The sh*t hits the fan - Accountability Calls: Rice called to testify, Rove in hot water over Attorneygate, Abramoff scandals... and more!

The days of blowing off Congressional oversight may be over for the Bush Administration
Condoleezza Rice called to testify: The Bush administration has consistently refused requests for information from the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee Chairman Henry Waxman (D-CA) regarding the infamous 16 words in the State of the Union address about the Niger/Iraq uranium connection. Since the war began, Waxman has written 11 letters to Condoleezza Rice alone requesting information on how the fraudulent claim regarding the claim that Iraq had sought uranium from Niger for a nuclear device became part of the basis for sending our country to war— she hasn’t responded to a single one. Now, Rice is being called to testify. From Waxman's letter:

"The March 12 letter requested a response by March 23 to several of the inquiries, but the Committee received no response from you. I now request your appearance before the Committee at a hearing on Wednesday, April 18, 2007, at 10:00 a.m. in Room 2154, Rayburn House Office Building. At this hearing, you will be asked to provide testimony and respond to questions on the subjects outlined in the March 12 letter and the original request letters."

Karl Rove gets in on the fun too. He is implicated in three separate scandals... the noose is tightening around the neck of Rove:

• ABRAMOFF SCANDAL - It appears the White House, Rove, and his staff are connected to the Abramoff scandal. Former Special Assistant to the President, Susan Ralston, has been called to appear for a deposition on Apr. 5th, as part of the Government Reform Committee's ongoing investigation into the connection between the White House and lobbyist Jack Abramoff. Ralston, who was a deputy to White House Adviser Karl Rove between 2001 and 2006, appeared frequently in emails collected in the case. The Committee found that Ralston had 69 contacts with Abramoff or his associates during that time.
• ATTORNEYGATE - A top aide to President George W. Bush's key adviser Karl Rove will soon step down from her job in the White House. The aide, Sara M. Taylor, was identified in yesterday's hearing with a former top Justice Department official as seeking the resignation of a US Attorney in Arkansas. She could face a subpoena. Last week, the House and Senate Judiciary Committees authorized subpoenas of Scott Jennings, a deputy to Taylor, who is a top aide to Karl Rove.
  
• VIOLATION OF HATCH ACT - House Oversight and Government Reform Chairman Rep. Henry Waxman (D-CA) is seeking information about slides targeting 20 Democratic-controlled Congressional districts for the 2008 Election. In January, the White House sent J. Scott Jennings, an aide to Karl Rove, to present a slide show to a group of employees of the General Services Administration. Waxman believes the presentation, and subsequent remarks made by GSA Director Lurita Alexis Doan may have violated the 'Hatch Act,' which prohibits federal employees from using their positions for political purposes. Doan is alleged to have suggested that she could use GSA contracts to help Republican Members of Congress hold their seats in the House.

It's about time these manipulative abusers of government power are dragged in front of Congress to account for their deeds. How many of you out there would like to see Karl Rove sweating in front of the Government Reform Committee? I would... it's long over due.