HOUSE JUDICIARY COMMITTEE WANTS ROVE TO TESTIFY VOLUNTARILY ABOUT HIS ROLE IN THE SIEGELMAN CASE

Last month we asked a question and it appears Congress has answered it this evening. They've told Rove's attorney, Robert Luskin, to get his client's fat ass in front of the House Judiciary Committee to answer some questions about his role in the political persecution of Alabama's Democratic Governor, Don Siegelman. On behalf of his client, Luskin denied everything, of course and said it would be up to Bush whether or not Rove testifies.

Siegelman was sentenced to more than seven years in prison in 2007 after his conviction on bribery, conspiracy, obstruction of justice and mail fraud charges. Prosecutors accused him of running a "pay-for-play" scheme in which he exchanged official acts and influence for cash, property and services while serving as Alabama's governor from 1999 to 2003.

A federal appeals court ordered Siegelman released on bond in March, and he is scheduled to appear before the Judiciary Committee in May as part of an investigation into allegations that the Bush administration tried to influence the prosecutions of political opponents.

A Thursday report by the committee's Democratic staff recounted what it said is "extensive evidence" that Siegelman's prosecution "was directed or promoted by Washington officials."

Sunday the Washington Post fanned the flames of the story by reporting on Siegelman's claims that Rove had targeted him. "We don't have the knife with Karl Rove's fingerprints all over it, but we've got the glove, and the glove fits," was Siegelman's comment after being let out of prison. Earlier tonight Robert Kennedy interviewed Gov. Siegelman on GoLeft TV and on AIr America. You can watch it here.