Will Rove Really Get Investigated?
Mother Jones Mag Has Its Doubts

The Los Angeles Times nicely reminded readers of its continuing importance this week by beating its major competitors to an important story. The paper broke the story that Karl Rove's possible role in the firing of the U.S. attorneys was being investigated by the federal Office of Special Counsel. Once more, those outraged by the White House's chief political henchman's dirty tricks had their hopes raised: could this case do what Special Prosecutor Patrick Fitzgerald failed to do in the Plame case, finally catch Karl Rove in illegalities?

David Iglesias, the New Mexico U.S. attorney who was among the eight federal prosecutors let go by the Justice Department, told Chris Matthews earlier this week on MSNBC's Hardball that he had full confidence in Scott Bloch, the OSC head, to investigate matters fairly and thoroughly. That sounded pretty good. At least until I read this piece in Mother Jones, which has a pretty good track record on investigations. It argues that Bloch shares his patron George W. Bush's "antipathy for dissent" and that his office is often a black hole for whistleblower investigations that go nowhere. To be fair, the piece also notes that the legal climate in the country has turned decidedly against the protection of whistleblowers in recent years. All in all, a depressing take. But let's hope for the best anyway, shall we?