Scooter Libby Scorecard

The Stiletto ^ | February 14, 2007 | The Stiletto

[mfish13]

I can't remember what I said last week.

[Hillarys Gate Cult]

To sort through all of this I thought Libby was only accused of lying about telling Tim Russert. What do these others have to do with it?

[SoFloFreeper]

The problem for Libby is this is a D.C. jury, though, right? Or did he get the venue moved? A D.C. jury being sympathetic to a Republican White House employee is a bit of stretch, imho.

[Liberty Valance]

If Libby is convicted by a DC jury in this fiasco Richard Armitage should hang himself. He could have ended all this crap early on. JMHO.



But alas, he'd probably just order another mimosa.

[theothercheek]

Yes, Armitage is at the root of all this. The Special Prosecutor should never have gone after Libby - but it was the only way to go after Rove and Cheney, who are the real targets, after all.

[theothercheek]

All these journalists have a very incestuous relationship amongt each other and amongt anonymous government leakers. They trade in gossip to get information, the journalists and government flunkies alike. I think Valerie Plame's identity was widely known by journalists before Novak even wrote his column - and the very first journalist who in known to be aware of the connection between Plame and Wilson is Woodward and he testified that Libby was not the source. Libby walks. Taxpayers are out millions of dollars. But maybe this will put a crimp in Dem plans to investigate the Bush administration from here to Kingdom Come in an endless series of politically motivated special prosecutions.

[jellybean]

What do these others have to do with it?

If the subject never came up when Libby talked with all these other journalists, where is the evidence of the Vast White House conspiracy to discredit Joe Wilson?

[Alberta's Child]

One of the key points underlying the defense case is that Libby never should have been charged in the first place. Under the law, a perjury charge can only be brought in a case where the person's testimony is relevant to the court proceedings. If you are called as a witness in court and the prosecutor asks you what color the grass outside the window is, you can tell him "it's purple" and there's no legitimate cause for him to bring any perjury charge against you.

If the prosecutor in this case already knew who the source of the "leak" was, and already knew that he could bring no criminal charges for "leaking" Plame's identity under any circumstances (since revealing her identity was not a crime under any interpretation of the law), then the prosecutor had no business even calling Libby to the stand in the first place.

These witnesses have all been called to the stand to reinforce the defense team's case that discussing Plame's identity was so inconsequential that nobody could be expected to remember details about it several years later.

[cookcounty]

How about adding a "time of conversation" column?

The timeline is very confusing. Is it not accurate that Armitage told Wooodward long before all this other stuff?

[theothercheek]

You tell me. As far as I can tell, ain't none ...

[theothercheek]

Not a bad idea, a timeline. However, you are correct in that Armitage was the very first leaker and if anyone should have been prosecuted it should have been him - except for the inconvenient fact that Valerie Plame has not been a covert agent for years when all this gossip was flying about in 2003. So, in sum, no one should have been prosecuted for leaking her name. As for Libby committing perjury and obstruction of justice, I do not think the prosecution is going to make that stick. But, as someone else pointed out - this is a DC jury so who knows? But Libby can always appeal in a different venue.

[Suzy Quzy]

GREAT BREAKDOWN!!!! THANKS!

[Suzy Quzy]

Matt Cooper, HOTSHOT, is now at Conde Nast....LOL!

[lexington minuteman 1775]

I think i saw Armatiage disguised as a "bowling ball" at the Four Seasons Lanes a week ago. Maybe it was TWO weeks ago. I can not remember!
This trial is such a waste of taxpayer money!

[theothercheek]

Yeah, ROTFLOL!

[Hillarys Gate Cult]

Thanks. I forgot about the trial showing the defense's side now. If all reports so far are correct, then the jury should come to the conclusion that most of us had before it started, that this case was a whole lot of nothing. Not guilty

Anyone know when this is supposed to be over? I heard reported yesterday that the defense isn't going to put Libby on the stand.

[Alberta's Child]

I don't think it matters what the jury says in this case. I'm guessing the case was destined to be overturned on appeal once the judge decided that the defense could not call CIA witnesses to determine the legitimacy of the original referral to the prosecutor.

[Dave S]

Nice scorecard but its a complete ruse. As you know Libby is NOT being charged with telling reporters about Plame. He is being charged with lying to the grand jury and to Federal investigators. He insists that he first learned of Plame FROM reporters, not that he told THEM. He had four people in the government including the VP tell him weeks before he claims reporters told him. Your chart does nothing to elucidate the issue the jury has to graple with before Scooter becomes the girl friend of some drug dealer in Federal prison.

[Dave S]

If the subject never came up when Libby talked with all these other journalists, where is the evidence of the Vast White House conspiracy to discredit Joe Wilson?

That is NOT what Libby is charged with. Libby is charged with lying to the grand jury and to Federal investigators for whatever reason. He thought he could divert attention away from himself by saying a reporter told him, assuming they wouldnt testify.