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...
A grand jury comprised of NRA members would be fair, impartial and committed to the truth.
Challenge the reporters' memories.
That's the he said, she said defense. It's the only one I see.
The indictment hinges on Libby telling the GJ that he (Libby) first heard of Plame's CIA status from reporters. Libby told that story a number of times, in a number of different ways.
But the facts seem pretty solid that Libby first heard of Plame's "stuff" via personal, independent inquiry to the CIA - plus hearing it from VPOTUS, who got it from the CIA. Those independent inquiries were June 11, 12, 2003. Discussions with Russert, Cooper, Miller were June 23 (Miller) to July 10 (Russert) to July 12 (Cooper). All in all, a tight time frame of events, wehre he's apt to form a clear impression of who knew what, first.
His testimony to the GJ in November 2003 was that he heard it FIRST, from reporters.
On it's face, it looks like a tough rap to beat.
IN parts its hard to fathom whether Libby is being charged with lying to reporters.
Some of the excerpts sound like he's admitting covering up his sources to reporters and admitting to the FBI he did such.
BTW, did anyone ask him whether he spoke to cheney about Wilson? No allegation he denied that conversation.
I hope not Virginia.
I recently completed a jury duty questionaire for the U.S. District Court, and I sure don't want to sit through this nonsense for 2 or 3 months.
I've been an NRA member. I wasn't commenting on our truthfullness. I was commenting on the lunicy of a grand jury made up of all Democrats for a Republican administration.
This thing stinks to high heaven.
Yes, so the line of succession has nothing to do with my original statement.
"His testimony to the GJ in November 2003 was that he heard it FIRST, from reporters."
What page is that on? To me it read he told reporters he first heard it from reporters and admitted that to the FBI.
Where's the questions to him about talking with Cheney? Did he deny those?
President Bush up on Fox now. "We all are presumed innocent until proven guilty."
> The really sad thing about this entire pathetic ordeal is that this prosecutor could NEVER have brought charges against ANYONE for outing Plame -- because she hadn't been a covert CIA operative within the past 5 years.
What baffles me is why Libby couldn't just tell the truth. Plame was NOT covert.
I'm really bummed out. I thought Wilson or Miller would be indicted. Seriously.
He's not. He is being charged with lying to investigators. Lying to reporters is legal ;-)
BTW, did anyone ask him whether he spoke to cheney about Wilson? No allegation he denied that conversation.
The indictment recites that as a background fact.
In October and November of 2003, Libby told the investigators that he got all of this information FIRST from reporters, in discussions from June 23 (Miller) and into mid-July.
What irritates me so much is Fitzmoron using a million dollars of taxpayer money to get his fifteen minutes of fame.
What a waste of time and money.
Having said that, there is no excuse for lying to a grand jury. Hopefully, he did not.
Agreed.
If Libby did what he's charged of doing...he needs to "face the music".
What I find ironic/sad...surely "par for the course"...is the MSM saying.."Scooter could serve years in prison"..blah, blah, blah....
FRegards,
What page is that on? To me it read he told reporters he first heard it from reporters and admitted that to the FBI.
That is the story he told the FBI. That is what he is being charged with. Count 1 recites Libby's story to the FBI, and it is that story that the GJ says is false.
Where's the questions to him about talking with Cheney? Did he deny those?
I don't see any questions to LIBBY on that matter, either from the GJ or the FBI. The June 11-12 activites outlined in the indictment are that LIBBY first learned of Plame via direct contact with the CIA.
But I've not got the indictment synthesized fully into my memory banks yet ;-)
Not to split hairs here, but I have not found any substantiation for the claim that she was "still considered undercover" within the text of the indictment. It states that, "At all relevant times from January 1, 2002 through July 2003, Valerie Wilson was employed by the CIA, and her employment status was classified".
So it's okay with you if a top level administration official discloses classified information to the press?
The lesson learned going forward by this adminstration and all others in the future better be that you DO NOT discuss any thing with reporters about any CIA employee whether covert or not, EVER!!! Scooter Libby is an absolute idiot for making any comment and answering any questions about someone who works at the CIA. Just an ABSOLUTE idiot!!! He should of said "NO COMMENT, we do not discuss employees of our intelligence agencies", foreign or domestic. Whether he's guilty or not of the specific charges, who knows.
Some of the evidence cited against him look like notes taken by interviewers, not direct trascriptions of what he said.
http://www.usdoj.gov/usao/iln/osc/documents/libby_indictment_28102005.pdf <-
Paragraphs 14 & 26, for those particular assertions of fact made by the Independent Counsel.
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