Posted on 02/09/2006 10:33:40 AM PST by conserv13
Vice President Dick Cheney's former chief of staff, I. Lewis (Scooter) Libby, testified to a federal grand jury that he had been "authorized" by Cheney and other White House "superiors" in the summer of 2003 to disclose classified information to journalists to defend the Bush administration's use of prewar intelligence in making the case to go to war with Iraq, according to attorneys familiar with the matter, and to court records.
According to sources with firsthand knowledge, Cheney authorized Libby to release additional classified information, including details of the NIE, to defend the administration's use of prewar intelligence in making the case for war.
Libby specifically claimed that in one instance he had been authorized to divulge portions of a then-still highly classified National Intelligence Estimate regarding Saddam Hussein's purported efforts to develop nuclear weapons, according to correspondence recently filed in federal court by special prosecutor Patrick J. Fitzgerald.
Beyond what was stated in the court paper, say people with firsthand knowledge of the matter, Libby also indicated what he will offer as a broad defense during his upcoming criminal trial: that Vice President Cheney and other senior Bush administration officials had earlier encouraged and authorized him to share classified information with journalists to build public support for going to war. Later, after the war began in 2003, Cheney authorized Libby to release additional classified information, including details of the NIE, to defend the administration's use of prewar intelligence in making the case for war.
(Excerpt) Read more at nationaljournal.com ...
I'm glad you heard that too. And just about 45 minutes ago, MSNBC was reporting as fact that Cheney told Libby to out Plame. Does the MSM do a lick of research? Just a tad?
Jonathan Broder and Joe Conason, are longtime friends of Sidney Blumenthal
Conason (who often teamed up with Murray Waas in the past)
Murray Waas has twice threatened to sue Mark Levin for libel.
http://tinyurl.com/asf4u
I would bet quite a few dollars that this will NOT be Libby's "broad defense." The MSM will beat on this accusation for months, then they will be greatly disappointed in Libby's trial testimony.
Cbdoldt, you noticed the exact same parts of the article I did: the body of the text states that there was no testimony indicating Cheney authorized anything regarding the leaking of Plame's background, but Waas buries this information in such a way that the casual reader would not notice this and would go away with a false impression. Also, Waas is alleging to report on what is supposedly sealed grand jury testimony, which Libby is not free to comment on to confirm or refute. I would like to see an indictment of each and every reporter and editor who has aided and abetted the flagrant breaking of the law by the continuous leaking of grand jury testimony in this investigation, as well as impeachment proceedings against Fitzgerald himself, because it has become very clear after months and months of chronic leaks that he is allowing these leaks to flow from his office unchecked in order to influence public opinion against the accused. This is a flagrant abuse of Fitzgerald's office and a gross disregard of Libby's rights.
Mark Levin stated that Libby's lawyers are denying this story. The hourly news report right after that reported the story and mentioned the denial.
Murray Waas, one of the conspiracy hounds who has tried unsuccessfully to persuade the journalistic fraternity and the rest of the country that Ronald Reagan and George Bush are responsible for the crack cocaine epidemic in our inner cities.
During Monicagate, Murray Waas, Jonathan Broder, David Talbot, etc. received an invitation, thanks to Clinton adviser Sidney Blumenthal, to a White House party where they met with Hillary & Bill Clinton. It was billed as a birthday party for Sidney Blumenthal's wife.
I agree with that. When I referred to more anonymous sources, I meant to point to the fact that another writer supposedly has info out of the Grand Jury. I just find it hard to believe unless they name their source.
Libby is perfectly free to confirm or refute his own testimony before the GJ. It's the jurors who are sworn to secrecy, not the witnesses.
I would like to see an indictment of each and every reporter and editor who has aided and abetted the flagrant breaking of the law by the continuous leaking of grand jury testimony in this investigation, as well as impeachment proceedings against Fitzgerald himself ...
I don't know what criminal laws were broken by publication. Libby might have a defamation suit, but only if the report is false and the publisher knew it was false and published it as true, anyway.
I think he made this up by twisting information in Fitz' affidavit in which he says Libby testified he t=was tasked to explain portions of the NIE to Miller and was concentrating on that part of the conversation and not the fact that Plame was in the agency. Beginning in spring of 2003 portions of the NIE were declassified and both Tenet and Rice spoke to reporters from time to time about the non-classified portions.
On the other hand there was no Fitzmas and Cinco de NSA and Cinco de Abramoff have been cancelled so expect more and more feverish conspiracy theories to surface. Last week's was a twisted version of the problem with archiving the emails which quickly morphed into the notion that the WH was destroying evidence. Remember?
Okay. That was not the impression I had gotten from some previous reporting on this.
I don't know what criminal laws were broken by publication. Libby might have a defamation suit, but only if the report is false and the publisher knew it was false and published it as true, anyway.
Depends if he files the suit in the US or Britain :-)
Interesting.
Are these the same sources that just through any and all crap onto the wall to see what sticks? Makes sense to me.
FNC just reporting the opposite during the newsbreak now - saying Cheny did order Libby to talk. what's up with this story?
do you know if Libby and his attorney are entitled to have a transcript of his GJ testimony?
lesse now........
Pres Bush outlines what we have prevented
Reid and dembots are nailed with Abramoff toxic spill....
Lets cloud the water with a story that trashes the Presiden and Admistration which is not confirmed. Just like the 80's Don Henley song Dirty Laundry
I went through the anti nuke kook BS in the 80's. This is deja vu all over again.
WE now have the ability to respond with information
Ping, since your site is being quoted.
Can you shed any further light on Murray Waas?
Sounds like another Dan Rather BS parade
ping for later
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