I just got off the phone with Jason Leopold

[WilliamPitt]

who clarified something for me that is pretty damned important. In his article, he said:

"During the course of that meeting, Fitzgerald served attorneys for former Deputy White House Chief of Staff Karl Rove with an indictment charging the embattled White House official with perjury and lying to investigators related to his role in the CIA leak case, and instructed one of the attorneys to tell Rove that he has 24 hours to get his affairs in order, high level sources with direct knowledge of the meeting said Saturday morning."

In point of fact, those 24 hours are "business hours," i.e. starting on Monday.

"Jeez, Jason," I said, "we might want to put that into the essay. Half the planet thought 24 hours was 24 hours. They thought the deal would go down today."

To be fair, a dozen eyes looked at that article yesterday before we published it, mine included, and none of us caught that. The word "business" has been inserted into the story after "hours" where it belongs:

http://www.truthout.org/docs_2006/051306W.shtml

So. Monday at the very earliest, but more like Tuesday or Wednesday.

I'm going to go take a nap and then go get drunk with some friends tonight. Dan's brother Ken, the airline pilot and all-around wild-man, is in town for the weekend. Gonna be the Linwood Cafe, and their Mojo from the nitrogen tap, and then around again to our usual gathering spot.

I'd repeat everything I've said about Jason's multiple independent sources, about how the MSMs failure to pick this up sounds more like more of the same old shit than anything ominous, about how no hard paper or announcements or anything will come until, at a minimum, the government re-opens for business on Monday...but I've written it all already.

The truth will out. It always does.

Later, gators.

[Drum]

1. Thx (again,) Mr. Pitt nt

[Syrinx]

2. "to get his affairs in order"

That sounds like he's going to be taken into custody. That can't be, can it?

[Skidmore]

19. The smoke you smell coming from Rovian quarters is

the odor of shredders in meltdown and underlings tushes as Rove tortures them to help them remember cover stories.

[Sydnie]

41. sounds more like time to clean out his WH office

because once he resigns he will not have time to do it without prying eyes watching his every move. As it stands now, I wouldn't doubt that people divert their eyes when he passes so as not to draw attention to themselves. Just entertaining myself I guess. anyway!

[pdxmom]

44. I doubt he'll be taken into custody. But getting his affairs in order

could mean they're giving him time to get his office packed up so he doesn't have to get back in there after he's indicted. I'm sure there are a lot of things he would need to handle, dealing with his job, that he won't have an opportunity to deal with once the indictment comes down. Sounds like it's a courtesy being afforded him.

[jazzjunkysue]

100. ...as I've been saying all along. The guy IS in the oval office after all.

It takes a couple of days to prepare for his departure, opn many levels.

Thanks, William!!!!

WoooHoooo!!!!

[ItsTheMediaStupid]

64. A courtesy afforded a lot of people who aren't deemed a flight risk

If he was just a regular Joe in DC, he'd be in jail, but he's a white, white-collar criminal, so he gets kid gloves treatment.

[tavalon]

112. For about an hour

He'll be bonded and out in no time. Until he is actually convicted, he will not be remanded to permanent custody in the pound yer ass prison.

That may well have happened rather secretively on Friday at about 3pm.

[bigtree]

3. hard worker

you. thanks.

[babylonsister]

4. Thanks, Will and Jason! Have fun; the 'home fires' will be

burning here! As you know.

[undeterred]

5. I didn't doubt for a minute.

T R U T H O U T always has the truth.

[IndyOp]

6. If I talked to Jason I'd tell him to relax as much as possible --

Given that the story is so important, I really do feel for Jason. My gut churns when I talk about election fraud and I know the person I am talking to is thinking 'conspiracy theorist!' It is embarassing and enraging.

There is nothing *anyone* can do to make people believe they are correct or even that they are telling the truth.

All we can do is tell our truth.

Jason ->

[WilliamPitt]

11. He's relaxed

Waiting like the rest of us, confident, solid, good to go.

[Scout1071]

52. Mind if I cross-post this at DKos Will?

As you can imagine, there is a great deal of debate over there as well.

[proud2BlibKansan]

7. Thanks Will!!

Have a great day!

[malaise]

8. I've been drinking champagne

since your first post on the indictments. I'll pop some more when MSM plays catch up.

[johnaries]

9. Wish I could join you and buy you a round!

Thanks for all your hard work!

[sellitman]

21. Ditto!

I would love to buy you a pint. Enjoy your well deserved time off.

[BeatleBoot]

10. Have One On BeatleBoot!!!!

And keep up the good work.

Our country needs you.

A bientot, from Detroit!!!!!

[No DUplicitous DUpe]

12. Thanks Will. I never had any doubt about the story being true.

Enjoy that well deserved drink! And Recommended.

[Faygo Kid]

13. Oops, too excited; posted "original" instead of "reply." Apologies.

Here was my comment; I am removing the original post. Stoopid.

I'm not sure what a "frogmarch" to jail is, but I sure as hell look forward to Karl showing Joe Wilson and me what it looks like.

[mcscajun]

53. Frogmarch...

Old definition of "frogmarch" (used to be "frog's march") you'd be carried upside down against your will with a person on each limb. Generally done in old Britain (and sometimes still done today) to drunks.

Modern definition, any method for marching a prisoner against his will, bound or unbound. Usually, though, with arms held behind the back by force.

[Peace Patriot]

88. You need to put a crown on his head--the Emperor has no clothes on!

Sort of tilted and falling off.

[jazzjunkysue]

102. Pass the brain bleach, please.

[Laurab]

167. Damn you should have warned me - GRAPHIC Photo

Now I'm sick to my stomach!!!!!!

[Jigarotta]

170. what a sickening specimen of all sickness on earth.

the 7 deadly sins all wrapped up in a moron with a chimp thumb on the red button.

[file83]

14. Thanks for the update - have fun!

[napi21]

15. Actually Will, many of us figured that out already.

ANTHING to do with the business community or the Gov't is always in business days. But thanks for clarifying it. It's sooo hard for us to remain calm and controlled when we know a major explosion is about to take place! The sad part is, if this doesn't happen Monday, it probably won't be until Wed! If I'm not mistaken, the GJ only meets Mon, Wed, and Fri, right?

[WilliamPitt]

17. I figured

but on something like this, it is important to nail it to the floor. There were a shitload of posts today from people who did think 24 hours was 24 hours. A lot of angst got released when it didn't happen that way. People are charged up, which is understandable, which is wht "business" was a word that should have been in there in the first place.

[bridgit]

16. hm...

[WilliamPitt]

18. ?

[Faygo Kid]

23. !

[ninkasi]

20. Just have a good time

Will, before I retired, I always thought in terms of business hours instead of personal, off-time hours. It's the same with days...you have so many business days to complete an assignment, for example. I'm going to love it when Rove is indicted.

[Cooley Hurd]

22. Did they give Libby "24 business hours" to get HIS affairs in order?

I honestly don't recall. This is important because one would assume that the serving of indictments in both cases would be handled similarly, correct?

[sam sarrha]

25. maybe he didnt have as much to shred...??

[file83]

29. LOL, LOL, LOL........*sniff*, *sniffle*... CRY, CRY, CRY...

...

[Scout1071]

37. They gave David Safavian 24 hours (i.e. a weekend)

I remember that he resigned on Friday and indictments were announced on Monday.

[Sydnie]

46. Well, Fitz did announce that he would be holding a new conference

well before (I believe it was the day before) he held it for Libby. Don't remember just how long it was after that that Libby "turned himself in for processing". Anyone remember?

There must be threads and threads about it here somewhere.

[Bumblebee]

93. But didn't he say he won't necessarily hold more press conferences?

No matter what? I seem to remember he did.

[worldgonekrazy]

168. Could be they are just trying to mess with Rove and the administration

You know, tell him he's going to be indicted but not let them know exactly when so they sit around anxiously awaiting the moment. There could be a number of reasons to do such a thing. First off is that it completely puts the ball in Fitzgerald's court. He's the one calling the shots and there can be no denying it. Second is that maybe Rove or someone else connected to the criminal conspiracy will do something really stupid out of desperation. Also, it could be fun for Fitzgerald and his staff just to make them squirm. Prosecutors often tend to enjoy that.

[Klukie]

24. Thanks...

I am content just to know that the bastard will be indicted.

[Hutzpa]

26. WP......did you say phone.....phone!!!

you forgot one thing, phone and NSA goes together, no flying small planes for you until further notice.

[Pithy Cherub]

27. On Monday, the press assigned to the White House

should be asking if Rove is still employed there? Do they expect any changes to his status? What is the procedure if Rove does Resign?

Jason did his job. Logic says that because Fitz was there so long on Friday, Rove's attorney's were doing a Hail Mary to try and stop it or craft a deal. Courts aren't held open on a just-in case basis, so I assumed nothing gets formally announced until the sealed indictment is handled in accordance with the Court's rules.

Patience is key here for the wheels of Justice do grind slowly...

[file83]

31. Snow will just say "Those are wild speculations....next question".

And he'll be done with it. He'll say "I've already addressed that question."

[Pithy Cherub]

36. Visions of a humiliated Scotty in Snow's head may say that

discretion is the better part of valor. There are no changes that he is aware of - but to categorize it as 'wild speculation' will make it the fastest expenditure of credibility ever in that job as soon as Fitz speaks.

[file83]

50. And that will be the end of Snow. They'll call it "The Spring Melt".

[klook]

66. And Helen will chase him down in the parking garage! (n/t)

[HooptieWagon]

86. "We can't comment...

... on an on-going investigation. Next question..."

[jazzjunkysue]

105. It's not really that "impordent."

[IndyOp]

35. Jason did his job. Agreed. Further -

Jason's job is an important one. The first to report sets the tone: Real investigative, aggressive journalism needs to be done here.

The worst case scenario for this situation is that the corporate media pundits great this with a great big YAWN! and take only a few minutes to talk about how little Rove's departure will change * grand successes. They may be talking in high pitch, extremely anxious tones offset, but onset they may play cool. They *can* and *may* do that.

I want real investigative journalism -- and while we can count on David Schuster of MSNBC to do some of the work -- much of the rest will be done by alternative media.

[Vidar]

28. Thanks for clarifying, Will.

[Kagemusha]

30. I thought this might be the problem. Thanks, Will.

I believe "Talkleft" got a massive earful when calling Luskin up at 10pm Saturday night? "This is Washington!" Heh. In other words, lawyers work business days, damnit.

[me b zola]

32. I'd like it better if it came out Tuesday, anyhow =>)

I haven't doubted Leopold's article for a minute. H20 Man has been teaching patience, and I think it has been rubbing off on me.

Thanks for the update, Will.

[Scout1071]

33. If Rove resigns in the morning, we know it will be accurate.

No way that they announce the indictments while Rove is still working in the White House. As they did with Goss, Foggo, Safavian and others, he will resign so that when the story breaks it he will be referred to as "former Presidential advisor" Karl Rove.

[Tom Joad]

43. I don't think that will soften the blow any, nearly everyone knows who

Karl "turd blossom" Rove is.
It will come down real hard, leaving bush popularity into the mid-twenties... maybe flirting with the teens.

[Scout1071]

48. It just seems to be their "m.o."

However, it was pointed out to me in another thread that we don't know if Rove's resignation hasn't already been offered and accepted, just not publicized yet.

[Sydnie]

49. WHAT IF ....

Rove takes the hit and lets blivet** FIRE him? Wouldn't that have a bounce effect on his numbers?

Boggles the mind, doesn't it? Could Rove allow himself to be embarassed like that for the cause?

hmmmmmmmmmmm ....

[DoYouEverWonder]

75. That's not what Libby did

He's the first WH Official in about 100 years to get indicted while still on the job.

I think Rove will do the same.

[alfredo]

34. I thought they only gave 24 hours to those going into the slammer?

I guess this will give him time to clean out his desk, have one last fling with Jeff Gannon, and a bowl of that fine bean soup in the cafeteria. Not necessarily in that order.

[jazzjunkysue]

106. Who's gonna tell Jeff???? He'll be devistated!

[alfredo]

132. They'll have to go back to their usual Motel 6 instead of

the west wing.

[jazzjunkysue]

151. Awwww. No more Lincoln bedroom.....

[alfredo]

166. The springs on the bed were quite noisy anyway. It would

drive Barney bonkers. His barking would wake up everyone. You don't want to wake up the president*. If he doesn't get ten hours of sleep, he is cranky all next day.

[usregimechange]

38. Thanks for informing us Will.

[hlthe2b]

39. Amazing what happens when the Left media break an important

story.... Who knows if Rove is rightfully "expelling a brick," but it does seem that those who did the work to get the story are having to sweat through 72 hours in the "hot seat."

Hang in there, Will, Jason, and all the Truthout guys. I have a feeling this will all be worth it...


I go on record though. If by chance there are problems with the story, your reputation carries you. I will be there to support you now and in the future--against the naysayers.

[glitch]

59. meanwhile anything coming from the smearboaters got the mighty wurlitzer

cranking overtime at max volume. We know the drill.

[RagAss]

40. Thanks Will...let me be the first to apologize for my expressions of doubt

...this makes sense and I look forward to Tuesday.

[WilliamPitt]

42. Absolutely no apologies necessary.

Doubt is good.

[OrangeCountyDemocrat]

55. Do You Expect Rove Will Go Ahead With His Monday AEI Speech? nt

[Lautremont]

45. Do the business hours include lunch? Is it eight hours per day,

for a total of three days? If so, why not say three days? If not, and the 24 hours include overnight, then why would they start Monday morning and not, say, Friday or Saturday? I'm guessing (but it's maddening to have to guess) that the business hours referred to are Rove's lawyer's business hours.

I certainly understand copy editing oversights, but this is far too important a story to be sloppily written.

That said, while I'm neither doubting nor absolutely accepting this story as of yet, I tend to believe it must have been very carefully reported, as for such an important item to be false or even premature would be fatal to Truthout's cred, as everyone involved must know. There's no room for "oops - we got it wrong" here, and I'm therefore certain everything has been checked, double checked and as sourced as can be.

So, despite my minor scolding, I'm very cheered and hopeful by the whole thing, as well as impressed with Truthout's skills of reportage.

[WiseButAngrySara]

47. Thanks so much for the update and clarification! Your evening out sounds

fun...you sure have deserved it!
knr

[Cleita]

51. So we shouldn't uncork the champagne until Wednesday

I take it. Got it. Thanks.

[Semblance]

54. 15 hours

On the radio today, Jason apparently said that Fitz arrived at 11:30 AM. He then stayed there for 15 hours? What does the 15 hours refer to?

[regnaD kciN]

56. Monday, eh...?

Well, now we know why Boy George is taking over the national airwaves that night for his "An'm gonna send the National Guard to the border to protect us from them Messicans" address.

It's the first time Captain Crotchsock has delivered a televised prime-time address that didn't have to do with terraism or Iraq. Why such a big deal about having the Guard patrol the border? Possibly, to force some other issue off the top of the news? It sure seems like they scheduled the speech on short notice, like they suddenly realized they had to do something on Monday night...

[savemefromdumbya]

61. What are they going to do with the media? How is the WH going to mask this

[DemonFighterLives]

57. Thanks Will for the update

Enjoy the R & R!

[mdmc]

58. peace

i can wait

[crispini]

60. I always thought that was the case. Who counts the weekend?

[gordianot]

62. Just wondering. If indicted he still has a job with the GOP?

What he really is is the ultimate GOP political hack. No need to remove him from that role, after all it is OK to have criminals in charge of criminal organizations.

Will he be cut off from all support? I do remember Nixon hacks turning bitter with about support, is Roves support system better?

[MindMatter]

81. Isn't that a prerequisite?

In the GOP, an indictment is a badge of honor. Although these days, so many Republicans have indicements and convictions that it barely impresses anyone.

[NastyRiffraff]

63. Figgered that one out already

But thanks for the clarification, Will, and the assurance that the story is solid.

And have a great time tonight...wish I could buy you one!

[Garbo 2004]

65. If the story is that the indictment is sealed & that is why it's not a

matter of public record at this time, then that should be explicity stated in the article.

Friday's article stated that the indictment would be sealed. Saturday's article doesn't. It may seem self evident to people who have been working on/reviewing the two articles, but it's not to the reader who may or may not have read Friday's story. Clearly that has been a point of contention among readers who naturally would expect an indictment to be a matter of public record.

Was the indictment sealed to give an opportunity to try to hash out a plea agreement before the indictment went public? If that's the contention, why not say so. Or was that not known at the time the article was published. If that's the current info, it would be helpful to explain that in some sort of update.

[bleever]

67. That's all fine and well, but how will we KNOW

you're drunk?

Peace, my friend. I'm very happy for Truthout, Jason, and you.

[Taxloss]

68. Business hours? That doesn't make sense.

What affairs? If it's home matters, he can do it at the weekend. If it's "business" matters - he can easily do that at the weekend. The government still operates over the weekend, even under the vacationer-in-chief. What, exactly, needs to be taken care of in business hours? We humble citizens may have to take our cheques to the bank then, but I'm at a loss to imagine what Rove might have to do. Organise lawyers? Weekend. Find papers? Weekend. Come up with a convincing story? Not enough time if you gave him a month.

Please explain.

[Balbus]

70. Yeah, I'm having trouble with it also..

[Taxloss]

71. What's more

If you take "business hours" to mean 9-5, that's 8 hours; 24 hours would give you three full days. Why would they describe it like that? Why not "three working days"? Or does 24 business hours mean one working day of just 8 business hours?

[sheelz]

94. Stay tuned...

they're working on that for the late night wednesday story.

[Brundle_Fly]

69. Hey Will !!

Buffalo clocked Ottawa, I think they will have to go up against either Edmonton or Anaheim for the cup.

[Maddy McCall]

72. Are you also saying that Rove was NOT indicted on May 12, as the article

claims?

The article--the headline even--clearly said that Rove was indicted on Friday. May 12, or before.

If you are now saying that Rove has not been indicted yet, but that the indictment may happen next week, you need to clarify that in your article as well as on DU.

[tavalon]

109. I'm not Will Pitt clearly

However, it's clear from what he said that if Rove was indicted on Friday May 12th, he has until 5pm on the next business day to actually be arrested, mugshotted, bail bonded etc.

As an aside, he was given that courtesy because Fitz clearly believes he is not a flight risk.

So the article may in fact be dead on.

[Patsy Stone]

73. Cheers to you and Jason!

[spuddonna]

74. Have a great time! And tell Jason...

... thanks!

[alcibiades_mystery]

76. Tomorrow and tomorrow and tomorrow...

Creeps in this petty pace from day to day,
To the last syllable of recorded time;
And all our yesterdays have lighted fools
The way to dusty death. Out, out, brief candle!
Life's but a walking shadow; a poor player,
That struts and frets his hour upon the stage,
And then is heard no more: it is a tale
Told by an idiot, full of sound and fury,
Signifying nothing....

[Taxloss]

79. What! Frighted with false fire? n/t

[alcibiades_mystery]

85. LOL

[WilliamPitt]

103. You seem to have

an awful lot invested in the idea that this story is wrong.

[alcibiades_mystery]

107. I do! I'll have to call myself a dimbulb in my signature line if it's true

The bet, remember?

[WilliamPitt]

110. And that's a good reason

to post insulting messages to your fellow DUers? Really? You must live a crucifyingly dull life. You're actually rooting against a Rove indictment so you don't have to update your sig line. Wow.

[alcibiades_mystery]

111. Isn't it amazing?

Oh, were you insulted? I was just musing, you know? Isuddenly remembered my Charlemagne and all that.

The fact is, at this point, you have much more invested in it being true than I have in it being false. For me, it'll be a sig line, some good natured embarrassment. For you, if this turns out false, it's the whole game, isn't it?

[WinkyDink]

131. I used to teach that. I hope Rove's mind is full of scorpions!

[elehhhhna]

77. IIRC they actually have 72 hours after an sealed indictment is issued...

It's not made public 'till then so they can either catch the guy (if he's a flight risk) or let him turn himself in.

[The Witch]

78. That jives with 24 business hours.

72 hours = 24 hours x 3.
24 hours = 8 hours x 3.

In other words, the guy gets three days.

Wednesday is Fitzmas!

[elehhhhna]

80. Yep, Wednesday night or Thurs a.m., then.

[aquart]

152. PLEASE make it Thursday.

I understand that nobody wants to wait but it's my Mommy's 85th birthday and think what a treat it would be.

[snooper2]

202. 24 business hours is 1 day..

Period...Tuesday at 12:00 nooon to Wednesday at 12:00 noon is 24 business hours, no matter what industry you are in...

[Bluebear]

228. .

[mr_hat]

82. Why are going to get drunk?

This is the part of the story I don't get.

[Catherine Vincent]

128. He's Irish.

[LiviaOlivia]

146. Interesting

Do you post over at Kevin Drum's?

[Catherine Vincent]

157. No, I don't.

Who is Kevin Drum?

[Canuckistanian]

173. Blogger - The Washington Monthly

http://www.washingtonmonthly.com /

Pretty influential blogger - used to have a blog called "Political Animal"

[El Fuego]

83. It is a relief to know there's an explanation. Thank you!!!

[riderinthestorm]

84. Thank you for clarifying!!!!! nt

[Peace Patriot]

87. Reason for the war profiteering corporate news monopoly blackout:

They can't figure out how to spin it--this, the mother of all spindulls--without Rove writing their copy for them?

To Jason, Will, and all the real journalists of America and the world...

[Berry Cool]

90. Some of them are perfectly capable of writing their OWN copy

and have no interest whatsoever in "spinning" it.

They're just going to wait until they hear the word from Fitz.

And can you really blame them? They've been burned before or seen others burned before.

I for one am not pointing fingers at them. Imagine how furious we'd be if they said it was all going down, and then it didn't.

[madmunchie]

89. Thanks for the BEST Mother's Day Present ever!

[KAT119]

91. Cheers-looking forward to Tues. or Weds.=A Binge for ALL!!

[lonestarnot]

92. William Pitt you just completed my Mother's Day! WoooodamnWhoo and

Father's day toooo. Mr. and Mrs. Mom here!

[Bumblebee]

95. Will, any news on his talk at AEI? Was it really cancelled?

[demobabe]

96. Let's see...

24 business hours, huh?

Okay, 8 hours... Monday...

8 hours... Tuesday...

8 hours... Wednesday...

That puts us at Thursday.

So the Grand Jury meets Wednesday and Friday, so technically, if there is an indictment this week, then Leopold will be crowing that he called it.

But will the indictment have the date of the 12th on it?

And what about the target letter? We still don't have proof of that.

This just keeps getting screwier and screwier all the time.

Every story is more unbelievable as time goes on. I just don't buy it. More clarifications and inconsistencies.

This reminds me of being around a drug addict who is your relative, and you want to believe them because you love them and all their stories are always believable, then they keep lying to you and you keep buying into the stories because they just couldn't possibly be lying to you of all people... and the cycle goes...