Conyers: the stonewall is getting ready to break!

[paineinthearse]

Blogged by JC on 10.11.05 @ 08:41 PM ET

Rove-Gate Heating up?
A few you may have missed....
Stonewall Breaking...

A few stories caught my eye in the last few days about Rove-gate. For months, really over a year, we knew little or nothing about what was going on before the Rove-Gate Grand Jury. While witnesses who testify before a grand jury (and their attorneys) can disclose whatever they wish, the prosecutor is sworn to secrecy. Fitzgerald appears to be unlike Ken Starr in so many ways, but the most unnoticed is that he doesn't leak.

A new slew of stories show that some witnesses and their attorneys are becoming, shall we say, chatty with reporters. First off, Murray Waas -- one of the better investigative journalists around -breaks news tonight that Scooter Libby may have been less than forthcoming with Mr. Fitzgerald and questions have been raised about whether Libby or his attorney obstructed justice by discouraging Judith Miller from testifying and whether a pattern exists of such obstruction. You may remember that I wrote to Libby a while back asking why he had not granted Miller the specific waiver she was saying she required.

A few days ago, Waas also broke the news that, according to the President and Rove's accounts, Rove lied to the President about his role in Rove-gate. Forgive my skepticism, but it sounds like contrived distancing to me....

More bombshells from Lawrence O'Donnell, who you may remember first reported that Rove was a significant focus of the investigation. I'm a few days behind on this one, but read his accounts of the recent machinations of the Rove legal team here and here.

Finally, via Josh Marshall tonight, an AP piece. Looks like a timeline, right? But, why is it there? Marshall asks the right question: "Does this just-moved AP piece on Karl Rove look a bit like a political obit?" Chew on that.

If that isn't enough, read this sentence from the very end of one of the O'Donnell pieces very carefully:

"Prediction: at least three high level Bush Administration personnel indicted and possibly one or more very high level unindicted co-conspirators."

I don't have the sources these great reporters do, but the flurry of activity, the beginning Republican attacks on Fitzgerald, the MSM -- in the form of the AP and others -- suddenly taking this much more seriously, you have to wonder whether the stonewall is getting ready to break.

More on this in the days to come....

JC, in case nobody has said it recently, :yourock:

[corbett]

1. If Hillary Wins The Democratic Nomination, I Hope She Picks Conyers For VP

I expect Senator Kerry to win the Democratic nomination in 2008 and that he will choose Hillary for his runningmate. If it turns out that I'm wrong, though, and Hillary wins the nomination, I hope she chooses Representative Conyers for Veep! He is a true-blue patriot and statesman!

http://www.dccc.org/campaignforchange

[paineinthearse]

2. WTF

:wtf: Does this have to do with what Rep.Conyers is reporting?

Sheesh!

[corbett]

3. The Relevance Is That He's The Only Member Of Congress Out Front Blogging

There are a lot of members of Congress I like but Conyers is the one farthest out front reporting the truth via his blog. I don't see these threads on www.giveemhellharry.com

[paineinthearse]

4. Since Rep Conyers has been "in the trenches" for 40 years

Why would he want to give credibility to either of the DLC members mentioned. Should the scenerio come to be, he would, the gentleman he is, politely decline and be content chairing the HJC.

[PuraVidaDreamin]

21. Conyers has done more for the good of what remains of Democracy

and this country than Hillary has.

Conyers has more class, skill and wisdom,
than Hillary will ever hope to have.
Did I mention Integrity.
If Hillary had any she would be against
this illegal and immoral war in Iraq.

[hiley]

6. Congressman John Conyers for President, please..

;)

[BamaBecky]

15. Hillery can forget my vote...n/t

[Lerkfish]

16. I second that request

Hillary who?

lets actually nominate those who've been working tirelessly and heroically.

[paineinthearse]

5. Times Reporter to Testify on Recently Found Notes

Cross-posted to LBN - http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=102x1843520

http://www.conyersblog.us/archives/00000271.htm
Blogged by JC on 10.11.05 @ 10:55 PM ET

More on Rove-Gate

Now that it has been reported, I can add to my earlier entry that I, and four of my Democrattic colleagues have written to Mr. Fitzgerald requesting a report on all decisions relating to Rove-Gate, including decisions to prosecute, convictions and any decisions not to prosecute after he concludes his inquiry. The New York Times has the story.

The judicial system and the Special Prosecutor must play their respective roles in this matter, free from politics. After that, the Congress must exercise its oversight responsibilities over the Justice Department's handling of this matter and its constituional responsibilities. The public, too, is owed a full accounting of the Administration's conduct in this scandal.

http://www.nytimes.com/2005/10/12/politics/12leak.html

October 12, 2005
Times Reporter to Testify on Recently Found Notes
By DAVID JOHNSTON

WASHINGTON, Oct. 11 - Judith Miller, the reporter for The New York Times who spent 85 days in jail before cooperating with a federal grand jury investigating a C.I.A. leak case, will testify again on Wednesday after discussions with the prosecutor about a conversation she had in June 2003 with a senior White House official. "Judy met this afternoon with the special counsel to hand over additional notes and answer questions," Bill Keller, The Times's executive editor, said in a message to the staff on Tuesday afternoon. "She is to return to the grand jury Wednesday to supplement her earlier testimony."

Ms. Miller's meeting with the prosecutor, Patrick J. Fitzgerald, focused on notes that she found in the Times newsroom in Manhattan after her appearance before the grand jury on Sept. 30. She took the notes during a conversation on June 23, 2003, with I. Lewis Libby, Vice President Dick Cheney's chief of staff.

An entry in her notes referred to Joseph C. Wilson IV, the former ambassador whose criticisms of the Bush administration's Iraq policy had begun circulating in the capital in the spring and summer of 2003. Mr. Wilson's critique was based on a trip he had taken to Africa in 2002 to examine whether Iraq had sought nuclear material from Niger. Ms. Miller's lawyer, Robert S. Bennett, said he would not discuss her meeting with the prosecutor.

On July 6, 2003, Mr. Wilson wrote an Op-Ed article in The Times in which he said that the C.I.A. had sent him on the mission to Africa after Mr. Cheney's office raised questions about an intelligence report on possible Iraqi purchases of uranium ore. Mr. Wilson concluded in the article that it was "highly doubtful" that any sale had taken place.

more.....

[paineinthearse]

7. Overnight

:kick:

[GetTheRightVote]

8. I hope the stone wall goes done soon, I am ready to celebrate our freedom

from their corruption.

:kick:

[autorank]

9. When this happens, Dana Mil bank should crawl on his knees and beg

the forgiveness of John Conyers. Of course, Conyers is so focused on real issues, he'd probably say "Dana who?" But I wouldn't. I remember Milbank's disparaging column on Conyers hearings, which were held in a basement because of the rudeness of now twice indicted Tom Delay. There is a lot of pay back to go around and we need somebody to keep track. I Recommend you paine). The privileged status of the WaPost and rude punks like Milbank needs to be altered. Every media outlet gets a clear shot at the WH, no set passes, rotating for all papers with a sampling of large, medium, and small markets. I do a news service on Elections (Election Reforum Forum) which requires reading the press three days a week on election issues. The smaller papers are terrific and usually nail it quickly with style.

At any rate, it's great to see Rep Conyers having fun, really great. I enjoy these posts.

[paineinthearse]

11. "we need somebody to keep track"

Everything JC has ever blogged is captured in DU's Conyers group.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topics&forum=340

This forum is not so much for discussion as it is for "pointing" to posts in the "big" forums.

Of course, "advanced search" will find key words and strings in the active files as well as in the archives.

:patriot:

[BamaBecky]

14. I nominate Dana Milbank for latrene duty assistant..n/t

[autorank]

19. That would be a step up for him! You're too kind;)

[hiley]

24. LOL!

:rofl: latrene duty, good enough for Milbank!

[Cults4Bush]

18. I am not going to forget that hit piece very quickly either.

I still wonder why he did it, what motivated him to be so cruel...?

[autorank]

20. Remember, he was one of the first WaPost 'ers to criticize Bush.

In an Ivy League sort of way. Then they moved him to the back bench.

I think he neededto establish his anti-progressive, anti-truth credentials. What better way than to insult "the great man" and then go on TV and whine about it.

Remember, the DC press corps are the people who sat with Jeff Gannon for months without figuring out that he was a ringer. They're not too bright and their street smarts are lacking.

[texpatriot2004]

10. Conyers does Rock.

:yourock:

[paineinthearse]

12. The follow-up to this post is in GEN forum

It is absolutely dying.

Go to http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=104x5038551, you won't be disappointed.

[bananas]

23. bad link - remove comma at end

When you typed the comma as punctuation,
it got included as part of the url.
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=104x5038551

[xchrom]

13. conyers: a hero for our times!

[seemslikeadream]

17. and a Merry Merry Fitzmas to you paineinthearse

It's beginning to look a lot like Fitzmas
Everywhere you go.
Who's gonna do five-or-ten?
We're thinking once again
Of handcuffs and of orange jumpsuits aglow.
It's beginning to look a lot like Fitzmas
Indictments on every score
But the prettiest sight to see
Is the scowl on Darth Cheney
At the slammer's front door.

A warrant or writ, a subpoena that fits
Is the wish of Barney and Ben;
The thought of Turdblossom hung up like a possum
Is the hope of Janice and Jen;
And Mom and Dad can hardly wait for court to start again.

It's beginning to look a lot like Fitzmas
Everywhere you go.
There's an defendant who doesn't want to tell;
One in the White House as well --
The felony kind that doesn't mind the law!
It's beginning to look a lot like Fitzmas
Soon the bells will start
And the thing that will make them ring
Is the indictment that we sing,
Right within our hearts!

crispini

[paineinthearse]

22. See crispini's post in sister thread

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=104x5038551#5040335

:rofl:

[hiley]

25. thanks for the link

archives
http://www.conyersblog.us/archives/default.htm

[paineinthearse]

26. Know what that looks like?

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topics&forum=340

You can match the two files 1:1.

[hiley]

27. paineinthearse

you have done an outstanding job!
it is a shame you don't know how many views their have been.

[Pam-Moby]

28. Like I have said many times before-Conyers rocks.

He has my 100% in whatever he does. I trust him very much.

[Humor_In_Cuneiform]

29. You might say Conyers is saying "Tear down this Stonewall!"

:applause: