Reuters: No announcement today (Thurs) in Plamegate

[TheWebHead]

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Special counsel Patrick Fitzgerald does not plan to act in the CIA leak case on Thursday, a spokesman said, setting the stage for the prosecutor to make a last-minute announcement on indictments before the grand jury expires on Friday.

http://ca.today.reuters.com/news/newsArticle.aspx?type=topNews&storyID=2005-10-27T131502Z_01_KRA572753_RTRIDST_0_NEWS-BUSH-LEAK-COL.XML

[maddezmom]

1. probably for the best with all the Mier news today

I can wait one more day :)

[ananda]

25. I hear you!

The suspense... the suspense!

[MostlyLurks]

2. I thought the GJ expired on Mon 10/31, not Friday.

I've thought for the last month that Fitz would hold any announcement, regarding indictments or lack thereof, until the last possible day, so I've been expecting Monday as the day. Has Reuters screwed up their info or is Monday the last day for the GJ?

Mostly

[Delphinus]

3. I'm pretty sure it expires Friday.

And, just damn. I understand it's probably best, due to Meiers.withdrawal, but you know that Friday night news dump. Damn.

[bunny planet]

35. If there are indictments tomorrow, believe me, they will transcend the

dreaded Friday night news dump. It will be huge news and everyone will be covering it.

[Mnemosyne]

29. It expires the 28th. n/t

[Algorem]

4. someone said maybe they want stock market closed when news breaks

[mzteris]

11. that makes sense. n/t

[Moochy]

36. Thats how real conservatives are made

My friend bemoaned the affect of the impending indictments will have on his portfolio! lol.. I told him its going to be a small spike downward, followed by a 40 year upward trend.

[SupplyConcerns]

67. That's terrible stock advice

There's better evidence predicting a Great Depression-size stock collapse in the near future than a "40 year upward trend".

[Moochy]

69. Ok Guy wearing "The end is near" sign

Don't worry yourself sick Lou Dobbs, I doubt he took my advice.

[anotherdrew]

53. but the stock market doesn't ever close really

they've had evening, night and weekend trading for years haven't they?

[katty]

58. that makes sense

[gordianot]

5. Did anyone notice this line in the Reuters article?

I quote:

"Other current and former administration officials may also be charges, the lawyers said."


Just wonder who the former officials are? Powell, Ashcroft? Who else?

[willing dwarf]

7. Probably Ari Fleischer, former press sec.

[Laura PourMeADrink]

8. Tenet

[zanne]

6. I don't like the sound of this.

The Friday night "news dump" is usually bad news for us. Legally, he doesn't have to do anything at all, and that worries me.

[brooklynite]

14. Criminal indictments aren't "slow news"...

and would be the lead story in all the Sunday morning papers and talk shows ("mechanical process" stories run Saturday; in-depth analyses and sidebars on Sunday).

[dmkinsey]

20. I've been exceedingly patient

but I'm beginning to feel a bit uneasy.

[Straight Shooter]

37. Fitzgerald has his own time table and the media doesn't factor in it.

Whatever he's doing, the "Friday night news dump" has nothing to do with it. The same thing would be happening if the GJ met for the final time on a Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday or Thursday.

[longship]

49. Friday news dump is appropriate.

Watergate indictments which named Nixon were released late Friday.

These GJ indictments are likely to turn DC and the WH upside-down. Releasing the info on late Friday is a good way to tone things down a bit. If I were Fitz, that's when I would do it.

Waiting for Friday is likely ominous for the WH, not for Dems.

[jaded_at_best]

55. you're right

this is not good, the fix is in. Plus, Bush might have preemptively pardoned anyone involved and Fitz won't waste indictments.

The whole thing will be a whitewash, which explains the Friday news dump.

[SupplyConcerns]

68. You're wrong

Don't blow so freely in the wind. Just because Fitzgerald is meeting with the GJ on Friday does not undo the long drumbeat of compelling signs that there WILL be indictments.

[SupplyConcerns]

66. Fitz. was probably trying to maximize his research time. n/t

[KenCarson]

9. maybe he's waiting until monday

even a friday release wouldn't bury this stuff

[Tight_rope]

10. Fitz is trying to kill me...

I'm having my wisdom tooth removed this afternoon and was planning on laying in bed all weekend and watch the mayhem in the WH. :crazy: :grr:

[janetle]

26. This made me laugh out loud!

Wisdom teeth--good luck--my daughter just went through this and she did just fine. Watching WH mayhem would definitely help along with the ice packs.

[Debau2005]

12. Look at it this way

If we are on pins and needles, think about the criminals in the WH! They must be about to bust a gut!!! haha I beat there is some heavy drinking going on....:rofl:

[Tatiana]

13. Does that mean I win?

I predicted announcements would come on a Friday "news dump" day :)

[Demobrat]

15. I don't think Fitz could care less about news cycles.

The GJ has until Friday, and he's taking all the time he's got. Simple as that.

[belle]

34. Yeah, he seems to be somehow above that sort of thing. He's not Rove.

He's not a politician. He's doing his job. If there are indictments, it'll stay in the news for a good long while, regardless of when it hits the headlines. If there aren't, it doesn't really matter when the news breaks, does it?

[shantipriya]

16. Leak Announcement

The only problem I have is that the news will be in SATURDAY's newspapers when not many people read.So it will lose the shock and awe effect .

[LoKnLoD]

18. This story isn't going away

If there are indictments we will be hearing about it for quite awhile.

[napi21]

19. I wouldn't worry about the indictment story being lost no matter when

the infor is released! This is not some small (though important) story that has a life of 3 or 4 days. This baby will be with us for MONTHS and probably years! The initial announcement is just the beginning. IF you doubt me, go back a read some stories about the unfolding of Watergate!

[D_Master]

22. Not just gonna get "dumped"

A news story like this won't just get "dumped" because it's a friday. it may not make as big of splash right away as we'd like but its not like by monday this story will have moved to page 3 or anything, it will be talked about on Sunday talk shows and it will still be around for a long time a story to talk about.

[rpannier]

17. Am I the only one who's growing tired of this waiting game

I come from a legal family. My father was a federal attorney for 6 years and a federal judge for 31 years. I have never in my life seen someone drage this on like Fitzgerald can. If he has delivered the indictments he needs to move on with this case. I'm not interested in hearing how he may be waiting another day because he's still crossing a few t's. He shouldn't have delivered the indictments to the intendees then. He needs to move this process along.

[Triana]

23. Maybe he isn't going to indict anyone....

...all this guessing from the media is making me nuts. No one knows what he'll do or what he won't do. Period.

[savemefromdumbya]

24. yes

I wish. What could be holding him up? Deals?

[Marnieworld]

50. he may be trying to get pleas and flipping

Did your dad ever take on the entire executive branch? This is a really big deal so let's give him the benefit of the doubt.

[Princess Turandot]

57. Remeber that he had almost a year tied up in Cooper's & Miller's appeals..

that was the major delay. During it, I assumed he learned a few more things.Given whom this involves, I would cross the t's, dot the i's and go back and proofread everything at least twice.

[savemefromdumbya]

21. Press conference on Friday?

From various sources on web: I heard that the prosecution was going to give a press conference Friday and that Fitz has opened new law offices - sign of expanding case? Deals are being done I expect?

[bmcatt]

27. Ah, but what if...

There's the possibility (don't remember who mentioned it) that he's already filed sealed indictments. In that case, he's truly got nothing he can announce.

If he's really getting more office space in DC, then he's still got work to do, which would support the idea that he's asking for a new GJ to be empaneled to conduct further investigations.

The waiting is painful, yes, and I definitely wish that we could see the other shoe drop. On the other hand, from everything we've heard (and said) about Fitzgerald, he knows his job and he's not going to just pack up and walk away unless he's truly been unable to find anything.

That doesn't strike me as being the case, so I think we just need to sit tight and wait.

[ypsiguy]

28. Did anyone see this?

I'm new here and can't start new threads yet.
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20051026/ap_on_re_us/soldier_s_wife_fired

[jn2375]

30. Welcome to DU

[maddezmom]

33. yes, there's a link here in LBN

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=102x1880549

Welcome to DU :hi:

[SugarBear]

31. I'm positively electric with anticipation.

I woke up this morning tingling from excitement over the possibility of indictments; my partner said I had been tossing and turning all night. He too is on edge.

This is too much to bear. If there aren't any indictments I will feel positively suicidal! I'll need to resurrect my post-election support group at the Y. This is gonna be a long 24 hours. Oh God!

[Wheezy]

39. Welcome

to DU, Sugarbear! :hi:

[bigbrother05]

32. Fitz can take as long as he wants,

just get it right.

[OneForLuck]

38. It would be nice if he'd wait even beyond Friday...

Let the Bushies take as much heat as possible over Harriet... Don't let either story trump the other...

[doxieone]

40. BREAKING: CNN Says Fitzgerald Will Announce Tomorrow!!! (now with link)

No link yet.

Franken on CNN reported this as an 'update' just now on CNN.

EDIT: Link !!!!

http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20051027/pl_nm/bush_leak_dc_29

[Imalittleteapot]

41. So today is Fitzmas Eve. Hope this is true.

:patriot:

[5X]

42. CNN also ran a breaking news headline yesterday..

that said a train packed with commuters had derailed
in London, removed it 20 minutes later with no explanation.

[Greeby]

45. Well, one did derail on the Liverpool system last night

But there were no injuries

[LSdemocrat]

47. Here's a link if anyone really wants the story

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/merseyside/4380708.stm

[electropop]

48. The train crash story was supposed to run tomorrow.

Somebody jumped the gun.

Gotta run out and do my Fitzmas shopping now...

[Greeby]

43. Woot

Fitzmas is coming! :bounce: :bounce: :bounce:

[ck4829]

44. It's the most wonderful time of the year.

Because it's Fitzmas time.

[iconoclastNYC]

46. Remember: Treason is the Reason for the Season

[Moloch]

51. Yeah, yeah....

Just like we were supposed to have announcements today... and yesterday... I'm going to take a walk.

[crispini]

52. Yay! Now we know!

Well it was either today or tomorrow.

[No Exit]

54. Please, please, no procedural snafus....... n/t

[snappyturtle]

56. Fitzmas is a comin'..........

I, too, am tied up in knots over the GJ announcement. I know we've waited so very long for this revelation that everyday it becomes more unbearable but......I think it is so BIG that Friday is appropriate timing for the announcement. After all, we've trusted Fitzgerald this long, we must (as if we have any choice) continue to let him do his thorough job. We can't have any loopholes! Remember that just a few days ago there were reports of 22 indictments coming down. If, that is true, then we need a weekend to completely digest the wonder of the season! :woohoo:

[yostsghost]

59. Did Bush Trade Miers for Rove?

Is it plausible that King George threw the Miers nomination under the bus in oreder to save the butts of Rove and "scooter"? Possible behind the scenes manuvering going on right now. The timing seems a little too good.

[AZBlue]

60. As anxious as I am for those weasels to be indicted, I'm glad that

Fitzgerald is taking whatever time he needs to make the case as strong as possible. I don't want them to squirm out of it on a technicality. And, yes, if that means extending the GJ, then so be it.

We all know that there's a lot more to this than just the Plame incident - this is the tip of the iceberg of an illegal war and maybe, just maybe, he's setting it up to dig deeper and broaden the investigation.

[yostsghost]

61. Are we getting our hopes up?????????

We are all looking forward to those who have done wrong under the guise of Democracy to held accountable. I just have a hard time believing a group as powerful as this regieme not being able to wiggle out of this. They invaded a country under a vail of lies with the entire planet protesting.

[NightOwwl]

62. Keep the faith yostsghost....

something big is coming down.

[sweettater]

63. I agree with your assessment

It is hard to think that as swarmy and devious as these thugs are that anything will ever happen to them. They are too rich and powerful. But then again, sometimes folks get too big for their britches.

[callous taoboy]

70. Welcome to DU, yosts!

I'd say that if things were going swimmingly for scrotum at this point (Iraq, economy, SC nominee not bailing, other Mepublicans not under investigation etc.) then the Plame matter would not be as big nor as much of an attention getter.

I really believe we have the perfect storm on our hands.

[nebula]

64. Weren't the target letters already delivered on Tuesday?

It seems safe to say at this point that indictments will in fact be handed down,
its just a matter of to whom and how many.

[SCantiGOP]

65. don't like "Plamegate"

best description I've heard so far is Traitorgate. Let's keep the focus where it should be.

[yellowcanine]

71. Traitorgate, treasongate, Novakgate would all be ok with me. Novak is the

one who actually outed Plame so it would only be fitting if his name were forever attached to the scandal.

[yellowcanine]

72. Friday would be perfect timing for the Sunday pundit gaggles.

[m0nkeyneck]

73. Breaking News!!!!!

we have nothing to report...



j stewart was hilarious last night ;-)

[Herman47]

74. ANY LAWYERS OUT THERE?

It is my understanding that Rove can be charged with perjury, in that he told FBI investigators that he didn't speak with anyone about Ms. Wilson until after the Novak article came out. (Evidently, he spoke to Novak and Cooper).

Can Rove and Libby also be charged with lying to a federal official (Bush, McClellan) over an official matter? Would such a lie be an "obstruction of justice" if said to Bush (presumably our nation's top law enforcement official)?

[Blackthorn]

75. Dunno how seriously to take these...

http://www.tomflocco.com/fs/BushCheneyIndicted.htm

Hopefully those links work. I was waiting to see if these popped up but I haven't seen them. Take with applicable salt.

BUSH AND CHENEY INDICTED

by Tom Flocco

Chicago -- August 2, 2005 -- TomFlocco.com -- U.S. federal prosecutor Patrick Fitzgerald’s Chicago grand jury has voted perjury and obstruction of justice indictments to the following members of the Bush Administration: President George W. Bush, Vice-President Richard Cheney, Bush Chief of Staff Andrew Card, Cheney Chief of Staff I. Lewis "Scooter" Libby, Attorney General Alberto Gonzalez, former Attorney General John Ashcroft, imprisoned New York Times reporter Judith Miller and former Senior Cheney advisor Mary Matalin.

<snip>

Besides the Valerie Plame CIA leak case, the Fitzgerald probe is reportedly far-reaching and expanding much deeper into past White House criminal acts involving Bush-Clinton drug money laundering in Mena, Arkansas to White House involvement in 9.11; but also for sending America’s young people to their deaths or to be maimed in Iraq and Afghanistan under false pretenses.

British Prime Minister Tony Blair was indicted for obstruction of justice and is reportedly consulting with members of Parliament and legal aides regarding how to avoid appearing in the U.S.A. for interrogation before Fitzgerald in Chicago.

The revelations emanated from sources close to the grand jury who spoke with federal whistleblower Thomas Heneghan in California who said White House Senior Advisor to the President Karl Rove was also indicted for perjury and was reportedly involved with Mary Matalin in a major Bush administration document shredding operation to cover-up evidence.


http://www.tomflocco.com/fs/CiaPlameCaseIndictments.htm

Bush orders Fitzgerald fired and espionage indictments quashed

by Tom Flocco

Washington, DC—October 21, 2005—12:00 EST—TomFlocco.com exclusive—Today Special Counsel Patrick Fitzgerald handed over 22 indictments to Attorney General Alberto Gonzalez, accusing President George W. Bush, Vice President Richard Cheney and others of espionage, obstruction of justice, perjury and a variety of other charges in the matter of the CIA/Valerie Plame leak-gate case.

According to intelligence sources who spoke with federal whistleblowers Thomas Heneghan and Stewart Webb, Bush then ordered Gonzalez to fire Fitzgerald and have the indictments quashed and sealed.

Gonzalez refused to release the indictments which have been handed down by the grand jury and ordered served by a judge, subjecting the Attorney General to additional charges of obstruction of justice, the sources said.

<snip>

Intelligence sources added that Bush tried to delay publicity about his attempt to fire Fitzgerald and quash the indictments this afternoon by ordering a diversion regarding a “Capitol Hill police attempt to disrupt a suspicious package in a car near the U.S. Capitol.”


Like I said above, I can't vouch for the source, but I got my fingers crossed.