Analysis: Telling FBI The Truth Saved Rove

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Analysis: Telling FBI The Truth Saved Rove>

...In 2003, while Rove allowed the White House to tell the news media that he had no role in leaking Valerie Plame's CIA identity, the presidential aide was secretly telling the FBI the truth.

It's now known that Rove had discussed Plame's CIA employment with conservative columnist Robert Novak, who exposed her identity less than a week later, citing two unidentified senior administration officials.

Rove's truth-telling to the FBI saved him from indictment....

[Avalux]

1. Please provide the link for this info.

:hi:

[ificandream]

3. Here's the link ... from Forbes.com

http://www.forbes.com/home/feeds/ap/2006/06/13/ap2812402.html

[Master Mahon]

2. So let me see if I have this straight

He admitted outing Plame in '03, and because he admitted a felony
he's allowed to walk???
Something sounds amiss in fairyland!

[PCIntern]

4. Well put on almost every level

and meaning of the word...

[Igel]

7. The law's a bitch.

He might well have told Novak that Valerie Wilson nee Plame was covert CIA and wanted him to print the information to get revenge on Wilson. If he knew just this much, it's simply not illegal. It's also not a conspiracy. It's a personal a vendetta. Certainly a bad thing; but that's all.

The law defines very specifically what Rove needs to know and do to commit this particular felony. In this case, it's unclear Rove actually broke the law as written, if he didn't know at the time that they were actively taking measures to maintain her cover. When the law says you're only guilty if you know a particular fact, ignorance is the defense. But it's worse. If Fitz can't establish the facts required by the law, *beyond a reasonable doubt*, given evidence admissible in court, he loses. It's unclear that Fitz could have information establishing the facts that we think are true; proving knowledge isn't the same as proving Rove had a document in his possession with that knowledge, or even that he scanned the document. In fact, if Fitzgerald's not anticipating seeking an indictment, it's fairly clear that he thinks he doesn't have enough evidence, and he's then doing the ethical thing by not seeking an indictment.

Morality, ethics, and even ideology define 'bad'; the legal code defines 'illegal.'

[BrklynLiberal]

5. Al FRanken said Rove owes his "freedom" to Viveca Novak. It was she

who warned his lawyer that Matt Cooper had told the Grand Jury that Rove had spoken to him about Plame after Rove had told the GJ that he had never spoken to Cooper.
This gave Rove the chance to willingly return to the GJ and plead "I mis-remmebered" instead of facing indictment for perjury.

So according to Franken's theory, Viveca Novak saved Rove's ass.

[robbedvoter]

6. um, so what about lying to the investigators at the WH?

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=364&topic_id=1417552&mesg_id=1417552
FACT: ROVE AND WHITE HOUSE MISLED THE AMERICAN PEOPLE OVER ROLE IN CIA LEAK:  Asked on Sept. 29, 2003 whether he had "any knowledge" of the leak or whether he leaked the name of the CIA agent, Rove answered "no." That same day, White House Press Secretary Scott McClellan, after having “spoken to Karl,” asserted that "it is a ridiculous suggestion" to say Rove was involved in the leak. In Aug. 2004, Rove maintained, “I didn’t know her name and didn’t leak her name.”

What utter BS!

[Jack Rabbit]

8. Rove told the truth to the FBI

I hope it wasn't too painful for him. Better yet, I hope he likes it and becomes a good habit.

[Demeter]

9. Anybody Here Really Believe Rove Told the Truth, the Whole Truth, Etc.?

No hands raised? I thought not.