Posted on 10/20/2005 7:14:44 PM PDT by Pikamax
Cover-Up Issue Is Seen as Focus in Leak Inquiry By DAVID JOHNSTON
WASHINGTON, Oct. 20 - As he weighs whether to bring criminal charges in the C.I.A. leak case, Patrick J. Fitzgerald, the special counsel, is focusing on whether Karl Rove, the senior White House adviser, and I. Lewis Libby Jr., chief of staff for Vice President Dick Cheney, sought to conceal their actions and mislead prosecutors, lawyers involved in the case said Thursday.
Among the charges that Mr. Fitzgerald is considering are perjury, obstruction of justice and false statement - counts that suggest the prosecutor may believe the evidence presented in a 22-month grand jury inquiry shows that the two White House aides sought to cover up their actions, the lawyers said.
Mr. Rove and Mr. Libby have been advised that they may be in serious legal jeopardy, the lawyers said, but only this week has Mr. Fitzgerald begun to narrow the possible charges. The prosecutor has said he will not make up his mind about any charges until next week, government officials say.
With the term of the grand jury expiring in one week, though, some lawyers in the case said they were persuaded that Mr. Fitzgerald had all but made up his mind to seek indictments. None of the lawyers would speak on the record, citing the prosecutor's requests not to talk about the case.
(Excerpt) Read more at nytimes.com ...
NBC Today reports that Rove and Libby were "comparing notes about what they were hearing from reporters" before Novak first exposed CIA officer Valerie Plame's cover in an article on July 14, 2003.
Sources close to the investigation say Rove told Libby that he learned about Plame from Novak and Libby told Rove that he learned about Plame from Tim Russert.
The Rove-Libby contacts were confirmed to The Associated Press by people directly familiar with testimony the two witnesses gave or were shown before the grand jury. All spoke solely on condition of anonymity because of the secrecy of the proceedings.
WE NEED AN INVESTIGATION INTO WHO IS LEAKING GJ INFORMATION!!!
Libby's lawyer, Joseph Tate, did not return repeated phone calls this week seeking comment.
Hello McGavin999
Ask Tom DeLay.
The prosecutor has said he will not make up his mind about any charges until next week
This whole thing about his "making up his mind" next week...what's with that? Does he have a case or not? After TWO YEARS, one would think the prosecutor would know whether or not a crime has been committed. THERE WAS NO CRIME! And perhaps he should start going after the lawyers who are leaking grand jury information??? Does anyone see how ironic it is that the prosecutor is trying to indict people for LEAKING yet his own office and lawyers in the case are apparently LEAKING illegally?
As much as I loathe Lawrence Liar, Liar, O'Donnell, he had something instructive to say on Tucker Carlson show a few minutes ago.
He explained how Fitzgerald could go after indictments for "lying to an FBI agent", which is separate from "perjury". Both are crimes punishable by law. "lying to an FBI agent" is what got Martha Stewart sent to jail.
of course, isn't it ridiculous? this whole GJ process in this country is in need of massive reform.
what a collossal waste of time and money.fitzgerald has lost his way and is rollicking around wonderland.
vaudine
"I think stories like this have been manufactured so the Dems can claim Fitzgerald pulled his punches when he closes out his investigation without bringing charges. Notice they floated the "Report/Firestorm" balloon early in the week. We saw how far that one got."
Chrissy Matthews has been doing this every night for the past 2-3 weeks. Literally, he is devoting his whole show to this subject, and when his show ends, Keith Olbermann picks up where Chrissy leaves off. The whole idea is to make this whole Plame issue appear as tawdry, rotten, scheming, and vile as possible, to paint the Bush Admin as corrupt, and try to shame Fitzgerald into indicting one or more of the Bush Admin higher-ups, and if he doesn't, the MSM will claim that Fitzgerald pulled his punches because he is pro-Bush, and/or really a Pub, and/or that he wasted the taxpayers' dollars for the past two years on nothing, and doesn't even issue a report. If Fitz doesn't indict anyone, the MSM will go after him viciously, like Pirhana fish.
Then only way Fitz can trump all this is to indict one of the MSM. That's the only thing that will momentarily shut them up and put the lie to all of their ravings. Preferably, Fitz would indict more than one of the MSM, to doubly shut them up. Of course, at some point they will howl again, as one or more of their own was gored, but that wouldn't stop the great pleasure the Bush Admin and all of their supporters would get by seeing the MSM nailed, as they should be, along with Wilson and his wife Plame, who should be fingered also, along with some CIA turncoats.
bttt
One can dream. One can dream.
ah, go ahead and just say it...they have nothing else to work with so they are manufacturing the "appearance of deceit".
'Then only way Fitz can trump all this is to indict one of the MSM. That's the only thing that will momentarily shut them up and put the lie to all of their ravings. Preferably, Fitz would indict more than one of the MSM, to doubly shut them up. Of course, at some point they will howl again, as one or more of their own was gored, but that wouldn't stop the great pleasure the Bush Admin and all of their supporters would get by seeing the MSM nailed, as they should be, along with Wilson and his wife Plame, who should be fingered also, along with some CIA turncoats.'
GREAT WORK.
I know the NYT had a big headline along side this one about Able Danger, right?
Does anybody besides the MSM give a crap about Valerie Plame?
This whole thing is a fishing expedition.
"Anything else is speculation unless Fitzgeralds boys are leaking as a sieve and then an investigation needs to be made into that."
While Fitz's boys could be leaking, it's my understanding that they are sworn to secrecy; however, I think that witnesses before the GJ may speak if they like, and, I could be wrong on this part, I seem to recall reading that the witnesses' lawyers can speak. If that's the case, then maybe it's Judith Miller's, Matt Cooper's, or Tim Russert's, Pincus' or any of the other lawyers that are leaking.
"The prosecutor has said he will not make up his mind about any charges until next week "
Letting the liberal press have their orgasms until the very end. And then...
Pop!
Bingo.
LOL! Hello YaYa :o)
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