UPDATED: 8/1/2008- And so the saga continues. When
we last left off, the joker Karl Rove had narrowly escaped an impending
Congressional subpoena by stealthily sneaking on a plane to Yalta. But
just when he thought he was safe, we now learn that John Bates, a
federal judge who we hope is no longer cowed by the dark shadow of
Chief Joker Bush and his ilk, has ruled that current and former White House aides are not immune from Congressional subpoenas.
And from this ruling, it looks like our shadowy villain may acquire two
sidekicks in his battle to evade a subpoena: White House aides Harriet
Miers and Joshua Bolten.

This landmark ruling is the first of its kind, in which the courts
have decided to enforce a Congressional subpoena against the White
House. But can Rove get away again? Dana Perino, a spokesperson for the
Joker's main protectors, who reside in their shadowy lair at 1600
Pennsylvania Ave., issued a statement suggesting that the White House
may appeal this decision.

There's only one woman who can save the fight for Rove's subpoena:
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi. Although the House Judiciary Committee has
voted to hold Rove in contempt of Congress, the full House must vote
for it to make it official. For that to happen, Pelosi, our black
knight now paralyzed by political pressure, must schedule the vote.

Join the force now by sending an email to Pelosi, asking her to schedule the full House vote immediately.

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“Absolutely, 100%, Aye.”
Such was the enthusiastic vote of Rep. Hank Johnson (D-GA) today, when
the House Judiciary Committee voted to hold Karl Rove in contempt of
Congress for failing to respond to a subpoena. The committee said that
Rove broke the law by failing to appear at a July 10 hearing on
allegations of White House influence over the Justice Department,
including whether Rove encouraged prosecutions against Democrats.

Rove claims that Congress can't force him to testify because of . .
. wait for it . . . executive privilege! Taking the Bush
administration's already shopworn privilege claim to newly ridiculous
extremes, Rove, who no longer works at the White House, is claiming
executive privilege for allegedly illegal activity -- a claim that the
Supreme Court ripped to shreds in the Nixon case some 30 years ago.

Executive or not, no one should be so 'privileged' that they are
above the law. I guess it makes sense that a man carrying such disdain
for the law that he would regard it merely as a suggestion while
serving the White House would continue to think himself immune to
consequences.

Americans are tired of the blatant disrespect for the law and
constitutional foundation that Bush administration officials have
practiced for the past 8 years. As much as we're all looking forward to
new leadership in Washington, we have to hold these people to account
for what they've done to our country. The next step to move forward to
hold Rove in contempt is for the entire house to vote on the matter.
Speaker Nancy Pelosi needs to schedule this vote for this to happen,
but the AP has reported that it is unclear whether she will allow for a final vote.

The House Judiciary Committee has done its job. Now it's Nancy
Pelosi's turn to do hers. We cannot allow the Democratic-majority
Congress to bow to the will of the Bush administration any longer. Send an email to Nancy Pelosi, urging her to schedule to full house vote to hold Rove in contempt immediately.