Bloch party

The plot thickens in the strange tale of the paleo-Catholic, gay-baiting, Rove-hating Bush administration nemesis and appointee, Scott Bloch, who heads the Office of Special Counsel. We recently learned from the Associated Press (AP) that shortly after the departure of Karl Rove from the White House, a task force for an investigation launched by Bloch stood poised to request documents from the Justice Department, only to have Bloch shut down the probe.

The investigation was focused on the possible political use of federal prosecutors to smear Don Siegelman, the Democratic governor of Alabama, in a way that would prevent his re-election. It is suspected that Rove was involved.

I have long suspected that another investigation led by Bloch's office that looked at the use of government personnel by Rove's office in conducting political operations in the 2006 elections on behalf of the Republican Party was the thing that caused Rove to resign. But perhaps that was just the beginning. Even with Rove gone, the probe into the Siegelman matter may have led even beyond Rove.

Either way, Bloch, no saint himself, seems to have been unequal to his self-appointed task of exacting revenge on Turd Blossom.

Yesterday, Rove refused to testify before the House Judiciary Committee on his role in the Siegelman affair, offering only to answer questions in writing.