[S]omeone has tried very hard to keep Official A on ice, so to speak, while roasting Libby over an open Plame/Flame. Of course, that doesn’t mean Fitzgerald will indict Rove, but it’s the most tangible evidence that Rove remains in deep legal doo doo.
Back to Main
October 29, 2005
WB: The Man Who Wasn’t There
Comments
Knight Ridder on the “Made in Italy” forgeries of Niger uranium sells
Indictment doesn’t clear up mystery at heart of CIA leak probe
That story seems to get some legs now – good.
This post from Long Sunday is good to remind us that many Watergate charges were brought months or years after the initial round:
Long Sunday: Those Were The Days
Posted by: Michael J. | Oct 29 2005 12:18 utc | 2
I’ll just put this out there for comment then…
While I do think it’s significant the manner in which rove was referred to in the indictment, I also think it’s significant that he wasn’t indicted today.
I tend to doubt we’ll see more from this investigation than what we’ve seen.
I hope, very much, that I am wrong, and that at least rove, if not others, will take some kind of hit. But I tend to doubt that will happen.
One final thing, is anyone in the press noting that the white house has NOTHING to say about this? I’ve heard it referred to most obliquely but not one thing from the white house (aside from a brief mumbling about scooter). Will the press hold the white house accountable for their bluster on this? Will the dem be able to effectively use the white houes promises against them? It’s less than reasonable to think that this wasn’t well known. So the unspoken text here is, even though everyone in the white house knew all about this, they did nothing, even while they said they would. Where is the accountability? This is what emboldens this white house to do as they please.
Posted by: ice weasel | Oct 29 2005 13:05 utc | 3
From Al Martin September 3. 2003
This is very explosive and what makes it so explosive is that this Intelligence Identity Act, if it can be proved, and Rove can be successfully prosecuted and if Rove reveals that the president George Bush told him to institute this leak, then the President’s automatic shield of immunity is removed and the president himself can be prosecuted for murder if any deaths of any US intelligence agents or assets resulted from the leak. This is the only legal statute that has this provision.
NOW I see an even bigger picture.
One of the tests inherent in the IIPA is the notion of a pattern of disclosures.
And that would explain WHY Fitzgerald is being demure about the October leak.
IF he can show two separate but connected conspiracies, one to name Plame and another to name Brewster-Jennings, he is well on the way to securing convictions under the Espionage Act.
But he would also be well on the way to showing the IIPA was breached.
And THAT would mean he can convict the President himself!
For more on the October leak
Link
Posted by: John | Oct 29 2005 13:14 utc | 4
Many were dissapointed at the presents they recieved at ‘Fitzmas’ or more precisely the sparcity of them.
However, things could have been much worse, as well as better.
Personally, I’m frequently surprised as to how far Fitzgerald’s investigation has progressed … 22 months later and Libby is indited for serious charges, facing 30 years ‘hard time’, the first inditement of an official of the White House in 130 years (?) …
And it ain’t over yet.
If Fitz was a stooge we would’nt have even bagged Libby, it would have died quietly, without fanfare, the records sealed …
Based on press reports Libby could have been indited October 2004, but Fitz ground on, and was patient enough to waitout Judy Miller’s 85 days in the cooler, then call Rove back again … he indites Libby and then empanels a new grand jury …
These are the actions of a methodical, patient, determined individual in pursuit of an objective … I make no claim to know what that is, however, Libby was little more than appetizer as far as I can see …
Former ambassador Wilson has publicly stated its a good ‘first step’, those are the words of someone intimately involved both as a victim and the spouse of an agency NOC, Valerie Plame, who had this investigation launched on thier behalf by the agency approaching the Justice Department … thier stated viewpoint have far more credence for me than articles in New Pravda, or partisan talking heads naysaying otherwise.
It is said governments greatest fear is the political death of a ‘thousand cuts’ … Libby’s inditement is a significant wound after the gashes of Katrina, De Lay, the the sucking chest wound that is the Iraq War, etc … and these wounds cannot heal during the circus that will continue to Libby’s trial conclusion … all whilst Fritz continues to hunt with his new grand jury for a larger trophy for his display cabinet.
Besides, Fitz has, if nothing else, laid a solid foundation for the pursuit of more of Bush & Co in the likely bringing of civil suits by Wilson/Plame … an arena of an even lower legal standard of proof that could be very wide ranging indeed. Ah, I can just visualize in my minds eye, more of those political cuts to the body of the cabal now.
The cabal of Bush & Co can only maintain thier false governance and the fractious nature of thier GOP supporters by controlling events, as they say, creating ‘reality’ and moving on … yet Fitz’s inditement and ongoing grand jury investigation creates a background noise (Chimps description), which is more a backdrop to allow the context and justification to revisit again and again thier former actions, in terms of ethics, morals, rule-of-law, in relation to Halliburton, torture, terror alerts, the Iraq War and the lies that led to it … to shine the light of day on the whole putrid web … in so doing they will incur more of those little political cuts …
Those who are ‘aware’ of the falsity of the societies we live in, ruled by self-appointed elites beholden to mammon, may I suggest, demand too much of Fitzmaz. Just as it took some considerable time to dope and indoctrinate the ‘unaware’ sheeple with the electronic equivalent of valium and the virtually continuous propaganda memes that are a highly sophisticated form of indoctrination … so will it take time to gradually draw the people out of thier induced sleep.
The western democracies, not least, have been progressively suborned by these elites since at least the end of WWII … with many fine people unknowingly, faithfully serving the puppetmasters.
And no, I don’t believe in endless wide-ranging conspiracies … once more than three people are ‘in the know’ it will eventually be uncovered (or buried, literally) … but that does’nt prevent ‘good’ people and organizations being unknowingly manipulated, directly and ‘hands-off’ by those in ‘authority’.
Watergate took two years to fully unravel and lead directly to the Church hearings and partial repudiation of ‘Empire’ … we should be so lucky if we can get so far again given our current circumstances.
Lastly, we should not allow parties other than the White House, to skulk back out of the light and into the shadows … such as the corporate media barons, the Corporate profiteers, and even the leadership of the Dems, to pass by unnoticed in the tragic events that have unfolded over the last five years and continue to do so even now.
Focusing on thier acts, constantly revisiting the ‘facts’ is how propaganda is eventually undone … for ‘spin’ is only of temporary transitory benefit and only in context. Besides, all propaganda is, at best, based only on a partial ‘truth’, not The truth. If constantly challenged it will not stand.
No one event, no single act will undo Bush & Co, and certainly not ‘Fitmaz’ … I would like to believe we have begun the journey that is the demise of the cabal …
‘A journey of a thousand miles begins with but a single step’, and these events, if nothing else, are one helluva step.
My 0.02 cents is up and I’m all outta change.
Posted by: Outraged | Oct 29 2005 13:40 utc | 5
I suspect York is getting his consensus opinion from Robert Luskin.
And which of the “Rove is…” stories hasn’t come from Luskin (or Turdblossom himself)?
“You’d think that it wouldn’t take more than about 30 seconds of reflection for York to realize that of all the officials not mentioned by name in the indictment, Rove is the only one who isn’t even identified by title. What does that tell you? He’s special.”
Archpundit has a nice catch…
——-quote
Familiar Ring to it
From the AP August 27, 2003, Wednesday, BC cycle
When asked, Fitzgerald would not comment on whether “Official A” was Ryan.
From the Chicago Daily Herald April 3, 2002, Wednesday All
But despite branding two of Ryan’s former top aides and his
campaign committee as corrupt, Fitzgerald would not say if the
investigation will eventually reach Ryan. The vast majority of the
corruption uncovered so far happened under his watch when he was
secretary of state from 1990 until 1998. The governor has not been
accused by prosecutors of any wrongdoing in the past, and Tuesday’s
indictments did not include him. “I cannot answer that question,” Fitzgerald said when asked about
any Ryan involvement. “We cannot discuss people not charged in the
indictment.”
Sun Times June 20, 2002
Stewart would send bills to Stanley and Doyle for bogus
legal work Stewart never performed. Stanley and Doyle would “pay” for
the work, when in fact they were passing along bribes through Stewart
to Udstuen.
Stanley also allegedly passed bribes to Udstuen through another
person, dubbed “Individual A” in the indictment, in a similar scheme.
Individual A was a close friend of Udstuen’s and a social acquaintance
of Stanley’s.
Posted by: netro | Oct 29 2005 16:50 utc | 7
Ponder Fitzgerald’s several Illinois cases, and two themes really stand out.
One, he’s a Jesuit soul — a champion of public integrity; he requires integrity from players in the public sphere. Where he smells treachery, he is relentless. He follows thread upon thread upon thread to unravel a tapestry of lies. He knows that where treachery has occurred, it will occur again — traitors to the public trust will betray their private partners just as readily. That stench of treachery is what motivates Fitzgerald. It is an abomination to him.
Two, he’s a marksman. He doesn’t come to court with everything he’s got and shoot it off, Custer style. He picks his first man, shoots him in the knee, and then waits for him to ask for mercy, for help with his personal predicament. He helps that man only if that man will help him shoot the next man in the knee. Soon, all he needs to do is say the word ‘knee’ and he gets confessions from his targets.
He is after one thing — vindicating the public trust in their officials — or proving that trust was betrayed.
I assure you, you ain’t seen Fitzmas yet.
Posted by: Antifa | Oct 29 2005 18:24 utc | 8
I’m glad to read this about Rove still being in big legal doo doo! That was my hunch, too. But I always check in here (Billmon) and Moon over Alabama to see what ya’ll think. And I’m real glad to hear I “ain’t seen Fitzmas yet!”
Posted by: Gabby | Oct 29 2005 19:01 utc | 9
your 02 cents worth, outraged, looks to me 98 % right on.
Posted by: anna missed | Oct 29 2005 20:15 utc | 10
If Outraged is saying wait and see….. yeah, 98% right!
Posted by: Soandso | Oct 29 2005 20:32 utc | 11
Also, the fact that it was Libby who ferreted out the info on Plame signifies nothing. Scooter committed no crimes in asking; his contacts committed no crimes in telling.
People keep saying this, but I don’t think it’s necessarily true. Access to classified information requires both clearance and the “need to know”.
I’m no expert, but I did have a secret clearance once. It was more than 20 years ago, but our instructions in regard to that “need to know” bit were emphatic enough that I still remember.
Posted by: synykyl | Oct 29 2005 20:50 utc | 12
outraged
you have temperd a little my intemperate soul
Posted by: remembereringgiap | Oct 30 2005 0:45 utc | 13
After a good nights sleep and 24 hours of sobriety, I’ve came to the conclusion that although the lack of indictment(s) regarding Agee and the Espionage Act is disappointing — fuckin’ disappointing — I can at least see (and admire) why Fitz held back. Perhaps he believes that with national security being a serious nature, someone in his power wouldn’t be wise to gamble the farm on those charges sticking when the smarmy bastards indicted under them go to trial where such a pesky thing as “reasonable doubt” could send it all up in smoke.
Fitz seems to prefer an air tight open-and-shut case and slapping on Agee/Espionage indictments is not worth the risk because as they say “Perception is reality” and if a jury fails to convict any of Shrub’s fedayeen of those counts, there’s that perception that those laws were “cheapened” by prosecutors being so willy-nilly with them (and I don’t beleive for a moment Fitz wants to give the GOP any Talking Points).
He wants “Gottum!” and not “kinda gottum!”