CIA leak prosecutor says he needs to continue probe

CNN ^ | 11-18-05

[STARWISE]

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Special Counsel Patrick Fitzgerald said he will have to bring more information before a new grand jury in the CIA leak probe, adding that his work is not complete.

In a new court filing, Fitzgerald said sensitive information from his investigation still needs to be protected, especially since proceedings will involve a different jury than the one that indicted former Lewis Libby, chief of staff for Vice President Dick Cheney.

The panel hearing that part of the inquiry expired that day.

Fitzgerald does not say that new charges definitely will be brought. Instead, the filing discusses what rules govern disclosure of information to the media regarding evidence in the case against Libby.

More at link.

[STARWISE]

Hmmm .. how does the Woodward wrinkle skew the assumptions? No telling the reaches and discoveries of a new Grand Jury. Just when the Dims thought they could use Libby for target practice ad nauseum and fuel their shameless attacks. Anyone know how close Russert is to Woodward?

[Parley Baer]

I can't wait for Libby's lawyers to put the MSM and the Wilson's on the stand. Chances are it won't get that far.

[Mount Athos]

From NR's "The Corner", a tidbit written by John Podhoretz:

The new Fitzgerald grand jury has everybody buzzing. Clearly the prosecutor wants and needs to check out the meaning of the revelation that Bob Woodward was the first reporter to have been told about Valerie Plame's CIA employment. People in DC are focused on the identity of Woodward's government source -- but maybe they should be looking somewhere else.

One person who might conceivably be in some jeopardy is Woodward's own colleague, Walter Pincus. Pincus testified before Fitzgerald's grand jury last year about his government source for his stories. Woodward now says he told Pincus about Plame some time in mid-June. Pincus says he doesn't remember that.

Which is what Pincus has to say. Because if Pincus acknowledged remembering Woodward's words, he would (one presumes) be admitting to having perjured himself before the grand jury. Fitzgerald will presumably not indict Pincus based on Woodward's words alone (that would be a he-said-she-said situation, and there's no way of proving Pincus knew).

But if Fitzgerald now subpoenas a whole bunch of new executive-branch officials who never testified before -- including some people at State and CIA -- he will surely be doing so to find out whether Pincus spoke to them, and whether Plame's name came up. He might also want to see Pincus's contemporaneous notes, which he did not insist on in the first place.

Fitzgerald indicted Scooter Libby for supposedly lying to his grand jury. Why should Walter Pincus be held to a lesser standard?

[msnimje]

Fitzgerald went on to say, "We will have to bring the Special Prosecutor in this case before the new grand Jury to answer charges of incompetence I will be bringing against myself, er, I mean, him."

[Southack]

"how does the Woodward wrinkle skew the assumptions? No telling the reaches and discoveries of a new Grand Jury. Just when the Dims thought they could use Libby for target practice ad nauseum and fuel their shameless attacks."

Woodward's "disclosure" was designed to re-open the leak probe simply because Democrats are unhappy with only Libby being indicted.

[msnimje]

Woodward is no friend on the Democrats. He is a hero to a previous generation of Democrats, but not this crop of loons.

[Republican Red]

From NRO: http://corner.nationalreview.com/

IS WALTER PINCUS IN TROUBLE? [John Podhoretz]
The new Fitzgerald grand jury has everybody buzzing. Clearly the prosecutor wants and needs to check out the meaning of the revelation that Bob Woodward was the first reporter to have been told about Valerie Plame's CIA employment. People in DC are focused on the identity of Woodward's government source -- but maybe they should be looking somewhere else.

One person who might conceivably be in some jeopardy is Woodward's own colleague, Walter Pincus. Pincus testified before Fitzgerald's grand jury last year about his government source for his stories. Woodward now says he told Pincus about Plame some time in mid-June. Pincus says he doesn't remember that.

Which is what Pincus has to say. Because if Pincus acknowledged remembering Woodward's words, he would (one presumes) be admitting to having perjured himself before the grand jury. Fitzgerald will presumably not indict Pincus based on Woodward's words alone (that would be a he-said-she-said situation, and there's no way of proving Pincus knew).

But if Fitzgerald now subpoenas a whole bunch of new executive-branch officials who never testified before -- including some people at State and CIA -- he will surely be doing so to find out whether Pincus spoke to them, and whether Plame's name came up. He might also want to see Pincus's contemporaneous notes, which he did not insist on in the first place.

Fitzgerald indicted Scooter Libby for supposedly lying to his grand jury. Why should Walter Pincus be held to a lesser standard

[taxesareforever]

adding that his work is not complete.

Of course his work is not complete. He hasn't fingered Cheney or Rove for anything yet. Just give him a few more million dollars to continue and another 3 years and he just might find where they used a wrong word and then he will go YESSSSSSSSS! and put up a charge of a lie. Sound familiar Mr.Libby?

[JennysCool]

Valerie
Plame
Ain't
Worth
It!

She was about as "covert" as the receptionist in your optometrist's office.

[TCats]

"CIA leak prosecutor says he needs to continue probe"

He must have decided he needs an addition on his vacation home or needs a little more for his kid's Ivy League Tuition Fund. These things have a way of dragging on when the Prosecutor is paid well and given a free reign re: When to stop.

[fantom]

Right . i bungled the job. i need a do over. this is pathetic. even most of the great unwashed will see through this. maybe he can go before the cameras and blame bush for his screw ups. all for a none crime. does he not know how foolish he looks. among other things libbys guys can scream out of control investigation. that will sell.

[wildbill]

Instead, the filing discusses what rules govern disclosure of information to the media regarding evidence in the case against Libby"

Maybe Fitzgerald means to investigate his own staff for leaking info to the media regarding evidence. Who else would have that information--and there's no doubt that some leaking went on.

[FlingWingFlyer]

If he wants to continue the "probe," he can start by dropping all his phoney baloney charges against Libby.

[STARWISE]

LOL ... and probably less professional.

[STARWISE]

I've never understood why he was so gentle with Pincus, allowing him to keep his source secret from the public to protect his "journalistic" (used advisedly) integrity. He kinda was soft with Pincus. Why??

[RAldrich]

No more Eliot Ness. Now Inspector Clouseau.

[STARWISE]

Hi Mods .. I think this deserves to be in Breaking News, as it begins a new Grand Jury investigation with possibly a whole new cast of characters and outcomes. I put this in Breaking, but now it seems gone. Was it removed? Many thanks for ALL you do, and

Have a sip ;)

[stylin19a]

Hey Fitz...which is it ? Continue ?
or this:

"The special prosecutor investigating whether any Bush administration official may have violated federal law by leaking the identity of CIA officer Valerie Plame to columnist Robert Novak recently informed a federal court that his investigation has been “for all practical purposes complete” since October 2004.

Fitzgerald, who is also the United States attorney in Chicago, asserted in the federal court filing: “By October 2004, the factual investigation that might result from such testimony was for all practical purposes complete. The investigation has since been stalled by contemnors’ refusal to comply with an order to testify. The public’s right to have this investigation concluded diligently should be delayed no further.”

[conservativecorner]

Fitzy is more full of shit than a Christmas Turkey!