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HOUSTON HOME JOURNAL
Congress Ilexes its muscle against 'contempf
Dear Readers, Last
Spring, I had
explained about
the concept of “Executive
Privilege” in the context of
the firings of U.S. Attorneys.
The issue was the potential
for a “show-down” between
Congress and the President
about the “politicizing” of
the Justice Department.
A few months after writ
ing that column, Alberto
Gonzales resigned, cooling
Congress’ desire to investi
gate the Executive Branch.
In the meantime, we
heard of a similar, but more
explosive issue - Karl Rove’s
involvement in the prosecu
tion of the former Democratic
Governor of Alabama, Don
Siegelman. This story broke
last summer. In 2002, Gov.
Siegelman narrowly won a
bitter race triumphing only
after a recount erased the
apparent victory of his oppo
nent, Bob Riley.
Questions leadens should ask - Part I
Think back to when
you were 12 years
old. What leader
ship tendencies did you dis
play then?
Think about your neigh
bor’s kids or your own chil
dren and grandchildren.
How much do you seek
them out to think with you
on improved approaches to
handling your responsibili
ties?
If you learned of a child
of twelve who was already
astounding the most
respected experts of his day,
would you be curious to
learn of his techniques?
In the culture of Israel
2,000 years ago, intelligent
males studied the scrip
tures. The most knowledge
able became teachers of the
Mosaic law. An elite group
of elderly men regularly
debated and challenged
each other in the temple.
In his gospel (chapter 2,
verse 41 +), Dr. Luke records
that a 12-year-old boy spent
several days sitting with the
Jewish teachers and asking
them questions.
You might presume the
juvenile questions a curi
ous boy would ask. If they
were typical of someone his
age, however, the teachers
would not have tolerated
his presence.
Yet he was with them for
several days “asking them
questions,” and “they were
astonished at his under
standing.”
What kinds of questions
would astonish these expe
rienced, educated men?
What kinds of questions
astonish you? Are they ques
tions that make you think?
Do they cause you to step
back from your day-to-day
commitments and reflect on
what you have assumed is
“truth”? Do they make you
challenge your presumed
cause-and-effect relation
ships?
Interestingly, Luke’s
record continues, describ-
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The'Law'Man
Jim
Rockefeller
Attorney,
Rockefeller
Law Center
Siegelman’s victory was
destined be short-lived. An
attorney and lifelong GOP
supporter who worked on
Riley’s campaign, participat
ed in a conference call during
the 2002 recount in which it
was made clear that Karl
Rove would use either or
both of Alabama’s two U.S.
Attorneys to remove Gov.
Siegelman from power. Four
years later, this threat came
to fruition. Shaky Federal
criminal charges were
brought in the Northern
District, only to be dismissed
Building Future Leaders
Dennis
Hooper
Leadership
Development
Coach
ing that the Jewish teach
ers were “astonished at his
answers.”
When you become skilled
at asking thought-stimulat
ing and paradigm-shifting
questions, people want your
thoughts as they explore for
meaning.
Wouldn’t it be great if
those under your author
ity were engaged with you
in thinking about how to
improve your organization?
For most of us who experi
ence the time pressures of
a normal day, we assume
that the most effective way
to get things done is to tell
people what to do.
The Jewish teachers
would not tolerate that kind
of dictatorial behavior from
a boy.
So Jesus used a more
effective approach. In fact,
throughout his ministry,
Jesus frequently used ques
tions to engage those he
wanted to influence.
You can apply this same
process with those under
your authority. Next week,
I’ll provide a variety of
questions that will engage
your employees, but there is
Assessing Your
Leadership Skills
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by the judge before a trial
was even scheduled.
Fresh from this vindica
tion, Siegelman kicked his
reelection campaign into
gear. Then, new charges
were brought against him
in the Middle District; the
U.S. Attorney running the
investigation was the wife of
a key associate of Mr. Rove.
Despite the fact there was
no evidence he ever received
any money, Siegelman was
convicted of these bribery
and conspiracy charges in
June of 2006.
Fifty-two former state
attorneys-general, including
a number of Republicans,
pleaded with Congress to
investigate the political moti
vations manipulating Gov.
Siegelman’s fall from grace.
That plea was answered by
subpoenas issued requir
ing Rove to come before
Congress to testify about his
role in Siegelman’s con’vic
a key initial set of questions
that is a prerequisite. The
objective of these questions
is twofold.
First, you want to learn
about the individual, so you
have a basis for a healthy
relationship.
Second, you want the
individual to become aware
that achieving his or her
personal agenda and accom
plishing the mission of the
organization are mutually
supportive.
What’s important to
you in life? (listen intently
to the answers) How does
your participation with
our organization con
tribute to what’s impor
tant in your life?
It’s critical that you deep
ly and genuinely listen to
the individual’s responses!
Artificiality will kill your
ability to build a mutually
beneficial relationship.
Your showing authen
tic interest will yield a lot
of information about the
individual’s family, values,
and hobbies. This aware
ness will help you realize
the unique qualities of the
person, and will help him or
her feel appreciated as more
than just another anony
mous body in your growing
empire.
Knowing that you have
a genuine interest in him
or her, the individual will
be more receptive to the
subsequent questions you’ll
periodically ask. I’ll share
those questions with you
next week.
F. Dennis Hooper
Certified
Leadership Development Coach
Building leaders and
organizations of excellence
(478) 988-0237
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dh«oper2f&juno.eom
biMl
164135
tion; these subpoenas were
summarily ignored.
Interest in Siegelman’s
plight picked up steam in
late-March earlier this year.
The 11th Circuit Court of
Appeals took the extremely
rare step of reversing the
trial court’s decision to deny
Siegelman the right to bond
pending his appeal and he
was released from prison.
The Court’s opinion sig
naled the conviction itself
might be endangered, bas
ing its decision to reverse
the lower court on its find
ing that Siegelman’s appeal
raises “substantial questions
of law or fact.”
Last week, Judiciary
Committee Chairman John
Conyers publicly indicated
that he was through with
Rove’s stonewalling; he was
ready to have Rove arrest
ed. Statutes exist to pro
tect Congress’ integrity; but,
prosecution under these stat
Dennis Hooper helps lead
ers build the capabilities of
individuals in their organi
zations. Learn about Dennis’
work at www.buildingfu
tureleaders.com. E-mail him
at dhooper2@juno.com.
J C^ayuea&
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utes requires the assistance
of the Justice Department.
As you might imagine, with
the allegations reaching into
the Justice Department and
the Office of the President,
no interest has been shown
to do so.
This leaves Congress with
only one option - to use,
for the first time in over 70
years, its inherent powers
of contempt. In exercising
this unique power, Congress
votes on a contempt resolu
tion and orders its Sergeant
at Arms to, arrest the
defendant, bring the indi
vidual before Congress, and
a trial is held right there.
Imprisonment in the bowels
of Congress is a possible con
sequence of being convicted
of Contempt of Congress.
While this political game of
chicken may come before us
later this year, the extraor
dinary depth of the decision
acknowledging this power is
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SATURDAY, MAY 24, 2008 ♦
what we will look at next
week.
Warner Robins attorney
Jim Rockefeller is the for
mer Chief Assistant District
Attorney for Houston County,
and a former Florida
Assistant State Attorney.
Owner of Rockefeller Law
Center, Jim has been in pri
vate practice since 2000.
E-mail your comments or
confidential legal questions
to ajr@rockefellerlawcenter.
com.
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