How Karl Rove fixed the FBI investigation of his theft of the 2004 Presidential election in Ohio

[Cliff Arnebeck]

88. My sense of it

The Rolling Stone piece, authored by Robert Kennedy, Jr. with brilliant graphics by Rolling Stone editors, is about as clear, plain and authoritative as anyone could make it. None other than the great pollster Lou Harris opined that the theft was "obvious." That article was published in June 2006. All that was missing was an insider fessing up, and it appeared Mike Connell was willing to share inside information.

I think Rove's initial framing of the threat was intended to appear to accept the fact that Connell was already talking to Spoonamore, and had agreed to talk to others (the House Judiciary Cmte. staff). Rove was suggesting Connell take the fall for Ohio 2004 (for a limited hang out) to save Rove and the others involved in the multi-year, multi-state vote rigging operation from being exposed.

I think Jeff Averbeck who was the guy who delivered the message to Connell put it more diplomatically, by saying: "If you spill the beans, you will be the one who ends up being held responsible." So, yes, I think you are correct--they really wanted Connell to keep his mouth shut.

I do not believe Connell lied in his deposition. He was actually quite forthcoming. He testified that he was not responsible for the selection of SmarTech to perform the back-up/mirroring of the election function of the Ohio Secretary of State's office. Then, when he acknowledged that SmarTech may have been, or probably was a subcontractor under his GovTech contract, he stated that they were placed there by others, not by him. He denied being responsible for the security issues created by their partisanship and inside position with respect to the counting of the Ohio votes.

Connell's continued availability as an honest witness to the IT aspects of every important political operation in which Karl Rove was involved was a threat to the survival of that entire operation. He was a Rove security threat, not a national security threat.