After a series of delays and negotiating sessions, Karl Rove and Harriet Miers
will testify as part of an investigation into the U.S. Attorney purge scandal. Rove and Miers were initially subpoenaed in mid-2007.
Everyone seems to be pleased with the deal. House Judiciary Committee Chairman John Conyers (R-Mich.) called the agreement "a vindication of the search for truth." The Obama White House, which has been under pressure to weigh in, is "pleased that the parties have agreed to resolve this matter amicably." Rove's lawyer, Robert Luskin, said his client is satisfied with the deal. Both House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Pat Leahy issued statements applauding the announcement.
So, what kind of arrangement did they reach? Rove and Miers will be "interviewed." They will not literally be under oath, but their responses will be made under penalty of perjury. As Zachary Roth
noted, "(S)ince the criminal penalties for lying to Congressional investigators are the same whether or not the interview is conducted under oath, that's not seen as a major hurdle in getting to the truth."
There will be a transcription of the interview, which will be "created and promptly divided to all involved parties."
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