[conservative in nyc]

I don't know what Title 18, Section 793 has to do with anything.

Scooter Libby was mainly indicted for lying to the FBI and grand jury about how he learned about Valerie Plame's identity as a CIA agent. He claimed he learned from Tim Russert, when Tim Russert said that he never spoke to Mr. Libby about Ms. Plame, and other evidence shows that he knew about her identity before speaking to Russert. That other evidence includes Ari Fleisher's (presumed) grand jury testimony that Mr. Libby told him about Ms. Plame's identity, (presumed) grand jury testimony from others in the administration (including an Undersecretary of State and Libby's CIA briefer) that Mr. Libby spoke with them about Ms. Plame before speaking to Russert, and a pre-Russert fax to his office about the issue.

These charges, on their face, are serious. Flame away, but they don't appear to me to be trumped up or evidence of a vendetta by a special prosecutor run amok. And it's not just question of "Russert, Cooper and Miller said" versus "Libby said", as some here have claimed.

Of course, these are just the ALLEGATIONS of a special prosecutor and grand jury, and Scooter Libby is innocent until proven guilty. But IF the allegations are proven, what Libby did was both illegal and really stupid. You don't lie to the FBI or a grand jury. Period.

[dirtboy]

He claimed he learned from Tim Russert, when Tim Russert said that he never spoke to Mr. Libby about Ms. Plame, and other evidence shows that he knew about her identity before speaking to Russert.

OK, let's look at one of the perjury charges. Here is what Libby said as to why he told Russert that he did not know that Plame was CIA:

. . . . And then he said, you know, did you know that this – excuse me, did you know that Ambassador Wilson's wife works at the CIA? And I was a little taken aback by that. I remember being taken aback by it. And I said – he may have said a little more but that was – he said that. And I said, no, I don't know that. And I said, no, I don't know that intentionally because I didn't want him to take anything I was saying as in any way confirming what he said, because at that point in time I did not recall that I had ever known, and I thought this is something that he was telling me that I was first learning. And so I said, no, I don't know that because I want to be very careful not to confirm it for him, so that he didn't take my statement as confirmation for him.

And here is where Fitz says the perjury kicks in:

a. Russert did not ask LIBBY if LIBBY knew that Wilson’s wife worked for the CIA, nor did he tell LIBBY that all the reporters knew it; and

b. At the time of this conversation, LIBBY was well aware that Wilson’s wife worked at the CIA;

Here's the problem. First of all, Fitz is saying that Russert never asked that question.

But if that is the case, then how can you also indict Libby for lying about his response to a non-existent question? It just doesn't make sense.

Libby is being indicted basically for having different recollections than Russert and Cooper. Which is pretty weak.

[carl in alaska]

"But IF the allegations are proven, what Libby did was both illegal and really stupid. You don't lie to the FBI or a grand jury. Period."

I agree. It looks like he may have acted very stupidly here. I'll be interested to see what his defense strategy will be.

[USS Alaska]

Title 18, section 793 is the section under which the indictment is handed down. Perjury, and obstruction are sub-sections under 793 {in this case}. This is the section of the law is being used, it is in the indictment. There can't be obstruction of justice if there has been no crime. Since they couldn't use the statute {for outing a covert agent}, they used this law.

http://www4.law.cornell.edu/uscode/html/uscode18/usc_sec_18_00000793----000-.html

[uncbob]

Of course, these are just the ALLEGATIONS of a special prosecutor and grand jury, and Scooter Libby is innocent until proven guilty. But IF the allegations are proven, what Libby did was both illegal and really stupid. You don't lie to the FBI or a grand jury. Period.

Question is why would he be dumb enough to do that when he knew they could check the facts ( supposed facts)