Rove missing from White House events; Word on Hill is that he has been told he's target of probe

RAW STORY

President Bush's most trusted adviser, Karl Rove, has been absent from recent White House events, leading those close to a CIA outing case to speculate that he has been told he is the target of an investigation, RAW STORY can confirm.

Rove disappeared from the scene around the time he was diagnosed with kidney stones in mid-September, sources close to the White House tell RAW STORY. At first, the belief was that he was off the beat to recover from his illness.

But his absence at President Bush's press conference Monday where Bush announced that he had chosen Harriet Miers to succeed Sandra Day O'Connor on the Supreme Court raised eyebrows. Rove is usually present at such events.

Word on Capitol Hill is that Rove has received a "target letter," or a letter from the prosecutor investigating the outing of CIA agent Valerie Plame Wilson telling him that he is now a target in the investigation. To date, no reporters have been able to confirm this account.

President Bush has declined to say whether he would fire Rove if he were indicted. He has said that he would fire any White House staff that was found guilty in the case.

Others, noticing seeming Administration slip-ups -- the response to Katrina and the unexpected groundswell of discontent from conservatives over Miers -- suggest the White House may be distracted with something else.

Rove's absence was first noted by AmericaBLOG.
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Word on Capitol Hill is that Rove has received a "target letter," or a letter from the prosecutor investigating the outing of CIA agent Valerie Plame Wilson telling him that he is now a target in the investigation. To date, no reporters have been able to confirm this account.

President Bush has declined to say whether he would fire Rove if he were indicted. He has said that he would fire any White House staff that was found guilty in the case.

Others, noticing seeming Administration slip-ups -- the response to Katrina and the unexpected groundswell of discontent from conservatives over Miers -- suggest the White House may be distracted with something else.

Rove's absence was first noted by AmericaBLOG.

DEVELOPING TONIGHT....