How come there is no federal criminal investigation into the CBS memos?

Citizen Journal ^ | 9/23/04 | Lokisfur

[Fast1]

That is disturbing!

[etradervic]

If it is not prosecuted, it will definitely be repeated.

[teletech]

I have been wondering about this too. Maybe there IS an investigation.

[Gibtx]

i think it is up to the state to do this. the AT of texas is the responsible adult in this case.

[Paleo Conservative]

How do you know there isn't one?

[mojito]

And where is the criminal investigation by the Texas Attorney General's office?

[Steven W.]

These memos were FABRICATED not "forged" - their content is fake & phony whereas a forgery is presumably a replication of something real. A good point from Hitchens last night.

[Revolting cat!]

Revolutionary woman Mary Mapes may be able to answer that. (One of her motivations for going into, uhm, journalism.) Short answer: because journalists are almost never prosecuted and jailed. Even less often than politicians.

[uncbob]

For the same reason Sandy Berger isn't being grilled or arrested

GOP are scared of the MSM

[uvular]

Would not be surprised if there is a quiet investigation going on now.

A lady called and asked Rush about the investigation status of Sandy 'OopsIFilledMyPants' Berger. Rush opined that no further action will be taken until after the election. Annoying, but probably true in both cases.

[usurper]

Any legal action brought forward by the government before the election will be discounted as politically motivated.

The Justice Department was no part in political fights. It would be a circus.

[sinkspur]

It is a political season. The minute Ashcroft steps out on stage, he becomes the issue, not CBS. There's no rush. Let Thornburgh and Boccardi do their investigation, then deal with it after the election.

[trashcanbred]

From what I gathered almost any state can start an investigation... any state that aired the CBS piece. However there is a good chance that Texas will start something or already has been doing some legwork in this.

[Kenny500c]

Because it would seem political, make Rather a victim, fighting for the freedom of the press. Hopefully, after the election something will be done.

[koolaidsmile]

These memos were FABRICATED not "forged" - their content is fake & phony whereas a forgery is presumably a replication of something real.

Ah, but the signature on them was forged.

[Chode]

the memos were fabrications, but... the signatures were forgery so i think both apply

[Jersey Republican Biker Chick]

I agree, and if they think the heat is off maybe they will be stupid enough to try something again. More fuel for after the election.

[QwertyKPH]

its not worth prosecuting. Just let the free market do its magic. Remember this: Rather has an enormous ego. Just knowing he's been discgraced is fitting justice as he wastes away into obscurity. His reporting towards the end of his career is well known to be just reading news gathered and produced by others. He's got to know he's reduced his impact to a mere footnote in history.

In the long run, history will remember Bush as a true gentleman leader with commitment to a vision of expanding freedom and liberty. Dan Rather will be remembered as a very small and shallow personality at best.

[Lady Heron]

Dems would have investigations going of this, the Sandy Berger case, the stuff that went on in the CIA with Plame's husband and the memos in the Senate. They would then use any legal action taken for years to come to present Republicans in a bad light, can we say Nixon or Iran Contra.

It is time the Republicans got serious about the laws of the land and not let the democrats get away with this stuff any longer.