by Mark Silva
Karl Rove, former chief political adviser to President Bush and "architect'' of the president's election campaigns, once sought salacious photographs of the Democratic governor of Alabama, an aide to the convicted ex-governor tells CBS News' 60 Minutes in an interview airing Sunday.
Yet there is no truth to this allegation, according to Rove's lawyer, who tells the Tribune the president's adviser never asked for any such thing.
The Republican operative in Alabama tells CBS that Rove asked her to try to prove the state's Democratic governor was unfaithful to his wife in an effort to thwart the highly successful politician's re-election. Rove's attempt to smear Don Siegelman was part of a Republican campaign to ruin him that finally succeeded in imprisoning him, says the operative, Jill Simpson, in an interview with 60 Minutes' Scott Pelley.
CBS News says: "Simpson spoke to Pelley because, she says, Siegelman's seven-year sentence for bribery bothers her. She recalls what Rove, then President Bush's senior political adviser, asked her to do at a 2001 meeting in this exchange from Sunday's report:
"Karl Rove asked you to take pictures of Siegelman?" asks Pelley. "Yes," replies Simpson. "In a compromising, sexual position with one of his aides," clarifies Pelley. "Yes, if I could," says Simpson.
"Simpson says she found no evidence of infidelity despite months of observation,'' CBS reports. "She tells Pelley that Rove had made requests for information from her before in her capacity as an "opposition researcher" for Republicans running for office.
Rove would not speak to 60 Minutes, but elsewhere has denied being involved in efforts to discredit Siegelman. But Rove's attorney, Robert Luskin, offered this comment for the Tribune:
"At no time did Karl ask Ms. Simpson, or anyone else, to take compromising photos of Gov. Siegelman,'' said Luskin, suggesting this isn't the first time Simpson has steered people astray. "There was no truth to her earlier allegations and no truth to this one, either.''
Siegelman was convicted of bribery in a case that has drawn criticism, CBS notes.
"In fact, 52 former states' attorneys general from both political parties petitioned Congress to investigate Siegelman's case, resulting in hearings held last fall.'' CBS adds. " Says Grant Woods, the former Republican attorney general of Arizona and one of those who petitioned Congress:
"I haven't seen a case with this many red flags on it that pointed towards a real injustice being done," he tells Pelley. "I personally believe that what happened here is that they targeted Don Siegelman because they could not beat him fair and square.'''
Siegelman was the first in Alabama history to be elected to all four of the state's highest offices of secretary of state, attorney general, lieutenant governor and governor, and he did it as a Democrat in the heavily Republican state. The CBS program airs at 7 pm EST on Sunday.
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Comments
Rove is a scumbag...perfect poster child for the right.
Posted by: bill r. | February 23, 2008 7:25 AM
I want John McCain to explain why he accepted a campaign contribution from KKKarl Rove after Rove trashed him & his family in South Carolina during the 2000 race?
Posted by: Doug Zook | February 23, 2008 8:17 AM
McCain is smeared by the NYTimes with questionable reporting of rumor an inneuendo. With a story that both "particioants" deny and libs are gleeful.
Here's a another story of alledged infidelity by a democrat and now its not the "participant" that is wrong, but the person alledgedly exposing the story (similar to the NY Times) that is in the wrong.
Suppose there is a story about a current presidential canidate and an alledged relationship that is being ignored by the MSM. In this story the other party of the relationship has confirmed the story and its still being ingored. Why is that?
Posted by: Terry | February 23, 2008 8:25 AM
Does she answer WHY she agreed to do this for Rove? What was in it for her? Or is THIS her reward, fifteen minutes of fame on 60 Minutes?
Rove is on FOX News, maybe he can't speak on CBS?
Posted by: lochnessmonster | February 23, 2008 9:11 AM
"Sex, sex, sex, sex, sex
Does it matter?"
- Rolling Stones, "Shattered," 1978
Yes.
- John McCain, 1999, voting to convict Bill Clinton for lying about a sexual liason.
Yes.
- Karl Rove, 2001
No.
- John McCain defenders who argue that "sex" doesn't matter, 2008
Posted by: Bud McFarlin | February 23, 2008 9:27 AM
Jill Simpson just wants 15 minutes of fame. She used Karl Rove's name to get her big publicity. The Dem Governor was a corrupt pol who got caught end of story.
Let him serve his time in peace like all good Dem crooks. Jerry White, Springfield, IL P.S. Like Kerner and Walker in Illinois
Posted by: Jerry White | February 23, 2008 9:46 AM
Dana Jill Simpson has made other accusations against Karl Rove in the past. See for example http://patterico.com/2007/10/20/did-jill-simpson-swear-that-karl-rove-was-behind-the-prosecution-of-don-siegelman-the-la-times-says-yes-so-what-do-you-think-the-truth-is/Yet
and the links therein. Yet in all those affidavits (including a 143 page affidavit) she never mentioned Rove asking her to take any photos of Gov. Siegelman.
Now, suddenly, magically, during an election year, she suddenly remembers this and tells Dan Rather's tv buddies about it.
As between the jury that convicted Gov. Siegelman of bribery, and Dan Rather's buddies at "60 Minutes", I think we know who to believe.
Posted by: Bruce | February 23, 2008 9:47 AM
The Tri-Lateral Commission wants H. Clinton/B. Clinton in office that's why all this smearing going on. The Bush's distained the Clintons until recently when Bush Sr. and B. Clinton started being buddies and traveling together on various pretexts and Clinton started referring to Bush Sr. as his father-type statement. Made me sick but I did think at the time "oh my God they're going to run Hillary for Presdent. and sure enough. Remember, in the 70's Rockefeller formed the Tri-Lateral Commission (almost as secret as FreeMasons). What Kissenger was to Nixon, Baker was to Bush Sr. and Cheney is to Bush Jr. Cheney/BushSr/B.Clinton will be to H. Clinton via Rove. All these smears are intended for the "players" to accomplished one thing and one thing only "one-world order" as first stated by Bush Sr. on television years ago. One of their hidden agendas is NAFTA survival. Obama has to be very careful for his lifes sake because he's not a "player" and neither was Martin, John and Bobby.
Posted by: MissClarity | February 23, 2008 10:08 AM
In this story the other party of the relationship has confirmed the story and its still being ingored. Why is that?
Posted by: Terry | February 23, 2008 8:25 AM
Oh I don't know Terry, could it be that the "participant" has told his story through paranoid, anti-semitic , ufo hunting websights like Rense?
If you want to associate yourself with those groups, at least be open about it.
Posted by: Micahel | February 23, 2008 10:59 AM
This is as stupid as Scott McClellan's forthcoming tell-all book. You people should have said something when it mattered. Now its all about your bank account.
Posted by: Tom | February 23, 2008 11:32 AM
We are talking about 60 Minutes. Their evidence in the past included gas tanks with explosive charge igniters and documents written before the font was in use. And that was physical evidence, not a fame seeker's late recollection.
Posted by: whatnow | February 23, 2008 1:28 PM
I'm confused by one aspect of this story: How does a Republican opposition researcher became an aide to a Democratic governor? (Can Mr. Silva, or anyone else, clarify?)
Posted by: RAK | February 23, 2008 2:32 PM
McCain wasn't hounded and imprisioned in a case where "52 former states' attorneys general from both political parties petitioned Congress to investigate Siegelman's case." Or did you right wing nutjobs miss that in the story? Justice should be non-partisan, and juries convict the innocent a lot more than anyone cares to admit. Check the Innocence Project for more information, don't take my word for it.
Justice should be about what's right and wrong, not what party someone belongs too. There are plenty of Republican politicians who have been convicted and/or indicted in the last 4 years, including the most recent case in AZ, so I'd suggest you clean your own glass house before throwing stones at others.
Posted by: Gesundheit | February 23, 2008 2:34 PM
Rove's lawyer was careful to state that Rove did not ask Ms. Simpson or anyone else "to take compromising photos" of the Governor. Maybe Mr. Rove asked her or someone else "to get" or "to find" or "to obtain" or "to have someone take" photos of the Governor. As we all know, and are lately well remined, words do matter.
Posted by: Frank C | February 23, 2008 3:03 PM
It is a shame on the American people that we would let such tactics win elections - otherwise they would not try them. Now the talking heads will do everything they can to get a partisan President so they can continue their unAmerican hate talk. Limbaugh, Coulter, Fraken, your paycheck will soon be dimished. God Bless America!
Posted by: Chris | February 23, 2008 3:16 PM
Mikey,
I'll bet you a buck that NYTimes nor 60 minutes has even looked into the story. Do you know if the MSM was contacted first and ignored the story?
The difference is the "particpant" in the one story acknowledges the affair, while the "participants" in the McCain story both deny it and its based on "anonymous" sources.
Posted by: Terry | February 23, 2008 4:19 PM
""DEFACTO LEADER #1 SPEAKS"
THE SUPREME COURT WILL SPEAK! THE SUPREME COURT WILL GIVE ME MY IMMUNITY!
MY SERVERS BELONG TO ME!
SCREW YOUR PRESIDENTIAL RECORDS ACT!
I AM THE A IN ACT
I AM THE C IN CIRCUMVENT
AND I AM THE T IN SATAN!
I DID BUT I DIDN'T. I RECALL BUT I DON'T RECALL.
AND UNDER THIS ADMINISTRATION THAT IS "REASON WITHOUT A SHAWDOW OF A DOUBT"
WITH A LINE ITEM VETO TO BOOT!
THAT WHY THEY CALL HIM BIG POPPY. THROW YO HANDS IN THE AIR AND WAVE THEM LIKE YOU WISH YOU COULD CARE!
Posted by: Roger Morris | February 23, 2008 6:17 PM
Dirty tricks are a trade mark of the Republican Party of today. That was not always the case but with dirt bags like Karl Rove and Tom Delay and a little help right wing "church leaders" the party has sliped into the lowest form of politics. I look forward to watching the 60 Minutes piece Sunday night. I think it's about time Republicans who care deeply for their party and its repitation will also tune in and yes, turn out the scumb who has taken over their party this November.
Posted by: Charlie | February 23, 2008 6:46 PM
Rove's lawyer(s) must really be tired of stating that there are "no truths to these allegations". Karl Rove is the most lying scumbag to ever enter the Whitehouse. Bush and Cheney would top him only if they had not had Rove to speak for them. Lying bastards, all.
Posted by: Rick/Sneads Ferry, NC | February 23, 2008 8:11 PM
Terry, I don't know, why don't you go over and ask Rense if he only got the story after the MSM ignored it. I'm sure the MSM was only acting on the orders of the World wide Jewish conspiracy controlling the MSM from their UFO command ship.
Posted by: Michael | February 23, 2008 10:15 PM
Q: Was Don Siegelman framed? A: I have no idea, since I have not had the time to study the case in depth. However it would not surprise me in the slightest if he was not guilty and instead the victim of trumped up charges, and including since: one, politics is usually not about serving the public but merely about serving the political party; two, the legal profession, and including those lawyers who work for govt, contains an unusually high percentage of scumbags and professional pathological liars; and three, the US Attorneys for each district are political appointees and well aware that they are not there to provide and enable justice, but instead they are there to aid, facilitate, and fix things for the political party which appointed them.
Posted by: Mark Winshel | February 24, 2008 3:45 AM
"Let him serve his time in peace like all good Dem crooks. Jerry White, Springfield, IL P.S. Like Kerner and Walker in Illinois."
Let's not be partial--a crooked politician is a crooked politician, party doesn't matter--does George Ryan ring a bell?
Posted by: Katie | February 24, 2008 7:19 AM
If ever there stood someone who is a perfect example of what is wrong with DC - it is Karl Rove.
Posted by: RJinchi | February 24, 2008 8:06 AM
Mikey,
Not sure if I should read your comment with sarcasm or seriousness.
However, it wouldn't surprsie me that the MSM media was sitting on it, just like they did with Lewinsky and Clinton. It wasn't until Drudge exposed the story that the MSM had no choice but to act.
Posted by: Terry | February 24, 2008 10:16 AM
"McCain is smeared by the NYTimes with questionable reporting of rumor an inneuendo. With a story that both "particioants" deny and libs are gleeful."
Most people are not getting the main picture of this story by the NYT. It's not really about a romantic interlude, but of McCain's close business relations with lobbyists... And lets not forget that he has aides who are lobbyists working from his campaign trail.
This kinda goes against his campaign of wanting more transparency in government.
Posted by: LordBeaker | February 25, 2008 4:30 PM
Lord - re-read the article - the meaning was to paint the picture of an affair.
Do you think Obama is not in the hands of lobbyists??? What do you call all those union endorsements? AARP? Exelon connections?...
Posted by: Terry | February 25, 2008 6:35 PM