Fitzgerald Brings New Legal Standard to D.C.

NewsMax.com ^ | Oct. 27, 2005 | Carl Limbacher

[Carl/NewsMax]

For better or worse, Leakgate Special Counsel Patrick Fitzgerald has brought a new legal standard to Washington, D.C. - where he is said to be readying indictments against top White House officials based on false statements they made to investigators about a crime that may have never happened.

Though such a prosecution by Fitzgerald could certainly be legally justified, allegations similar to those currently under consideration for indictment - as well as other potential crimes that are far more serious - were seldom if ever prosecuted during the 1990s.

Here's a short list of potential criminal violations for which prosecutors decided not to file indictments during the Clinton administration.

• Lying under oath to a federal judge - a crime U.S. District Court Judge Susan Webber Wright determined that President Clinton committed in the Paula Jones sexual harasssment case. Legal resolution: No criminal indictment.

• Lying under oath to a federal grand jury - as Independent Counsel Ken Starr found President Clinton had done in the Monica Lewinsky investigation. Legal resolution: No criminal indictment.

• Lying under oath both to Congress and to federal investigators - as Independent Counsel Robert Ray concluded that Mrs. Clinton had done in the Travel Office probe. Legal resolution: No indictment

• Hiding evidence from Starr's Whitewater investigation - as the Senate Banking Committee concluded Mrs. Clinton did in the case of her missing Rose Law firm billing records. Legal resolution: No criminal referral, no indictments.

• Trading presidential pardons for finanical contributions - which President Clinton allegedly did in the Pardongate case. Legal resolution: No indictments.

• Trading presidential clemency for votes in a federal election - as President Clinton allegedly did with village elders in New Square, NY - which backed Mrs. Clinton's 2000 Senate candidacy 1400 to 12. Legal resolution: No indictments.

• Nuclear missile guidance technology allegedly traded by the Clinton adminsitration to China in exchange for campaign contributions. Legal resolution: No indictments.

• The Illegal gathering of confidential FBI files on political opponents - as the Clinton White House did in the Filegate case. Legal resolution: No indictments.

• Misusing the IRS to audit political opponents - as the White House allegedly did with numerous conservative organizations, as well as with witnesses against the Clintons. Legal resolution: No indictments.

• Hiring private detectives to intimidate and/or smear potential witnesses in the Starr investigation. Legal resolution: No indictments.

• Illegally leaking Linda Tripp's confidential personnel file to the press. Legal resolution: No indictments.

Too bad Patrick Fitzgerald was otherwise engaged when all of the above transpired.

[Allen H]

Yeah really. Might they be staying on and not resigning because they know that haven't done a flipping thing wrong? I sure believe that's the case. If they know this is a joke, and they are innocent, I hope they refuse to resign, stating clearly that they have committed no wrong doing, and they will continue to do their jobs for Bush and Cheney, until they are acquitted of the bogus charges, and proven innocent.

[clawrence3]

Well, if that's the truth, don't you think that will come out in the defense case (short of Presidential pardons that is)?

[Para-Ord.45]

First person I call as a witness,

Joe Wilson himself.

[RoseofTexas]

"the bushies were naive idiots !they did not clean house
during ashcrofts reign or in the cia or state dept .
they were set up by clinton holdovers."

Unfortunately THIS president was dealt a harsher presidential term. NO sitting president has been hit with ordeals from every which way. Balancing the country, a war, a traitorous RAT party, and anti-American media establishment, and worst off a spineless pub senators along with the rest of the world's hatred,etc, etc, is enough to make you run under the bed and NEVER come out. So before we bash the prez, try walking in his shoes for one day. GOD BLESS AND FAVOR OUR PRESIDENT in these horrible times of testing!

[Allen H]

The liberals think they're so clever, doing to the Bush administration and DeLay, what "we" did to the clinton administration. Except, the clinton administration was guilty. And the Bush administration hasn't broken any laws. Although, to a liberal, being a conservative and defeating democrats is a crime. Just because they say it is, that doesn't make it so.

This below can now apply to Rove and Libby and the whole conservative movement. Being conservative is NOT a crime! And it will NOT be criminalized!

[Txsleuth]

You and me both, brutha!!!

[clawrence3]

I hadn't heard anywhere that either Wilson or Plame testified before the Grand Jury.

[Allen H]

Right on! That's the bottom dollar right there.

Joe Wilson - Liar

and to boot...

Valerie Plame - Outted as CIA agent as early as 1999, and you can't leak in 2003 what's already on the floor in 1999.

[Allen H]

Indeed. Great post.

[Allen H]

The "SPY" liscense plate that Plame has/had was mentioned yesterday on Rush and/or Hannity yesterday, and has been mentioned other times, like her and Wilson being on the Canity Fare cover, her algore donation using her real name and listing her occupation as CIA Covert Agent, and her being listed in the 1999 Who's Who list and having close ties to Joe Wilson. Given all that, any one who argues she was at all covert is a fool. Especailly since according to the CIA itself, she had not been a covert agent since 1998 at the latest, five full years before Rove or Libby supposedly outed her, and since she was not covert, and it was no secret to anyone that knew her or knew of her, that she was a CIA employee, it was impossible to out her, because she wasn't doing anything that could be outed.

[Allen H]

Yer welcome. 8) When I first heard that it really made my eyes big. I mean, she had that plate before Bush was even President, and now Rove and Libby are possibly giong to be indicted for "outing" her covert CIA status. What, did they sneak that plate on her car while clinton was still president, and the dumb broad didn't even know it. I question her qualifications to even work at the CIA. She looks and acts like a hussie barbie doll not a serious covert agent. But then that's what I'd expect from the feel good administration of the 90s.

[Jack Black]

that Vanity Fare,the Vanity photo spread

the 1999 Who's Who list, I believe it merely said she was the wife of Wilson and her madien name was Plame.

her "SPY" liscense plate, I think this was a artists creation for the above mentioned photo spread

2000 donation to Gore which said she's a Covert CIA agency etc. This would be devistating and is in the public record.

If this pops we need to get more serious about a Wilson/Plame 'downside legacy' type posting very verified footnoted facts for all the lazy reporters out there.

[Jack Black]

The Vanity Faire article was written and published after the outing.

[SalukiLawyer]

Prosecutors prosecute. There will be indictments.

[Allen H]

"Well, likely you wouldn't have heard it as the only leaks are anti Rove and Libby - you do know don't you that Fitz called Wilson the day Judy got out of jail...now why would he do that? And Wilson gave this info out all by himself in an interview but refused to say why he was called..."

I just now caught that post of yours. GOOD GRIEF! That speaks volumes. But all the media talks about is Rove and Libby. That little factoid smacks of the implication that wilson himself was millers source and HE is who should be indicted. There is so much of this garbage we're just flooded with it. Information overload, and it all smacks of yet another liberal hit on Conservatives for being conservative.

[AmishDude]

Coulter may feel as if her testicles are larger than usual these days, but the fact is that if that were the case, the withdrawl would have been timed to coincide with the with the announcements of the indictments.

Remember that it is 7:15 EST on Thursday and the whole shebang ends in less than 20 hours. It would be unusual to announce them on the last day, unable to correct even the smallest of errors. I have heard it said that it is Fitz' style to let the GJ time out.

The fact is, nobody knows, but Coulter's logic is poor here.