WP
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/blog/2005/12/15/BL2005121500936.html?referrer=emailBush Declares DeLay Innocent
By Dan Froomkin
Special to washingtonpost.com
Thursday, December 15, 2005; 1:51 PM
In a Fox News interview aired last night, President Bush declared that he believes indicted former House majority leader Tom DeLay is innocent of the money-laundering charges brought against him in Texas.
It's unusual for a president in any circumstance to make such a definitive pronouncement about an ongoing criminal case.
But it seemed particularly at odds given Bush's repeated insistence that his obligation not to prejudice a criminal investigation or trial resoundingly trumps the public's right to hear what he thinks or knows about the role of senior White House officials in the outing of a CIA operative's identity.
Bush last year vowed to fire anyone involved in that leak, but went mum once a criminal investigation was launched. Even after his top aide was implicated and Vice President Cheney's top aide was indicted -- raising widespread concern about the ethics and honesty of his closest advisers -- Bush refused to answer even basic questions, saying it would be inappropriate to comment.
Senior adviser Karl Rove is of course still working at the White House; Scooter Libby resigned after being indicted and received a warm sendoff from both Cheney and Bush.
Here's the transcript
http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,178760,00.html and video
http://www.foxnews.com/video2/player05.html?121505/sr_garrett_121505&Special_Report&Rush%20to%20Judgement%3F&acc&Politics&-1&newof Bush's interview with Fox's Brit Hume. When Hume asked if he believes DeLay is innocent, Bush replied: "Do I? Yes, I do."