Posted on 10/28/2005 9:45:41 AM PDT by West Coast Conservative
Libby indicted on obstruction of justice, false statment and perjury charge...
.... if approved by vote in the House and Senate.
That is 200+ posts after my comment hence ?
Tough to tell. But the indictment is not as flimsy as many posters here paint it as. It looks pretty solid to me, and I've not heard a SPECIFIC argument or strategy for beating the rap.
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Good ...who suggested otherwise ?
"One thing is for sure. NOBODY should ever talk to any federal agent ever without a lawyer. It's against the law to mispeak to them.'
You've got that right. Live and learn.
Clinton had Monica Lewinski file a false affidavit.
You know as well as I do that without any underlying crime, these are just process charges. "I gotcha in a contradiction" stuff.
Libby should have his hand slapped for being stupid, but to call this criminal is a friggin' joke.
Even if she was "covert" the standard is higher than that :
http://caselaw.lp.findlaw.com/casecode/uscodes/50/chapters/15/subchapters/iv/sections/section_421.html
"and that the United States is taking affirmative measures to conceal such covert agent's intelligence relationship to the United States"
If the CIA was trying to conceal her identity they wouldn't have sent Wilson to Niger with her.
Grow up!
I don't understand what you are saying. I said something at #455, a half hour later you said the same thing at #492 and three minutes later I pointed out that I already corrected the record much earlier. What's the problem again?
What a crock of CRAP. Someone has got to pipe up about this. That would be like putting a liberal like Palosi up on a Grand Jury made of National Rifle Association members.
This has got to be addressed. Got to be trumpeted. This is outrageous!!!
I think the indictment is solid. I feel bad for Libby in his zeal to defend the administration against the politics of Joe Wilson he stepped over the line. Its very unfortunate. His best move is to plead out take a small jail sentence and a fine. Then write a book and go on the lecture circuit. He was a good soldier and i feel bad for him. Perhaps a smart lawyer can get him off. I hope so.
Contrast this with Ken Starr who was always calm and collected.
"Tough to tell. But the indictment is not as flimsy as many posters here paint it as. It looks pretty solid to me, and I've not heard a SPECIFIC argument or strategy for beating the rap."
Challenge the reporters' memories.
Cooper has already gone wishy-washy on the reasons why he contacted Rove. Remember the welfare reform issue? Cooper denied he called Rove about that but Rove's notes say so. Later, Cooper found notes he had been researching the issue at the time, but still doesn't remember talking about it with Rove.
That's Fitz' witness no. 1. Not a good start.
Fitzgerald is operating out of a DoJ office ("Counter Espionage") specifically established for these sorts of cases. Clearly the CIA could reveal Plame's "status" if Fitzgerald had asked for it, which common sense says he must have. It is absolutely implausible that he did not.
Reading the pertinent sections of the statute, it's also clear that Libby is/was subject to it. Thus one must conclude that Plame was not covert, else Fitzgerald would have no choice but to indict Libby under the Intelligence Identities Protection Act.
"Whoever, having or having had authorized access to classified information that identifies a covert agent, intentionally discloses any information identifying such covert agent to any individual not authorized to receive classified information, knowing that the information disclosed so identifies such covert agent and that the United States is taking affirmative measures to conceal such covert agent’s intelligence relationship to the United States, shall be fined under title 18 or imprisoned not more than ten years, or both."
[snip]
4)The term “covert agent” means— (A) a present or retired officer or employee of an intelligence agency or a present or retired member of the Armed Forces assigned to duty with an intelligence agency— (i) whose identity as such an officer, employee, or member is classified information, and (ii) who is serving outside the United States or has within the last five years served outside the United States
After listening and reading parts of the indictment, it is clear that this is all a lot of hot air. You cannot blow the cover of someone who was not under cover.Fitz is in way over his head.
Libby may very well be a moron, but he didn't commit a crime, other than stupidity.
The same was true of Martha Stewart and look what happened to her.
It's pretty clear that Libby was explaining that he was lying to Russert, et al, and this explanation was (as you said) misinterpreted to mean that this was what he actually believed.
Very weak case if that's all he has.
If there is not a plea agreement, I wonder where the trial will take place. D.C.? Virginia? If it's D.C. you can be assured of a Republican being convicted regardless of the merits of the case.
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