Armitage On CIA Leak: 'I Screwed Up'

CBS Exclusive Interview ^ | 9/7/06 | None Identified

[freedom4me]

BTTT

[Trajan88]

kangaroo court if I've ever seen one... what a bunch of bafoons.

This is the "heart" of the democratic party?

If so, they're worse than some two bit a$$-backwards local yokel county govt.

[pipecorp]

If fitzgerald had the evidence and answers to the investigation within weeks of its inception
1:) Why was this carried on for two additional years?
2:) Didn't fitz commit fraud upon the US government by delaying the conclusion of the investigation?

[bray]

"I thought every day about how I'd screwed up," he adds

So why did you continue it? This guy was a part of an organized coup to oust the President!

Pray for W and Our Troops

[Protect the Bill of Rights]

What a peice of bottom feeding scum.

Fitzgerald was in CYA mode during his presser. It makes sense now.

---

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/10/28/AR2005102801340_pf.html

......So let me tell you a little bit about how an investigation works.

Investigators do not set out to investigate the statute, they set out to gather the facts.

It's critical that when an investigation is conducted by prosecutors, agents and a grand jury they learn who, what, when, where and why. And then they decide, based upon accurate facts, whether a crime has been committed, who has committed the crime, whether you can prove the crime and whether the crime should be charged.

Agent Eckenrode doesn't send people out when $1 million is missing from a bank and tell them, "Just come back if you find wire fraud." If the agent finds embezzlement, they follow through on that.

FITZGERALD: That's the way this investigation was conducted. It was known that a CIA officer's identity was blown, it was known that there was a leak. We needed to figure out how that happened, who did it, why, whether a crime was committed, whether we could prove it, whether we should prove it.

And given that national security was at stake, it was especially important that we find out accurate facts.

There's another thing about a grand jury investigation. One of the obligations of the prosecutors and the grand juries is to keep the information obtained in the investigation secret, not to share it with the public.

And as frustrating as that may be for the public, that is important because, the way our system of justice works, if information is gathered about people and they're not charged with a crime, we don't hold up that information for the public to look at. We either charge them with a crime or we don't.

FITZGERALD: And that's why we've safeguarded information here to date.

But as important as it is for the grand jury to follow the rules and follow the safeguards to make sure information doesn't get out, it's equally important that the witnesses who come before a grand jury, especially the witnesses who come before a grand jury who may be under investigation, tell the complete truth.

It's especially important in the national security area. The laws involving disclosure of classified information in some places are very clear, in some places they're not so clear.

And grand jurors and prosecutors making decisions about who should be charged, whether anyone should be charged, what should be charged, need to make fine distinctions about what people knew, why they knew it, what they exactly said, why they said it, what they were trying to do, what appreciation they had for the information and whether it was classified at the time.

FITZGERALD: Those fine distinctions are important in determining what to do. That's why it's essential when a witness comes forward and gives their account of how they came across classified information and what they did with it that it be accurate.

That brings us to the fall of 2003. When it was clear that Valerie Wilson's cover had been blown, investigation began. And in October 2003, the FBI interviewed Mr. Libby. Mr. Libby is the vice president's chief of staff. He's also an assistant to the president and an assistant to the vice president for national security affairs. .............

blah, blah, blah

[Fairview]

So let me see if I have this straight. Early on in the proceedings Patrick Fitzgerald knew what the truth was, but he has still continued to spread taxpayers' money around while he tried to nail Rove, Cheney, and Libby for something. Have I got that right?

My question is, is Pat going to give back the money he's been playing with for the past few years? No? I didn't think so.

[jrooney]

More truer words could not have been written. Great job. All of the bastards you mentioned are and were willing to let INNOCENT PEOPLE ROT IN PRISON FOR THE EST OF THEIR LIVES! I hope God does not have mercy on their souls.

[Laverne]

It would appear so...Fitz committed a fraud upon the US Government, the President, and the American people. He should go to jail.

[Wristpin]

"I had never seen a covered agent's name in any memo in I think 28 years of government," he says

Important statement right there...Also the FACT that the CIA verified Plame's employment over the phone.

[jazusamo]

"the special counsel, once he was appointed, asked me not to discuss this and I honored his request."

Sure Armitage, you're a fine upstanding guy. You let the President, Vice President and their administration be dragged through the mud for two years because you were honoring a request by a special council. I find that hard to believe.

[Laverne]

I agree. She was not a covered agent, and Fitzy knew it from the start. The whole thing was a witch hunt. Interesting that this interview came out today, just before 9/11, and with all the other news so it wouldn't get any coverage. I expect that Armitage has been looking for the right opportunity to make a statement and he chose today because of all the other news.

[tioga]

Just more indications that there was never anything to leak.

[ballplayer]

He apologizes to wilson and says nothing to the President.
What a Putz

[ThomasPaine2000]

"At the end of a wide-ranging interview he asked me, 'Why did the CIA send Ambassador (Wilson) to Africa?' I said I didn't know, but that she worked out at the agency," Armitage says.

This sentance does not make any sense!! What am I missing??

[McLynnan]

Exactly. Fitzgerald carried on this charade that smeared Libby, Cheney and Rove and knew the truth the whole time. I know this is a quaint idea, but isn't there a law against this?

[leadpenny]

The Man Who Said Too Much (Newsweek and Isikoff busts Armitage)

It's crow eating time.

[tobyhill]

I actually believe that Chrissy knew at the very least it wasn't Rove but felt if he could play this game on his show night after night he could convince Fitzy to get him on something. I actually pray that the lord does have mercy on their souls but I hope the lord makes them sweat for about 1000 years with a pitchfork up their a*s, unless they like that too much.

[BurbankKarl]

The best is Judith Miller rotting in jail because she knew who the leaker was, and the New York Times knowing who the leaker was, but running with the Rove story for a very long time.

[RobRoy]

"Well there now he has apolgised, so that makes it all okay now doesn't it."

I'm still trying to figure out what exactly he did wrong, other than say he respects wilson.

[jrooney]

Armitage and Powell never informed the GW of Armitage's role BEFORE Fitzgerald was appointed to the case in Dec. 2003. Powell and Armitage knew it was him, and they did not tell Bush. For three years they let Bush, Cheney, Rove and poor Libby take the fall.

To Powell and Armitage, I say screw you. You should be shunned by republicans and conservatives for the rest of your lives. Let's see how you like it. I will shun you and urge everyone else too. Anyone that surrounds themselves with you politically, McCain I am talking to you, may they be shunned to. You owe a public and sincere apology to Bush, Cheney, Rove and Libby. You should pay Libby's legal fees.

BTW, I would rather fight in a foxhole with a wet behind the ears private, than with you Powell and Armitage. At least with the private I would be more worried about what the enemy was doing. With you two aholes, I would be worried about what you two were doing.