Posted on 09/08/2005 12:47:23 PM PDT by SolidSupplySide
WASHINGTON - New York Times reporter Judith Miller, locked up for refusing to reveal who told her a covert CIA operative‘s name in a probe that may be nearing a conclusion, works part time at the jail laundry helping clean fellow inmates‘ green jumpsuits and dirty linens.
Between shifts at the laundry, Miller works at the library on a card catalog of the jail‘s books, said attorney Floyd Abrams, offering new details about Miller‘s life behind bars after meeting with her on Wednesday.
Abrams, who represents The New York Times, said Miller was "safe" but that conditions in jail were "grim."
This week Miller marked two months -- 65 days as of Thursday -- at the Alexandria Detention Center just outside Washington for refusing to testify to a grand jury trying to determine who in the Bush administration leaked CIA operative Valerie Plame‘s identity.
Abrams said Miller remained "resolute" and would not reveal her confidential source to a grand jury in the case, which could shake up an administration already reeling from criticism over its response to Hurricane Katrina. The probe has ensnarled President George W. Bush President George W. Bush‘s top political adviser, Karl Rove.
But lawyers close to the investigation say there are signs that the 20-month-long inquiry could be wrapped up within weeks in a final flurry of negotiations and legal maneuvering.
Asked if talks were under way with special counsel Patrick Fitzgerald, a Justice Department prosecutor, to secure Miller‘s testimony and release, Abrams said: "If there are any discussions, they would be private."
"She is there (in jail) for a reason. At this time, the reason is still there. She made a promise and, unless properly released from her promise by her source, she has no choice but to continue to take the position that she‘s taking," Abrams said.
He declined comment when asked if Miller, who was sent to jail on July 6 though she never wrote an article about the Plame matter, had reached out anew to her source for a clear release from confidentiality that would allow her to testify.
Attorney Theodore Boutrous, who represents Time magazine and its reporter, Matthew Cooper, said Miller‘s "standoff" with Fitzgerald may be coming to a head.
"Either Fitzgerald still needs Miller or he doesn‘t," Boutrous said. "It‘s who blinks first. ... You would think something needs to happen soon, one way or another."
Unlike Miller, Cooper avoided jail by agreeing to testify after saying he received the "express personal consent" of his source to reveal his identity. The first person to tell him about Plame was Rove, Cooper said.
Plame‘s husband, former diplomat Joseph Wilson, said the leak was meant to discredit him for criticizing Bush‘s Iraq policy in 2003 after a CIA-funded trip to investigate whether Niger helped supply nuclear materials to Baghdad.
Several lawyers involved in the case say Fitzgerald was likely to wrap up his inquiry this fall, if not sooner, though they say they have not heard from his office in weeks.
The outcome could have political implications for Bush, whose approval ratings are already the lowest of his presidency.
After initially promising to fire anyone found to have leaked information in the case, Bush in July offered a more qualified pledge: "If someone committed a crime they will no longer work in my administration."
Prominent Democrats have called on Bush to fire Rove, the architect of his two presidential election victories and now his deputy chief of staff, or block his access to classified information.
Rove‘s attorneys said Rove did nothing wrong and has been repeatedly assured he is not a target of Fitzgerald‘s investigation.
When Miller was jailed, chief U.S. District Judge Thomas Hogan said she must stay there until she agreed to testify or for the rest of the grand jury‘s term, which lasts into October.
But if no deal is reached, lawyers say, Fitzgerald could step up pressure by threatening Miller with a longer sentence. Miller‘s attorneys, in turn, could argue she has no intention of testifying and that her continued incarceration is of little consequence to Fitzgerald‘s case since others have revealed their sources.
LIVING A FLOOR BELOW MOUSSAOUI
An investigative reporter who covers national security and foreign policy issues, Miller is one of about 440 inmates at the Alexandria Detention Center, according to its spokesman, Capt. Tony Davis.
Miller has been in a U.S. jail longer than any other newspaper journalist to protect a source, according to Abrams. The previous record-holder, he said, was a journalist from The Los Angeles Times who served for 48 days.
The Alexandria facility where Miller is being held has housed some of the nation‘s most notorious spies and terror suspects. One floor above Miller‘s cell is Zacarias Moussaoui, the only person convicted in connection with the September 11, 2001, attacks.
Like other inmates, Miller has a small cell, which gets some natural light through a window and is "locked down" for the night at about 11:00 p.m. The cell is equipped with a toilet, a sink and a bed.
Davis declined to discuss Miller‘s daily routine. Speaking generally, he said, inmates assigned to laundry detail help wash jail linens and blankets, as well as green jumpsuits marked with the word "PRISONER."
No, evidently you are.
Crikey! The Bush administration is not reeling, mate!
Judith Miller is no longer protecting a source, she is probably protecting herself. She probably made some lucky connections of dots and is in fact the origin of the story herself. She can't give the name of her informant because there probably isn't one.
As I understand her position--The President ordered all his staff to sign waivers and , thus, she doesn't think the waiver she got was freely given.
That's a dodge; Rove has been plain about what he said; and it didn't have anything to do with Bush.
Miller has said that she will not talk, because she "feels" that the permission to state her source, was given under duress. It is impossible to believe that Karl Rove gave his permission "under duress"! Ergo, Judith is 1) lying 2) has another source/s 3) it is NOT Karl Rove.
How does Adam Entous know that?! I thought the investigation was still ongoing. Maybe no one in the Bush administration leaked it. Since most people in DC already knew it because of her loud mouth husband.
Thank you,
Jesse Jackson
Just came across a Slate article about Rehnquist and a problem he had ( before he became Chief Justice ) with a prescribed medication ....maybe they will do some digging on that one....course that wouldn't seem to hurt President Bush any. Maybe they could some how tie it to the Roberts confirmation......they are that desperate it seems to me.
"As I understand her position--The President ordered all his staff to sign waivers and , thus, she doesn't think the waiver she got was freely given."
I don't buy that.
Comedy gold.
When she gets out of jail she's gonna be hailed as the patron saint of Journalists by the NY Times.
"Horseface" wasnt catchy enough
Thank you for the ping.
I am curious who reads the Brisbane's News? Sure seems strange that an American story regarding something leaked about the CIA, a special prosecutor probe and a reporter willing to do jail time would be relevant to Australia.
Does the word "grim." mean something specific to somebody specific?? Then "resolute".
Wonder who the lawyers are close to the investigation are".
Miller's lawyer Abrams says "She is there (in jail) for a reason. At this time the reason still exists..."
Is somebody sending a message or signal to somebody?
Hillary spokesweevil answer: It was a five year climb and the Rodhams were optimistic about the outcome. Yeah that's the ticket.
"She made a promise and, unless properly released from her promise
Properly released. Yes, I've read through the thread in re "Properly Released".
Properly Released
This tells me, that the "proper release" has nothing to do with Karl Rove's "permission". That her "source" has not done the same thing that Karl Rove did.
Or that Miller's Lawyers are doing some negotiating with the "Proper Release" source. What's she asking for in return for the "Proper Release"? ?
"So Judith Miller is in jail protecting the Bush administration?..Yeah, right.."
Yes, this brave woman is refusing to reveal that the evil Karl Rove and the dumb GW were her sources and that both of these evil men were secret employees of Haliburton.
I do. At your service, mate.
[That was said with a southern drawl and not an Aussie accent. Actually, I saw this in a google news search on an unrelated topic.]
This is the key graph. Abrams is the NYT attorney. If Miller wasn't in discussions with SP Fitzgerald, Abrams would have given a blanket denial. Instead, Abrams gave this mealy-mouthed response that actually hints at such discussions.
Take it to the bank that Miller and Fitzgerald are talking.
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