Bush Accused of Lowering His Ethical Standards

By Susan Jones
CNSNews.com Senior Editor

July 19, 2005

(CNSNews.com) -- Democrats are shifting focus in the Karl Rove case. Politically speaking, what Rove did matters; but since he may not have broken any law, Democrats are now focusing on what President Bush said.

House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi is now accusing President Bush of "lowering the ethical standard for White House employees."

The new standard is, "If indicted, you can serve," Pelosi complained on Monday. She said that's the same standard used by House Republicans -- and she said the American people will demand better of the White House.

Pelosi frequently accuses Republicans of ethical lapses despite failing to report one of her own privately sponsored trips. Two weeks ago, Pelosi belatedly filed reports for three trips she has accepted from outside sponsors.

Pelosi issued blasted White House ethical standards after President Bush told reporters on Monday, "If somebody committed a crime, they will no longer work in my administration."
Democrats are demanding that President Bush either fire his top aide Karl Rove or revoke his security clearance after Rove told a Time magazine reporter in 2003 that former Ambassador Joseph Wilson's wife worked for the CIA.

Democrats say it was a politically motivated leak. Rove says he was trying to correct Wilson's account of who sent him to Niger. Rove reportedly has testified that he never mentioned Valerie Plame's name, nor did he know what she did at the CIA.

A number of media outlets also seized on Bush's comment as "creating a higher threshold...for holding aides accountable" (Washington Post); and "raising the bar for firing aides" (Seattle Times); and giving Karl Rove "added job security" (Newsday), to name just a few media accounts.

The way Pelosi and other Bush critics interpret it, the president has said he would fire anyone involved in the disclosure of a cover CIA officer's identity.

"If somebody did leak classified information, I'd like to know it, and we'll take the appropriate action," Bush said on Sept. 30, 2003.

More recently, he has refused to comment on the ongoing federal grand jury investigation into the leak of Valerie Plame's name. Last week, President Bush said he would not "pre-judge the investigation based on media reports."

"I will be more than happy to comment further once the investigation is completed," Bush said on July 13.

"Disclosing a covert officer's identity was a serious abuse of power," Pelosi repeated in her Monday press release. "The Bush White House's arrogant stonewalling and ever- changing statements are unacceptable.

"Regardless of the results of the ongoing criminal investigation, if Karl Rove, Lewis Libby, and any other White House official confirmed the identity of a CIA clandestine service officer, they should be fired," Pelosi said.

The Democratic National Committee chimed in, too:
"Faced with a question about whether or not he will keep his promise to fire those involved in leaking the identity of an undercover CIA agent while we are at war, President Bush backed away from his initial pledge and lowered the ethics bar," DNC Chairman Howard Dean said in a statement.

"With several sources now citing Rove and Libby as two sources of the leaks, Bush should be prepared to keep his word, and to enforce a high standard of ethics in the White House as he promised from the beginning of his administration."

The furor over Karl Rove's alleged leak - which may not rise to the level of a criminal offense - is seen by many Republicans as a partisan attack and an effort to "get" Bush.

Rove and others have testified before a federal grand jury that continues to investigate the White House leak.

Some political observers say the Rove controversy is diverting attention from the nation's more pressing problems, including the war in Iraq.

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My take on it . . .

As we've learned, above, . . yesterday, President Bush spoke to the media, and he was asked if he stood by his pledge to fire anyone in his administration who leaked Valerie Plame's name.

Here's what he said:"We have a serious ongoing investigation here. And it's being played out in the press. And I think it's best that people wait until the investigation is complete before you jump to conclusions. And I will do so, as well. I don't know all the facts. I want to know all the facts. The best place for the facts to be done is by somebody who's spending time investigating it. I would like this to end as quickly as possible so we know the facts, and if someone committed a crime, they will no longer work in my administration."

Ah ha! The media immediately ran right out and wrote a bunch of stories accusing Bush of changing his position. To them, it sounded like he wasn't going to fire anyone unless they committed a crime."

Ted Kennedy put his long pants on quickly enough to run right out and issue a press release condemning Bush for moving the goal posts. The only problem, . . ?? . . . .

. . . Bush's position hasn't moved one bit!

On September 30, 2003, when Bush was first asked about the leak, here is what he said:

(Pay really close attention to this quote) "If there is a leak out of my administration, I want to know who it is. And if the person has violated law, the person will be taken care of." Essentially the same thing. This should be proof enough of the liberal bias in the mainstream news media, to anyone with even ONE intellectually-honest, and functional brain cell. However, in recent days that same mainstream media is slowly graduating from liberal bias to outright political propaganda. The events at CBS Evening News with Dan Rather, and the public perception thereafter, were the catalyst for that movement. Apathy is an insidious thing!

God Bless,
Dan'L