Rove invited to appear before House panel

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WASHINGTON, April 17 (UPI) -- A U.S. House panel has invited former White House aide Karl Rove to testify on whether the prosecution of a former Alabama governor was politically motivated.

Don Siegelman was freed from prison last month, at least temporarily, while an appeals court considers his claim that he was the victim of a political prosecution. Siegelman, a Democrat, says he was targeted to prevent him from running for governor against a Republican incumbent.

Rep. John Conyers, D-Mich., the chairman of the House Judiciary Committee, and three Democrats on the panel invited Rove, President Bush's longtime political adviser, to testify. The panel also invited the Inspector General and head of the Office of Professional Responsibility in the Justice Department to testify, as it looks into claims of "selective, politically motivated prosecutions," The Washington Post reported Thursday.

Robert Luskin, Rove's lawyer, said his client would consult the White House on whether he should appear, the newspaper said.