Posted on 10/26/2005 9:36:57 AM PDT by West Coast Conservative
A special prosecutor who has spent nearly two years investigating the leak of a CIA agent's identity is not expected to announce his long-awaited conclusions on Wednesday.
Sources told FOX News that no indictments or other legal action were expected just yet by the federal grand jury investigating the leak.
Patrick Fitzgerald, the U.S. attorney in Chicago, was making his final presentation to the 18-member grand jury on Wednesday. The jury's term expires on Friday.
Meanwhile, the White House was attempting to go about its normal business, albeit under a very dark cloud: two top aides, I. Lewis "Scooter" Libby and Karl Rove, are at the center of the probe, and on Tuesday lawyers involved in the case revealed Vice President Dick Cheney may have tipped off Libby, his chief of staff, to the agent's identity.
Fitzgerald and the grand jury convened at the U.S. District Courthouse at 9 a.m. EDT, just two days before the jury's term is set to expire. Until then, when they decide to announce their findings is entirely at their discretion. Fitzgerald also has the option to extend the grand jury's term.
On Tuesday, investigators interviewed neighbors of the woman at the heart of the case, Valerie Plame. Marc Lefkowitz, who lives across the street from Plame, was interviewed by two FBI agents who arrived at his house without notice, his wife told FOX News. Lefkowitz was asked if he knew that Plame worked for the CIA before her name appeared in a July 14, 2003, column by Robert Novak.
Lefkowitz's wife told FOX News that she and her husband believed Plame was "some kind of consultant," and did not know she worked for the CIA.
(Excerpt) Read more at foxnews.com ...
How are you so sure that a desk jockey like Valerie Plame would be above Top Secret? After all, she apparently didn't hide the fact that she worked for the CIA from her neighbors. You don't handle classified information like that if you work for the CIA and have to take those lie detector tests every few years. How would you like to be good old Valerie and be asked: "Have you ever mentioned to any of your neighbors that you worked for the agency?". The needle would jump off the chart on that one.
So I'm betting you are wrong. It's classified info but it isn't the Manhattan Project either.
Just came back from a run...
He can amend, rescind, or write another EO to cover his actions making it legal - dotting the 'i's and crossing the 't's so to speak.
The distinction is between what should be political suicide and what is legal.
Lets use our "favorite" president Clinton as an example:
Clinton loosened the security in Energy Department where our nuclear secret where most likely stolen by Red China. Clinton exported missile technology to Red China via Bernard Schwartz & Loral Space by letting the Commerce Department decide what is and what is not sensitive, national security technology which can be exported to foreign powers. All legal but what I consider is treasonous action by the president - and all legal.
During Clinton's impeachment Ken Starr should have included charges to Congress that Clinton directly put the US in the future danger by nuclear strike. As we know, impeachment is not a criminal proceeding but an attempt to remove a sitting president because the impeachers believe he has committed acts that Congress disagrees with.
There may be a political price to pay for declassifying info, but it's legal for the president.
Like to stay and chat but I've got to go ...until this evening. :)
This just in:
In hushed tones, the radio news guy said counsel is meeting with the judge. He could ask for an extension or a brand new grand jury.
I think an extension would be a good news for liberals, as they are hoping for more out of this.
There isn't ONE neighbor who will tell the truth? I keep hearing that her identity was an open secret, but nobody is verifying it.
"...Your Honor, I am deeply sorry that so much of the court's time was wasted pursuing these frivolous charges; as you know, Friday is our last day, and I wanted you to know first that no indictments would be forthcoming. By the way, can I pencil you in for 18 next Wednesday morning?"
If you know post #76, I said that the identiy of a covert agent would be above TS. It is a life and death matter as Ames demonstrated. There is some dispute as to the status of Plame, so it depends on what her status was at the time.
After all, she apparently didn't hide the fact that she worked for the CIA from her neighbors.
Latest reports indicate that her neighbors deny knowing that she worked for the Agency.
You don't handle classified information like that if you work for the CIA and have to take those lie detector tests every few years. How would you like to be good old Valerie and be asked: "Have you ever mentioned to any of your neighbors that you worked for the agency?". The needle would jump off the chart on that one.
If you are asked that question.
So I'm betting you are wrong. It's classified info but it isn't the Manhattan Project either.
I wouldn't bet if I were you.
As I mentioned previously, you would have to be a fool to admit that you knew her identity. Who wants to be drawn into protracted legal proceedings and asked to testify?
Please read the entire EO and then we'll discuss.
Which means what he REALLY is is a political whore.
You would have to be a fool NOT to admit it, if the Feds are asking the question.
>>>Th news is There is no news?..........This is news?............
The media is trying to force an indictment by talking about it as if it is a done deal. That's what all the noise is, they want to pressure Fitz into the indictment mode.
patent
"I'm NOT afraid of witches!"
"I'm NOT afraid of witches!"
"I'm NOT afraid of witches!"
"I'm NOT afraid of witches!"
"I'm NOT afraid of witches!"
"I'm NOT afraid of witches!"
Cowardly Lion in Wizard of Oz..........
And how would the Feds prove that you knew?
The same way they prove lots of things...........by interviewing anyone you've ever spoken to in your life, looking at telephone and internet records, etc. The point is, as it always is with these types of investigations, you don't know what info the Feds already have when they question you. Just ask Martha Stewart.
I doubt Libby was concerned about Wilson's loony rantings at all- it's just that reporters seem to have kept asking various people about Wilson during conversations about more important- and unrelated- matters.
>>>Wizard of Oz..........
Yep.
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