Rove threatens to blacklist any Republican who votes against the president

Deputy Chief of Staff Karl Rove has been threatening Republicans who may think of voting against Bush during the Senate Judiciary Committee’s investigation of the administration's unauthorized wiretapping.

The White House has been twisting arms to ensure that no Republican member votes against President Bush in the Senate Judiciary Committee’s investigation of the administration's unauthorized wiretapping.
Congressional sources said Deputy Chief of Staff Karl Rove has threatened to blacklist any Republican who votes against the president. The sources said the blacklist would mean a halt in any White House political or financial support of senators running for re-election in November.
"It's hardball all the way," a senior GOP congressional aide said.

Source

I'm sure these tactics are commonplace among politicians so this is not a big surprise. It's a disappointment but standard practice in DC.

Edited to add source.



[edit on 7-2-2006 by redhat]

OKa I give in how about a link

if what bush is doing is that bad that they have to resort to threatening people for them to turn their heads to it, well, I ain't so sure that having his support for reelection is such a good idea anyway!!

and of course, if the threats don't work, maybe the bribes will!!!

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"Mr. Rove is leading the White House campaign to help the GOP in November’s congressional elections. The sources said the White House has offered to help loyalists with money and free publicity, such as appearances and photo-ops with the president.

www.insightmag.com...

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I hope our elected public SERVANTS in congress remember just who it is that they are susposed to be serving, it's not the president, and it not themselves.....so, well, if it comes down to it, I will have alot of respect for those republicans in office that votes against the president (assuming that it's the appropriate action to begin with, or course)

Is he loose again? Rove?

Threats=Dictatorship.

And i suppose the Republicans are shaking in their boots?

Oh my word, i think i've had enough information for one day.

Rove threatens to blacklist any Republican who votes against the president

Carl who? is he running for president? or he forgot that Bush is not longer running for offices next time.

I guess nobody remembers Senator Thume from South Dakota holding his vote hostage (can't remember the exact issue) because he was upset about an impending base closure in his state.

Guess what? His base did not get cut, and Thume voted the party line.

If these disloyal Republicans feel that strongly about this issue, then all I can have fun raising money on your own.

This happens all the time. I applaud Rove for his leadership. All I can say is "It's about time".

I've said it before, and as events progress, I am forced to say it again:


"Only Facists require universal adherance to the party line, and only thugs lash out at those who disagree with them."


Tell me our country is not descending into Facism (if we have not already arrived!). Assure me that this is "just Politics as usual" and not thuggery.

Originally posted by Carseller4
This happens all the time. I applaud Rove for his leadership. All I can say is "It's about time".

That isn't "leadership", it's "Blackmail" and I can't imagine why you would support such a tactic.

Once again the hypocracy running wild within our government and populous amazes me. We praise the people of Iraq for having the courage to vote in the face of violent threats by terrorists. Yet at the same time it's viewed as completely ok, or even good leadership to openly use threats to control the voting within the highest levels of our own government.

Ahh yes, a no name article.

"It's hardball all the way," a senior GOP congressional aide said.

The sources said Mr. Rove's message has been that a vote against Mr. Bush would destroy GOP prospects in congressional elections.

"He's [Rove] lining them up one by one," another congressional source said.

The sources said the White House has offered to help loyalists with money and free publicity, such as appearances and photo-ops with the president.

Reminds me of the sources cited in this website. Specific names of non politicians are always unnamed sources from xxxx, but when a politician's being spoofed, their name is given even though they didn't say the statement. Some libel loophole or something. Odd that the article didn't name a politician.

Oh, wait...

"Well, I didn't like what Mr. Rove said, because it frames terrorism and the issue of terrorism and everything that goes with it, whether it's the renewal of the Patriot Act or the NSA wiretapping, in a political context," said Sen. Chuck Hagel, Nebraska Republican.

Vague, but it could be related. I guess it's time to send Sen. Hagel an email and find out if he really said this, and if it was related to Rove blacklisting folks not voting with the prez.

[edit on 2/8/06/08 by junglejake]

JJ, Would you beleive Fox reported this last night, and claimed the governments' Rove threatened to black list any Republican who voted against the president????

Pictures and all. It seems to me if they are threatening, they must be intimidated by their own party- Lots of Republicans against this*

This is a joke to be happening in this country..

Anybody who supports this type of unfair influence should get the hell out. It's bad enough we have to put up with corruption when we do, but when the people start support such actions, as commonplace in politics and government, we need to be considerned.

People just don't give a # about protect our freedoms anymore.>

"we cannot defend freedom abroad, by abonaning it at home.

Bush and his buds tried there best (at what I wont say). But I think by now, we know that this administraion cannot do a thing appropriately.

ummm......I'd rather be a traitor to my political party, than a traitor to my country....wouldn't you???

am I wrong to believe that this investigation is to determine weather or not the wire taps were legal? if so, well......

for a significant portion of the republicans to actually come out and say that these wire taps were illegal and side against bush would be a pretty good indication to me that there is some pretty impressive evidence to support this claim!!!

and for the administration to be so concerned that this will happen also kind of indicates to me that there is some pretty impressive evidence supporting that they were illegal.

for some of our citizens to actually voice support for the bush administration threatening and bribing the members of this investigation, and calling them traitors if they don't play according to their political party kind of tells me that some just don't have any use for law and order anymore.....since that is what is in question......were laws broken, and if so, what action should be taken to protect our legal system and government!

but of course our representatives in congress who are brave enough to lay their party loyalty and self interest aside and vote according to their conscious, well.....they're the traitors!!!

Insight Magazine is a conservative magazine published by Washington Times Corp. [1] I agree that someone should contact the congressmen and ask them if they have indeed been threatened, however.

I'd vote for a congressman that stood up against the President on this issue far sooner than one that stood in like behind the President. The threatening is ridiculous, AND...

What is the White House doing endorsing and giving money to candidates for reelection? They have no right to do that and need to stop. The government should not be helping people they like run for office.

The Republican who casts a vote against Bush will be a huge leader in the future!!!

Originally posted by dgtempe
The Republican who casts a vote against Bush will be a huge leader in the future!!!

I would like to think so but judging by the neo-cons on this board any who voted against Bush would be considered traitors.

Originally posted by dgtempe
JJ, Would you beleive Fox reported this last night, and claimed the governments' Rove threatened to black list any Republican who voted against the president?

I'll freely admit that, were this more favorable to my position, I would have probably accepted the article without questioning the lack of sources. Due to my own bias, however, I questioned the legitimacy of the article, not dismiss it. There's still a tinge of hope that this isn't true, because if it is, I don't know how to feel about it.

On one hand, why should Bush and the White House be required to support financially and politically Republicans who break from his policies?

On the other hand, why threaten beforehand?

On that first hand, I've seen Democrats politicize a woman's funeral, fallen soldiers, the war on terror, senate intelligence, etc.

On the other hand, that politicization disgusts me and I agree with Hagel.

On the first hand, the concern by the administration over losing the ability of spying on terrorists in this manner is legitimate.

On the other hand, if it is, in fact, legal, what are they worried about?

On a third hand, I watched Republican senators Sell Out justice in order to appear more moderate and hopefully gain more votes due to a fantastic PR campaign by the Clinton administration and the media.

On the first hand, why should the president have to appear in a photo-op with someone he doesn't support?

On the other hand, why should this one issue determine his support?

So, a lot of considerations. If more information comes out on this, it may help me in figuring out where I stand. Until then, I'm undecided on how good or bad this is.

Finally, (and this is for Bout Time) no one's told me whose kool-aid to drink yet

JJ,

How many hands do you have?

I'm just telling you its out all over the media. I report, You decide.

Originally posted by dgtempe
JJ,

How many hands do you have?

I used a coworker's for that one point. I've got more hands than this guy, though! Cold and mean, yeah, but the guy's a scumball

I'm just telling you its out all over the media. I report, You decide.

Crunch time at work, so TV's not an option, and very little browsing is an option...I use what little time I do have here on ATS So the world could go to war and I'd be sitting here in my cube doing my thing completely oblivious. I need a vacation...

When I send my monthly donation to the Republican National Committee, I expect the RNC to distribute it to the candidates that respect the committees views.

When the 7 Republican traitors joined with 7 Democrats to stop the "Nuclear Option" on filibusters, I wrote the RNC urging them to support other Republicans the next time they run for office.

I trust the RNC to do the right thing with my money. If I didn't I would support individual candidates on my own. But I feel I get more bang for the buck by letting the RNC decide.

If any Republican decides to vote against the right thing, then let him raise money on his own.

Originally posted by dgtempe
The Republican who casts a vote against Bush will be a huge leader in the future!!!

dg, I believe we have our first nominee

wilson.house.gov...

She was just on Countdown with Keith Obermann, sharp lady who may just be the one that starts the snowball down the mountain.