quite likely to snare him:

The Abramoff Investigation

We know Rove is tied in with everyone tied in with the Abramoff investigation. We know that Susan Ralston, Rove's Assistant was closely involved-and it appears that she has been refused immunity, even though some of her testimony about Abramoff appears to be quite interesting. Novak, at least, thinks Ralston would get to Rove. So it's possible that Rove is one of the ultimate targets of the Abramoff investigation.

The OSC Investigation

We know Rove is a target of the OSC investigation into the politicization of anything and everything in the entire government. We know he did, in fact, politicize anything and everything. While the ultimate outcome of an OSC investigation would consist of Scott Bloch explaining that Rove did politicize anything and everything and recommending that Bush should fire him, but then to have Bush sit on that recommendation as he has with Lurita Doan. Perhaps Rove is leaving in an attempt to prevent us all from learning how closely our government resembles that of a one-party state, like the old Soviet Union.

The Iglesias Investigation

But I'm most interested in the possibility that Rove is rushing out just two steps ahead of the Iglesias investigation. HJC is collecting a great deal of evidence that DOJ employees covered up the real reasons for the Iglesias firing ... and that the real reason for the firing had everything to do with politicizing the judiciary. If this is the reason Rove is quitting, it's not just that BushCo wants him out before he's officially indicted. After all, it's not just Rove-but Bush, too-who was involved in firing Iglesias. So Rove may be leaving as part of a firewall approach in an attempt to save Bush.

All of these are ongoing, yet what we hear about is that Fitzgerald never brought charges as if this somehow exhonerates Rove. Rosy speculation abounds that he will go to some presidential campaign like he didn't blow the 2006 election and isn't most probably about to go radioactive. That nobody on television this morning has mentioned any of the above is both remarkable and telling.

Update: From CNN:

Both Rove and the president are expected to speak before boarding Marine One at the White House at 11:35 a.m. ET.

(h/t dakine01)

Tagged as: bush, rove, bush administration, abramoff, attorneygate

Jane Hamsher is the founder of FireDogLake. Her work has also appeared on the Huffington Post, Alternet and The American Prospect.