Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

Role of Rove, Libby in CIA Leak Case Clearer
The Washington Post ^ | Sunday, October 2, 2005 | Jim VandeHei and Walter Pincus

Posted on 10/02/2005 12:10:11 AM PDT by YaYa123

As the CIA leak investigation heads toward its expected conclusion this month, it has become increasingly clear that two of the most powerful men in the Bush administration were more involved in the unmasking of operative Valerie Plame than the White House originally indicated.

With New York Times reporter Judith Miller's release from jail Thursday and testimony Friday before a federal grand jury, the role of I. Lewis "Scooter" Libby, Vice President Cheney's chief of staff, came into clearer focus. Libby, a central figure in the probe since its earliest days and the vice president's main counselor, discussed Plame with at least two reporters but testified that he never mentioned her name or her covert status at the CIA, according to lawyers in the case.

His story is similar to that of Karl Rove, President subtittle: Bush and Cheney Aides' Testimony Contradicts Earlier White House Statement

Bush's top political adviser. Rove, who was not an initial focus of the investigation, testified that he, too, talked with two reporters about Plame but never supplied her name or CIA role.

Their testimony seems to contradict what the White House was saying a few months after Plame's CIA job became public.

(Excerpt) Read more at washingtonpost.com ...


TOPICS: News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: cialeak; judithmiller; libbyisaredherring; livvy; plame; rove; whoisshecovering4
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-20 ... 101-120121-140141-160161-170 next last
To: balch3

Ronnie Earle had nothin' but he still issued an indictment and generated lots of MSM spin against Delay, and also forced Delay to resign from the Majority Leader position.

If Fitzgerald is not vigorously exploring every aspect of MSM collusion with Joe Wilson in perpetrating the whole "Niger uranium" hoax on the public then Fitzgerald is falling down on the job. I sure hope the GJ results will not be a furtherance of the MSM spin machine, but the 'Rats have certainly controlled the agenda on this story thus far.... does Fitzgerald have the sense to see beyond the talking points fed to him by Joe Wilson and the DNC, or not???


141 posted on 10/02/2005 3:15:32 PM PDT by Enchante (Would you trust YOUR life to Mayor Nagin or Governor Blankhead?)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 3 | View Replies]

To: kcvl

Walter Pink-us is a lying whore for the Democratic Party (much like most of the MSM). Nothing he writes can be seen as anything but another attempt to spread DNC talking points in whatever way he deems most feasible and effective. His credibility is zilch and his character is below that of most other DNC rodents....


142 posted on 10/02/2005 3:21:28 PM PDT by Enchante (Would you trust YOUR life to Mayor Nagin or Governor Blankhead?)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 101 | View Replies]

To: McGavin999
Any possibility his report would say Ms Plame's employment was common knowledge?

I would be very surprised if it did. If indictments are in fact brought against Rove and/or Libby under the IIPA, and the position of the prosecutor therefore is that Plame did meet the definition of "covert" under the Act, then at that point the defense may well challenge the allegation that she was "covert" within the meaning of the statute. Perhaps the scope of the definition of "covert" under the IIPA has been litigated before; I don't know. But I would think that the argument on the other side would be, even if her cover was blown in that it was known by journalists who closely follow the WMD beat, or even by the Russians as a result of an Ames disclosure or considered compromised by an inadvertent mistake in not using a secure communication protocol between embassies, that she might still be considered useful for a covert task in a some limited role. I think the Agency's determination of whether an agent was "covert" would be given deference, with the defense having to overcome a hurdle to prove it was not the case.

143 posted on 10/02/2005 3:28:48 PM PDT by SirJohnBarleycorn
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 138 | View Replies]

To: SirJohnBarleycorn
"if it turned out that Wilson did not sign a confidentiality agreement or wasn't informed that his CIA assignment was covered by secrecy laws, then that would indicate that no CIA lawyers were aware of his assignment, which further supports the notion that Wilson's assignment was a politically-motivated rogue operation by a small cabal of anti-Bush types at CIA."

I definitely recall Wilson asserting in one of his interviews back in '03 that he was not asked to sign any confidentiality agreement. The whole operation, from his assignment to his bogus 'mission' to how he has grossly abused the public trust in so badly distorting its results and the entire WMD debate, reeks with cozy insider b.s. and gross dereliction of duty by Valerie Plame, an insidious cabal other CIA people around her, and of course all the media types who have parroted Joe Wilson's lies without performing even elementary due diligence.
144 posted on 10/02/2005 3:29:54 PM PDT by Enchante (Would you trust YOUR life to Mayor Nagin or Governor Blankhead?)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 86 | View Replies]

To: SirJohnBarleycorn; McGavin999; All
About 30 minutes ago on FoxNews, Marvin Kalb said that lawyers close to the case are beginning to talk about the possibility that Fitzgerald may file indictments for CRIMINAL CONSPIRACY sometime in the next few days. Did anyone else catch this short segment on Fox?

What Kalb said was based on unnamed lawyers "close" to the case, who are "now talking about" the possibility. Sheesh! Why did Fox even let this on the air? It was nothing but the rankest sort of speculation.

However, I do not trust Fitzgerald at all. Special prosecutors almost always wind up running amok for years, then wind up having to charge someone with something in order to justify their existence.

(Was it Marvin or his brother; I get the two mixed up.)

145 posted on 10/02/2005 3:41:43 PM PDT by Wolfstar ("And an angel still rides in the whirlwind and directs this storm." GWB, 1/20/01)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 143 | View Replies]

To: Wolfstar

While I don't think Fitzgerald is anything like Ronnie Earle, he is a Democrat and it's possible that he has his pressure points.

The Dims view Rove in exactly the same way a maddened bull, stuck by the swords and lances of the matador, views its tormentor. If the national Dims have any leverage over Fitzgerald at all, we can be sure they will be exercising it to the full to get an indictment of some sort issued.


146 posted on 10/02/2005 3:51:18 PM PDT by SirJohnBarleycorn
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 145 | View Replies]

To: kcvl

You are such a gem!


147 posted on 10/02/2005 3:58:38 PM PDT by McGavin999 (We're a First World Country with a Third World Press (Except for Hume & Garrett ))
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 121 | View Replies]

To: SirJohnBarleycorn
While I don't think Fitzgerald is anything like Ronnie Earle, he is a Democrat and it's possible that he has his pressure points.

I have been afraid of a malicious, politically motivated prosecution for a long time. It's pretty clear the original matter is a non-starter legally, because the law related to the release of her name quite simply doesn't apply to her case. So, in my opinion, an honest prosecutor would have dropped this case a long time ago.

Even if, somewhere down the road, Rove, Libby, or whoever Fitzgerald targets may be acquitted, the damage to the Bush presidency of an indictment will be enormous.

148 posted on 10/02/2005 4:03:33 PM PDT by Wolfstar ("And an angel still rides in the whirlwind and directs this storm." GWB, 1/20/01)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 146 | View Replies]

To: Wolfstar
Well, I still don't see what the criminal predicate for a conspiracy charge would be.

Fitzgerald has a good reputation, and the calculus for him may well be balancing, on the one hand, the danger to his reputation by bringing indictments on a conspiracy charge that may turn out to be seen by the public as indicting a ham sandwich, with, on the other hand, trying not be become persona non grata in the Dim party.

So I guess I'm still thinking he'll go with a report criticizing Rove and Libby, but stop short of indictments, as an attempt to satisfy both sides.

You know, it's possible that these leaks from his office as to bringing a possible conspiracy charge are essentially a "weather balloon" by him to see how such charges would play to the public.

149 posted on 10/02/2005 4:13:39 PM PDT by SirJohnBarleycorn
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 148 | View Replies]

To: Wolfstar
I don't think we should worry until something happens. The lawyers who are leaking are leaking for a reason. What they are leaking could be the truth and it could well be a lie and they are hoping their rumors get picked up.

Fox has been repeating a lot of rumors lately and their credibility suffers as a result.

Personally, I'm sick of all the witch hunts and I would imagine the rest of the country is as well.

As to criminal conspiracy, those charges could just as easily be filed against Wilson for devulging information about his mission to Niger.

150 posted on 10/02/2005 4:20:41 PM PDT by McGavin999 (We're a First World Country with a Third World Press (Except for Hume & Garrett ))
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 145 | View Replies]

To: SirJohnBarleycorn
You know, it's possible that these leaks from his office as to bringing a possible conspiracy charge are essentially a "weather balloon" by him to see how such charges would play to the public.

As I understand it, the leaks are not coming from Fitzgerald's office, but from lawyers "close" to the case.

151 posted on 10/02/2005 4:26:49 PM PDT by Wolfstar ("And an angel still rides in the whirlwind and directs this storm." GWB, 1/20/01)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 149 | View Replies]

To: McGavin999
Personally, I'm sick of all the witch hunts and I would imagine the rest of the country is as well.

Me, too. And I also agree that if any conspiracy charges are going to be brought, they should be against Wilson and the cabal he's been involved with from the beginning.

152 posted on 10/02/2005 4:28:07 PM PDT by Wolfstar ("And an angel still rides in the whirlwind and directs this storm." GWB, 1/20/01)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 150 | View Replies]

To: YaYa123

Wolf knew the answer to that question before he asked it.


153 posted on 10/02/2005 5:38:35 PM PDT by SuzanneC
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 61 | View Replies]

To: YaYa123

Do intelligent people "feel comfortable" with a slimy RINO vacillating liar like Shays anywhere near Congress? All people with any intelligence and judgment answer with a resounding "NO!"


154 posted on 10/02/2005 5:51:27 PM PDT by Enchante (Would you trust YOUR life to Mayor Nagin or Governor Blankhead?)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 61 | View Replies]

To: Wolfstar

Wilson and a few other people should end up in jail over this, but I'm not optimistic. All the leaks from start to finish have been about Libby and Rove. Perhaps that's just more desperate 'Rat spin, but we've had no indication of any sort that Fitzgerald has focused any attention upon Wilson's cabal and the journalists he's played like puppets. Of course, we really don't know anything about what Fitzgerald is thinking, just what unnamed 'Rat lawyers choose to leak....


155 posted on 10/02/2005 5:54:16 PM PDT by Enchante (Would you trust YOUR life to Mayor Nagin or Governor Blankhead?)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 152 | View Replies]

To: Cboldt

And that DOJ referral contends that she was covert.


156 posted on 10/02/2005 6:05:55 PM PDT by lugsoul (Sleeper troll since 1999.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 137 | View Replies]

To: lugsoul; Mo1; cyncooper; kcvl
I referred to the RNC talking points, which state unequivocally that Wilson DID expressly claim that Cheney sent him. A point you apparently acknowledge is not true.

It is not true legalistically, I grant. However, Wilson was only too happy to encourage the MSM in their mistaken expression that he was "on a mission from Cheney". Until, of course, he was pinned to the truth and, perforce, had to deny it.

Irrespective of all that, Joe Wilson does not warrant your -- or indeed, any American's -- defense and respect.

In Wilson, we have a man who himself believed that Saddam had WMD and would use them up to and even after Bush's SOTU speech. A man who then, out of rank political opportunism, undertook to undermine the President of the United States at a time of war.

What's more, Wilson was prepared to -- and did in fact -- fabricate the evidence in order to accomplish his highly partisan objective.

Legalistically, you might contend that Wilson was not really guilty of treason, but his intention certainly approached the mark. Assuming you are a patriotic American, Joe Wilson is undeserving of your support.

Instead, the little weasel deserves our hearty contempt.

157 posted on 10/02/2005 6:16:29 PM PDT by okie01 (The Mainstream Media: IGNORANCE ON PARADE)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 117 | View Replies]

To: okie01
"Legalistically, you might contend that Wilson was not really guilty of treason, but his intention certainly approached the mark. Assuming you are a patriotic American, Joe Wilson is undeserving of your support. Instead, the little weasel deserves our hearty contempt."

Hear, hear.... well said!!! Also, let us not forget that Wilson's findings from his pathetically incompetent 'mission' to Niger not only did NOTHING to refute concerns about Iraq seeking uranium from Niger but actually provided some (limited) support. The "little weasel" reported the approach of an Iraqi "trade mission" which a former minister told him was probably about uranium, but Wilson was/is either too stupid or too mendacious to honestly represent this. He should be saying "well, yes, there was some additional basis for believing Iraq might be seeking uranium from Niger, but (so far) no evidence that they'd actually acquired it.... though how on earth I (Joe Wilson) would have the slightest idea what might be done "off the books" or passed through Libya (on Niger's northern border) is a good question indeed!"
158 posted on 10/02/2005 6:33:22 PM PDT by Enchante (Would you trust YOUR life to Mayor Nagin or Governor Blankhead?)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 157 | View Replies]

To: okie01

Calling him a weasel is an insult to weasels everywhere. It's far too kind.


159 posted on 10/02/2005 6:34:01 PM PDT by ilovew (Never insult my role model. I LOVE KARL ROVE!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 157 | View Replies]

To: ilovew
Calling [Joe Wilson] a weasel is an insult to weasels everywhere. It's far too kind.

You're quite right. My apologies to all weasels, everywhere.

Instead, Joe Wilson would be more fairly characterized as a contemptible slug.

160 posted on 10/02/2005 6:48:19 PM PDT by okie01 (The Mainstream Media: IGNORANCE ON PARADE)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 159 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-20 ... 101-120121-140141-160161-170 next last

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson