News / Politics
Karl Rove, President Bush’s Top Advisor, Resigning at End of August
Embattled presidential advisor Karl Rove announced plans to step down from his position as chief political strategist for President George Bush at the end of August. The announcement came Monday morning from the White House.
In an interview with the Wall Street Journal on Saturday Rove said of his departure, “I just think it's time.” Rove continued “There’s always something that can keep you here, and as much as I’d like to be here, I’ve got to do this for the sake of my family.”
While never charged with any crime, Rove had his name in the middle of the investigation into the leak of a CIA operative’s name, a case that eventually led to Vice President Dick Cheney’s former chief of staff I. Lewis Libby being charged with perjury.
Rove was also attacked by Democrats for the firing of several U.S. attorneys, a claim that Rove refused to speak about before a Congressional hearing, citing executive privilege.
Rove said that his decision to step down was in part due to Bush’s Chief of Staff Joshua Bolten had told top aides that if they held their post past Labor Day they would be expected to stay until Bush’s term ended in January 2009.
