[demlosers]

OK, at the possibility of sounding ignorant. How can Fitzgerald charge anyone without establishing that Plame was/is an undercover CIA agent actively engaged in an intelligence operation? Doesn't Fitzgerald have to prove that the 'US undercover operation law' has been violated before he can level charges at anyone?

Hello...?

[Howlin]

Good question.

[Perdogg]

He has to prove more than that. He has to prove BRD that it was done knowningly.

[counterpunch]

OK, at the possibility of sounding ignorant. How can Fitzgerald charge anyone without establishing that Plame was/is an undercover CIA agent actively engaged in an intelligence operation? Doesn't Fitzgerald have to prove that the 'US undercover operation law' has been violated before he can level charges at anyone?

No, because now its the alleged cover-up of the non-crime that is the crime. The original investigation is irrelevant. It's sort of like Tom DeLay's "conspiracy" to commit a non-crime. The government has laws to make sure they can lock anyone up that they want to.

[carl in alaska]

Well I believe a person can commit a crime by lying to prosecutors or investigators during an investigation of something that was not a crime. People sometimes create a crime by lying about something that wasn't even illegal.

That said, I find it really hard to believe that Rove or Libby would lie to prosecutors or obstruct justice in this investigation, which is an investigation of a leak that wasn't illegal because Ms. Wilson was not a covert agent. If Rove or Libby actually committed perjury or obstructed justice in this investigation, then they have acted very stupidly and gotten themselves into trouble they could easily have avoided. But again, I strongly doubt they lied or obstructed justice. I don't know much about Fitzgerald, so maybe he will indict somebody if he's a publicity-hungry egomaniac. I know little about him, but I would hope that AG Gonzalez could stop him from making any phony or overzealous indictments.