Fitzgerald Documents on his Website

Office of Special Counsel ^ | Oct. 28, 2005 | Patrick J. Fitzegerald

[FairOpinion]

THIS IS THE ACTUAL WEBSITE OF the Office of Special Counsel, Patrick Fitzegerald, with all the info, including full text of indictments.

Please click here:

USDOJ Special Councel, Patrick Fitzegerald's website

[freespirited]

It is 99% sure that Cooper is a Dem.

And 100% sure that he is married to Clintonista Mandy Grunwald.

[pawdoggie]

Unlike some, I'm not so sanguine about Mr. Libby's chances in court. What strikes me, however, is that for the first time, after Daniel Ellsberg, Philip Agee, Patrick Leahy, Jim McDermott and a host of others, Mr. Fitgerald is going to criminalize the Washington art and science of leaking. What Mr. Libby is accused of doing, assuming that it is all true, is a time-honored way that ______Administration officials (fill in the blank, 'cause they all do it) put out negative information on their opponents and critics: you say that you heard from "other sources" that so and so is a (somekind of) bad guy, and ask the reporter if they've heard the same thing. Since reporters have traditionally been exempted from interrogation, or have been allowed to protect their sources, it is often impossible to trace the source of leaks. Clearly, assuming the charges are true and accurate, that was what Libby counted on to protect himself from the truth he may have shaded with the FBI, the Prosecutor and the grand jury.

If this indictment spelled the death knell of the political leak as we know it, it would be a positive. That would explain why the Washington Post editorialized about the inappropriateness of prosecuting someone for crimes not directly related to the original allegation that prompted the investigation. Surely the terminal stupidity of some folks in the Bush White House, who thought that there are "good reporters" you can trust, especially as it concerns anyone from the NY Times, has been exposed. One can only hope that if the MSM thought that this White House was a closed-mouth operation in the past, they should find it even more so in the future.

[OldFriend]

This man is a disgrace and seemingly knows he's full of it too. He contradicted his own statement.

If this is how he ran an investigation, it's quite telling.

[GLH3IL]

Fitzgerald HAD to indict someone on something....there was no way he can reain in the Democratic Party and have other ambitions unless he manages to indict someone out of this. Now, he can try a case and even if Liddy is found innocent...ol Fitz can shrug his shoulders to the Dims and say "hey gang, I did the best I could do" an since he ultimately failed..he'll be their hero.

[libstripper]

The fact that there's no underlying crime casts a serious doubt on the allegation that Libby knowingly lied to the FBI and GJ when he gave his accounts of his conversations with the reporters that the indictment alleges the reporters disagreed with.

In the Russert case the indictment alleges Libby told Russert he knew about Plame through statements of other reporters, while Russert said Libby said nothing about it. If Libby remembered the same thing about the Russert conversation as Russert remembered, then Libby would have had no reason to lie about a non-discussion. Since their recollections differ, it looks just like that--good faith differing memories of an innocent conversation that occurred three months earlier. This being true, there's no real basis for the charges involving the Russert conversation.

As far as the Miller and Cooper conversations are concerned, the alleged difference is that Libby said his knowledge about Plame came from other reporters, while Miller and Cooper essentially say he said it came from government sources. However, since there's no indication he even knew Plame's identity was classified, he'd have had no reason to lie to the FBI and GJ about making an innocent statement to Miller and Cooper. Because he had no real motive to lie, there being no underlying crime, it looks like, even if the Miller-Cooper lesions are accurate and Libby's is inaccurate, Libby was simply testifying on the basis of an erroneous, good faith recollection.

This whole indictment is a piece of garbage. It's nothing but a part of an attempted coup against a legitimate, elected government.

[ArmyBratproud]

Sadly, that's all it takes to indict ...according to political hack prosecutors.

Both Cooper and Russert should have been indicted by this standard then.

[pawdoggie]

Let's not forget that Russert was a Democrat operative who worked for Moynihan and the oily Mario Cuomo. It is 99% sure that Cooper is a Dem. Their word against the word of Mr. Libby and this twerp thinks he can prove this beyond a reasonable doubt. Venue is his best hope. Must be moved.

While I don't believe that you necessarily intended to advance a conspiracy theory about Russert, I do believe that you have exposed a "does not apply to Republicans" exemption to all the claims MSM reporters make about the lengths to which they will go to protect their sources. Miller collapsed after a few months in jail, Cooper prepared to fight, but wimped out, and Russert rolled over and exposed his prodigious backside without a whimper. Now Miller is "Miss Runamok", Cooper is an innocent victim, and Russert's a hero. Rush warned the GOP about talking to reporters.

[ImphClinton]

Nothing here at all.

See no way there is a case here. Libby was not under oath to Russett and Russett's testimony is meaningless as reporters always lie to protect sources.

It all hinges on Russett. But even then so what if Libby lied to other reporters and said Russett said this. This is not perjury.

What a lame case. What a political hack job.

I predict this blows up Big Time in their faces.

[Cboldt]

... it looks like, even if the Miller-Cooper lesions are accurate and Libby's is inaccurate, Libby was simply testifying on the basis of an erroneous, good faith recollection.

If the facts are as laid out in the indictment, it looks like Libby was trying to put heat on the press as the source of his knowledge.

The way Libby did obtain the information is such that he's unlikely to have forgotten it.

As a matter of trial and proof, it does boil down to he said she said, and testimony will be required of Russert, Miller Cooper and Pincus to convict.

[pageonetoo]

[sarkozy]

Let's not forget that Russert was a Democrat operative who worked for Moynihan and the oily Mario Cuomo. It is 99% sure that Cooper is a Dem. Their word against the word of Mr. Libby and this twerp thinks he can prove this beyond a reasonable doubt. Venue is his best hope. Must be moved.

It's not Libby's word against Cooper's and Russert's. It's Libby's against Fleischer's and Cheney's and at least two CIA people's, and at least one Undersecretary's.

It's clear from the indictment that several people from inside the administration have told Fitzgerald and/or the jury that Libby knew about Plame's CIA employment through official channels before he ever talked to Russert or Cooper.

And it's crystal clear that those insiders contradict Libby's testimony about what he knew, when he knew it and how he knew it.

So is Fitzgerald trying to turn Libby to get to Rove or other insiders?

And who is Bob Novak's second administration source?

[DakotaRed]

While I'm sure Libby will be found innocent in a court, he is crucufied in the public and the media. That is all they are really after, making the public believe conservatives are corrupt.

This whole thing is and always has been a media event to bash Bush and conservatives.

[Inwoodian]

If, on day one, Fitzgerald merely asked the question, "Was Valerie Plame a member of the class which is sought to be protected by the statute?" And if the answer is "no" the investigation should have been shut down. Any supposed perjury would not have been about an integral part of the underlying charge since the underlying charge was inapplicable.

[sarkozy]

If, on day one, Fitzgerald merely asked the question, "Was Valerie Plame a member of the class which is sought to be protected by the statute?" And if the answer is "no" the investigation should have been shut down. Any supposed perjury would not have been about an integral part of the underlying charge since the underlying charge was inapplicable.

Fitzgerald, by calling Plame a "classified" agent in the indictment has apparently made his decision on her status.

As for the underlying charge, that might be important in an aiding and abetting charge, but it's not necessary in a perjury or obstruction case.

If you accept the underlying charge argument, you're giving defendants a green light to perjure themselves and obstruct investigations. Why cooperate if you can lie, derail the whole case and walk?

[ImphClinton]

Really doesn't matter whether he knew or not.

I am sure he did know. Denying that knowledge to the press is hardly perjury.

He was indicted for telling the Grand Jury that Russet told him Valarie might be CIA or might not. I can't imagine this can be proved beyond a reasonable doubt. First of all would Russett remember such a conversation. Secondly would Libby. All Libby would have to say is well it could be another Reporter I talked to I don't really remember I talked to so many. Then there is no case. That is why this is so very, very weak.

Say he had notes that said otherwise. Unless they are extremely detailed there will be nothing there. This could get him however even then it will be hard to prove this was material to the investigation. I doubt it really matters where he got the information. Libby could simply say he knew Valrie was not covert for the last five years and thus could legally be outed. Then Fitzgerald would have to prove she was covert. But that is simply not true.

[sarkozy]

Can't say I agree with your analysis.
If all we had was Russert disagreeing with Libby, there wouldn't have been an indictment.
It's the testimony and/or statements of the WH insiders -- Cheney, Fleischer etc -- that Libby knew about Plame's status before talking to Russert or Cooper that will sink Scooter.
Libby testified he was surprised when Russert allegedly told him Wilson's wife was in the CIA. But the insiders told Fitz and the jury that Libby had that info from various government sources weeks before he talked to Russert on July 10.
Add Miller's testimony (from her "found" notes) that Libby was talking about Wilson's CIA wife on June 23 and the case seems pretty firm.

[Mo1]

Valerie Plame's ex-supervisor at the CIA said everyone outside knew, I guess his word doesn't mean anything to the prosecution, but Russert's word is sacred.

Here's a question

Did Fitz even question him ???

[Terridan]

"...What a lame case. What a political hack job."

I couldn't have worded this better myself... and to think Klintoon NEVER was indicted for perjury, or ANYTHING else for that matter. New York Times is a powerful outlet that needs to be dealt with, once and for all. I wish, really wish, that crap like this would end and the serious business of running this country and rectifying its serious problems was as important. As a group, one would think all of us could stop this mess. Power in numbers. CBS, NBC and ABC... their days have passed being numbered and are really a thing of the past. It is time to work on these rag papers, take away their lying power once and for all. I wish also that the Bush administration would take the gloves off and blast back. They never do, I think because they want to keep this nation "unified." God, take the gloves off!

[ImphClinton]

"I want – I didn't want to – I didn't know if it was true and I didn't want people – I didn't want the reporters to think it was true because I said it. I – all I had was that reporters are telling us that, and by that I wanted them to understand it wasn't coming from me and that it might not be true. Reporters write things that aren't true sometimes, or get things that aren't true. So I wanted to be clear they didn't, they didn't think it was me saying it. I didn't know it was true and I wanted them to understand that. Also, it was important to me to let them know that because what I was telling them was that I don't know Mr. Wilson. We didn't ask for his mission. That I didn't see his report."

"Basically, we didn't know anything about him until this stuff came out in June. And among the other things, I didn't know he had a wife. That was one of the things I said to Mr. Cooper. I don't know if he's married. And so I wanted to be very clear about all this stuff that I didn't, I didn't know about him. And the only thing I had, I thought at the time, was what reporters are telling us."

What Libby is saying is that he lied to reporters. He never says he didn't know Valaries status. He simply say's that reporters were reporting this. Russert now lies and claims he didn't say this to Libby but that is simply his word against Libby. Read this Libby seems to be going out of his way to make clear that he did not take responsibility himself for this claim. Rather he attributed it to Russet. Fitz is so partisan though that he twist the denyal into Libby denying knowledge rather than Libby denying this to other reporters.

This is a real partisan hack job.

[ImphClinton]

I believe we should use this to really press for indictments against Kerry for actually outing a real honest to God CIA Covert operative.

We should demand Hillary be indicted for the Rose Law Firm records that by some miracle appeared in her bedroom two years after they were subpoenaed.

We must demand that Bill finally be tried for Perjury and Obstruction of justice.