If you happen to be that politician trying to keep up with the cool kids, the total in-thing this season is to be under investigation. There are exciting legal battles going on in every building mentioned in the Constitution, from the Executive Branch to both houses of the Legislative Branch to the Judicial Branch.
The investigation in the Judicial Branch may prove the most frustrating. After pushing through the powerhouse of right-wing wisdom and non-threatening good looks; John Roberts, Republicans couldn’t wait to see who Bush would nominate for his second court appointment. They’ve been less than excited about Harriet Miers. I see a pattern here. He nominates a judge who went from first time Supreme Court Justice to Head Justice. Then he nominates Harriet Miers who hasn’t ever even been a judge and now Bush wants her on the Supreme bench. He likes those big-jump hero stories; kind of like going from running a baseball team to running a mega state.
Senator Bill Frist, the Senate Majority Leader from Tennessee famous for his diagnosis of Terry Shiavo based on “some videos” he’d been shown, is being looked at for going Martha Stewart on his family’s Hospital company. In the House we have Tom DeLay who is the ex-House Majority Leader. His investigation concerning breaking Texas election code seemed to be what started this extravaganza of inquiry. Just when it looks like DeLay is the Zach Morris of Capitol Hill, we find his investigation has only been going on for a year, the Miers case for only a few months and Frist, always the kid trying too hard to fit in, slightly less than Miers’ case. The president’s office has a full year of investigation on DeLay.
Yes, the Valerie Plame scandal is much bigger than the office of the president would have us think. Special prosecutor Patrick Fitzgerald, picked by a Bipartisan Committee, has narrowed his focus to Karl Rove, Bush’s architect, and “Scooter” Libby, Cheney’s right hand man. The White House is not saying a word about this. If it’s something the White House can’t come up with a catch phrase for, you better believe they are afraid.
Quick recap; The president’s right hand man, the vice president’s right hand man, the Senate Majority Leader, the House Majority Leader; all facing serious charges. The cool kids’ table is starting to look tense.