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Cheney to be defense witness in CIA leak case
Breitbart.com from Drudge ^ | December 19, 2006 | Matt Apuzzo

Posted on 12/19/2006 12:02:21 PM PST by seanmerc

Cheney to Be Defense Witness in CIA Case Dec 19 2:54 PM US/Eastern

By MATT APUZZO Associated Press Writer

WASHINGTON

Vice President Dick Cheney will be called as a defense witness in the CIA leak case, an attorney for Cheney's former chief of staff told a federal judge Tuesday. "We're calling the vice president," attorney Ted Wells said in court. Wells represents defendant I. Lewis "Scooter" Libby, who is charged with perjury and obstruction.

Early last week, Special Prosecutor Patrick Fitzgerald said he did not expect the White House to resist if Cheney or other administration officials are called to testify in Libby's trial, expected to begin in January.

Libby is accused of lying to investigators about what he told reporters regarding former CIA operative Valerie Plame. Plame's identity was leaked to reporters around the time that her husband, former ambassador Joseph Wilson, publicly criticized the Bush administration's prewar intelligence on Iraq.

In addition to Cheney, other government officials and journalists are expected to be key witnesses in the trial, which is scheduled to start next month.

Former New York Times reporter Judith Miller and NBC News Washington bureau chief Tim Russert are expected to be prosecution witnesses. Libby's lawyers said in court papers that several reporters will testify on Libby's behalf.

Two unidentified reporters may resist testifying, Libby's attorneys said, but they expect to resolve that issue before trial.

Libby also has sought a subpoena for the tape of Washington Post reporter Bob Woodward's interview with former Deputy Secretary of State Richard Armitage. Armitage has admitted he discussed Plame's job with Woodward in 2003 but said it was a passing, inadvertent comment.

If admitted into evidence, the tape could be played at trial. The tape has been turned over to prosecutors, and Libby's attorneys said they expect no objection to their subpoena.


TOPICS: Breaking News; Constitution/Conservatism; Foreign Affairs; Government; News/Current Events; Politics/Elections; War on Terror
KEYWORDS: armitage; cheney; cialeak; joewilson; libby; nbc; nbcnews; novak; plame; russert; scooter; veep; whataboutsandyberger
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To: seanmerc

This case is a total waste of the prosecutor's time and our resources. He ought to be going after several people at the NY TIMES instead.


21 posted on 12/19/2006 1:00:17 PM PST by doug from upland (Stopping Hillary should be a FreeRepublic Manhattan Project)
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To: seanmerc
Libby also has sought a subpoena for the tape of Washington Post reporter Bob Woodward's interview with former Deputy Secretary of State Richard Armitage. Armitage has admitted he discussed Plame's job with Woodward in 2003 but said it was a passing, inadvertent comment.... The tape has been turned over to prosecutors, and Libby's attorneys said they expect no objection to their subpoena.

Maybe a freeper lawyer can clear something up for me - - why wouldn't Libby's lawyers already have this tape of a conversation between a reporter and a government official? Clearly, the tape is relevant and crucial to the defense, and obviously there is no threat to national security.

22 posted on 12/19/2006 1:00:28 PM PST by Lancey Howard
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To: tobyhill
My guess is David Corn is one of them and he's resisting because he's going to have to expose the real leaker's who's probably in the CIA.

No, the leaker's never been in the CIA, but his wife used to be and he got sent on a trip to Africa by them once.

23 posted on 12/19/2006 1:01:03 PM PST by Phsstpok (Often wrong, but never in doubt)
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To: Always Right
I can't resist here.

This morning I just put up a post on my Blog comparing Nifong to Fitzgerald.

In my post is MY guess as to why these runaway prosecutors are allowed to run amok. It's about cowardice.

I also offer the supreme consequences of this "sit and wait" attitude. It's not pretty.

Nifong, Fitzgerald, Why They Go on; How we'll all suffer.

24 posted on 12/19/2006 1:04:46 PM PST by Fishtalk (http://patfish.blogspot.com)
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To: tobyhill

Armitage is the real leaker. Corn doesn't want to have to explain this inconvenient truth under oath. He can't even do it well in TV or radio interviews.


25 posted on 12/19/2006 1:07:29 PM PST by AmishDude (I coined "Senator Ass" to describe Jim Webb. He may have already used it as a character in a novel.)
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To: doug from upland

He was supposed to but he let the statute of limitations run out after he won the supreme court decision that shielded them against prosecution.


26 posted on 12/19/2006 1:07:35 PM PST by newnhdad (They'll raise your taxes, grab your guns, look out wallet, here they come..)
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To: Lancey Howard

I'm not a lawyer, but what do you mean by "already have the tape"? Do you mean the Washington Post should have given them a copy just like they gave to the Prosecutor, or do you mean the Prosecutor should have given it to the Defense without it having to be subpoenaed?


27 posted on 12/19/2006 1:08:47 PM PST by txrangerette ("We are fighting al-Qaeda, NOT Aunt Sadie"...Dick Cheney commenting on the wiretaps!!)
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To: Howlin

Think maybe Russet & Miller were given immunity for their testimony? If so, would that make them immune from another yet to be named reporter's testimony naming one of them as well?


28 posted on 12/19/2006 1:10:56 PM PST by 4woodenboats ("Show me what Muhammad brought that was new, and there you will find things only evil and inhuman")
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To: seanmerc
Two unidentified reporters may resist testifying

Tim Russert & Matthew Cooper?!

29 posted on 12/19/2006 1:16:16 PM PST by kcvl
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To: 4woodenboats

You may have a bingo there.


30 posted on 12/19/2006 1:20:24 PM PST by txhurl
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To: txflake

Not to have to disclose their CIA sources.


31 posted on 12/19/2006 1:22:15 PM PST by tobyhill (The War on Terrorism is not for the weak.)
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To: Howlin

Thanks for the ping.


32 posted on 12/19/2006 1:23:30 PM PST by nopardons
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To: dead

ROTFLOL


33 posted on 12/19/2006 1:24:34 PM PST by nopardons
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To: AmishDude
Armitage is a leaker but I think there's others that are still in the CIA and have been yapping to some reporters and I'm pretty sure the courts won't allow the reporters to pick and choose who they want to out. This whole thing is who knew what and said what first and all Libby's attorneys have to do is show that a circle of reporters connected with Miller and Russert knew the info first.
34 posted on 12/19/2006 1:29:28 PM PST by tobyhill (The War on Terrorism is not for the weak.)
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To: AmishDude
Answer.....

THERE IS NO CASE!!!

But you knew that already, didn't you? :)

35 posted on 12/19/2006 1:36:33 PM PST by ohioWfan (President Bush - courageously and honorably protecting us in dangerous times, . Praise the Lord!)
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To: Lancey Howard

You are correct in your belief that the prosecution is obligated to turn over all relevant evidence in its possession to the defense and that a subpoena is not normally necessary. My guess is that Fitzgerald is taking the position that the Woodward/Armitage tape is not relevant. That is because Scooter is not charged with illegally leaking Plame's name but rather with lying to investigators. Technically Fitzgerald may have a point, but he knows the judge won't be sympathetic, so he has probably said to Scooter's lawyers, "I won't give it to you voluntarily, but if you subpoena it, I'll comply with the subpoena." It's a face-saving device.


36 posted on 12/19/2006 1:37:53 PM PST by blau993
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To: Howlin

Thanks for the ping, Howlin. I'm looking forward to this matter finally going to trial.


37 posted on 12/19/2006 1:38:42 PM PST by MNbelle
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To: Howlin

You and me both! I'd like to see some of the air taken out of him...probably think an atom bomb had been dropped!


38 posted on 12/19/2006 1:44:24 PM PST by PeskyOne
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To: Howlin; Mo1; Miss Marple
Libby also has sought a subpoena for the tape of Washington Post reporter Bob Woodward's interview with former Deputy Secretary of State Richard Armitage.

Lets suppose this tape Woodward is shown making up quotes....no other reason to ask for this tape UNLESS one of them is lieing.

39 posted on 12/19/2006 1:49:23 PM PST by Dog
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To: MNbelle
This sounds like another witch hunt to me. Good timing on their part, just before the holidays. *sigh*

My hobbies: Extreme Flashlights - Extreme Cars - Lemon Law/Auto Buybacks - Metal Detecting

40 posted on 12/19/2006 1:53:43 PM PST by BlownChevelle
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