Tuesday, September 4, 2007

Deep in the Heart of Texas

Speaking of Republican sleaze, an interesting legal case is brewing in Austin, Texas.

Elizabeth Reyes, a former attorney in the Texas secretary of state's office, has filed a lawsuit against presidential strategist Karl Rove, saying she is the victim of political pressure. The Dallas Morning News article is written by Wayne Slater, who with fellow News reporter James Moore, wrote Bush's Brain and The Architect, two definitive works on Rove.

Reyes says she was dismissed in September 2005 after Rove called her boss, Secretary of State Roger Williams, about her quotes in a newspaper story.

In her suit, Reyes says she was fired "because of political embarrassment and pressure" after she answered a reporter's questions about Rove's voting eligibility in Texas.

The Reyes lawsuit could turn into a companion story to the investigation of the Bush Justice Department over charges of selective prosecution, possibly instigated by Rove.

Interestingly, Reyes' dismissal predates disclosures about the firings of nine U.S. Attorneys, which led to the investigation of the Bush DOJ. It also predates the 2006 election, which saw Democrats reclaim control of both houses of Congress.

Did Rove go after Reyes at a time when he thought he was "untouchable?" Was a similar mindset behind the prosecution of Alabama Governor Don Siegelman, which some evidence suggests could be traced to Rove and his Alabama associate, Bill Canary?

Rove's rise to national prominence was based largely on his activities in Texas and Alabama. Could his fall wind up being traced to those two states?

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