Scott J. Bloch, the head of the Office of Special Counsel, "who says he is investigating Karl Rove for allegations he influenced government activity for partisan purposes is himself facing allegations of similar behavior." In April 2005, government watchdogs and others complained that "the White House appointee had allowed his office to 'sit on' a complaint that then-White House National Security Adviser Condoleezza Rice used government funds to travel in support of President Bush's re-election bid."

now, to be clear, mr. bloch has earned this
skepticism as chief of the  office of special
counsel (given that he has allegedly refused
to enforce federal laws prohibiting gay/lesbian
discrimination in the not-too-distant-past),
here. . . but it seems this story (rove e-mail
directions to violate various statutes, hatch
act and presidential records act, among others)
is just too big -- and well-documented to
be vulnerable to a "whitewash" paper-over job.

and i think any suggestion that sen. patrick
leahy, or rep. john conyers, or henry waxman
are going to simply decide to take the rest
of the term off, in dufus-like reliance on the
bona fides of the OSC, would be ill-
founded, and unwise.  they will keep on
keepin' on, without regard to bloch.  as they
should. . .  i mean, c'mon, there are
three separate congressional investi-
gations underway right now. . . j.i.m.h.o.

now, if bloch's big idea is to slow the cong-
ressional investigations by asserting some
form of exclusive jurisdiction over these
matters, senators leahy, schumer, and
whitehouse, and representatives conyers,
waxman and sanchez should forcefully assert
their CONCURRENT right -- and obligation -- to
continue their independent investigations.

so -- what's not to like?

if he does his job, great -- if not,
well. . .  i like the odds of these congress-
people on closing the whole deal. . .