I'll be shocked if fitz goes after anyone other than Rove/Scooter

[onenote]

Maybe a couple of other small fry (Matalin?). Its not that I don't want him to dig deeper, just that I would be shocked if he does (and think DUers ought to be ready for that eventuality). I think Rove and Scooter are prime candidates for perjury charges, possibly more, for lying to the GJ in connection with the Plame inquiry. But a number of folks seem to think (and I know there have been reports suggesting this) that Fitz is going to bring charges related to the administrations lies regarding the existence/nonexistence of WMD. I really would be shocked by this. I think the witness list would be even more extensive if that was the case. In addition, lying to the American people in and of itself isn't going to lead to criminal charges (whether or not it should, it just isn't). So they'd have to base it on lying to Congress in hearing testimony. And it seems likely that Fitz would leave it to Congress in the first instance to decide how to respond. Fitz might tee that up by including in his report examples of knowing misstatements by admin officials in congressional hearings, but I doubt he'd actually initiate prosecution on that basis.

My two cents.

onenote

[xultar]

1. I'll be shocked of just the opposite if rove /scooter are indicted

[snippy]

2. I agree about the WMD lies, but I think a dozen or more people will be

indicted, most on more than one count. I think the majority of the charges will relate to the cover up rather than the actual leaks. In particular, I think quite a few administration people probably lied to federal investigators about the existence of what the Court of Appeals called "the plot against Wilson." I expect those lies to be the most common count in the indictments. I also expect a few people to be charged with obstruction of justice and conspiracy to obstruct justice.

As for the lies to the American people concerning the WMDs, I think Fitzgerald probably will consider them to be "political" crimes which should be addressed politically by impeachment. However, I am fairly confident that he will not express such an opinion. Even the possible charges of perjury during Cogressional testimony are probably too closely related to political debate for Fitzgerald to go there. However, there will be a great deal of public discussion, perhaps even at some of the criminal trials, of the relationship between the plot against Wilson and the WMD lies.

[peace frog]

3. Word is Fitz is preparing 22 counts

which IMHO indicates he's casting a much wider net than a mere two persons.

[onenote]

6. we'll see

rumors are just rumors. Maybe there will be 22 counts. Maybe they'll be spread over a dozen or more people. But maybe there won't. And I for one am not counting those chickens before they hatch.

onenote

[peace frog]

7. Indeed we shall

and as the noose tightens we'll know more. Meanwhile we're thoroughly enjoying the tumult leading up to the downfall.

[Jackpine Radical]

4. Why would Fitz be digging as hard as he is into the Cheney shitpile

unless he's prepared to pull out whatever he finds and expose it to the light of day? He seems to be leaning on people like Scooter to get them to flip on people higher up, and there just aren't that manyu higher-ups.

And don't forget Hannah.

The birds are singing in the aspens.

[Walt Starr]

5. I'd be shocked if any charges related to the phony baloney Niger documents

were brought.

That said, I still think a lot more than Rove and Libby are going down here.