Exclusive: Plame Game Over?

[HootieMcBoob]

Doesn't sound particularly good to me.

The special prosecutor says his investigation was “for all practical purposes complete” six months ago.

The special prosecutor investigating whether any Bush administration official may have violated federal law by leaking the identity of CIA officer Valerie Plame to columnist Robert Novak recently informed a federal court that his investigation has been “for all practical purposes complete” since October 2004.

The disclosure by special counsel Patrick J. Fitzgerald that he completed virtually all aspects of his federal grand jury investigation as long as six months ago was made in court papers the prosecutor filed on March 22. Despite the fact that the filing has been on the public record since then, it has previously been unreported.

Fitzgerald implied in the court papers that if he were able to obtain the testimony of both reporters, he would most likely be able to close out his investigation once and for all. Most outside legal observers, and government officials with knowledge of the probe, as well as private attorneys representing individuals who are appearing before Fitzgerald’s grand jury interviewed for this article, say the fact that the prosecutor has considered his investigation virtually complete for several months indicates that he most likely will not bring any criminal charges.

http://www.prospect.org/web/page.ww?section=root&name=ViewWeb&articleId=9473

[Arkana]

1. Move along, move along, nothing to see here, people...

:puke: They're whores, all of them.

[HootieMcBoob]

4. It makes me feel sick to my stomach

the idea that these people can get away with absolutely anything at all literally gives me a sick feeling in the pit of my stomach.

[ogradda]

15. I'm with you.

The literal meaning of the word "sickening.":puke:

[DulceDecorum]

46. The CIA can take care of themselves.

Have you SEEN what they have done to humanity?

[bif]

2. What a surprise!

I was so sure they were going to nail someone in the Bush administrtion. Yeah, right!

[Tandalayo_Scheisskopf]

3. Well then...

The final nail is put into the coffin of impartial justice in the US. From here on out, we now know that it simply exists as a tool not unlike a bootheel, used to grind people into the ground.

There is no more accountability at the highest levels of government. They can break laws with impunity.

Say goodnight, USA. Piss on the campfire and call in the dogs.

[Stephanie]

5. Say it ain't so, Joe!

How do we get the court filing? It's federal court, DC district?

[ewagner]

6. Bad news indeed

the article goes through great lengths to define the purpose and intent of the law vis-a-vis exposing intellignece personnel....

great lengths to imply that no crime was committed.....

I only hope Fitzgerald writes a final report saying "no crime was committed, but the political intent was clear and unethical."

[Demit]

7. Here, as ever, is where the pressure should have come from--

The last graf of the article:

'"Novak’s silence has led to some rare public rebukes by his fellow journalists. Geneva Overholser, a professor at the University of Missouri School of Journalism, former chair of the Pulitzer board, and a former editor of the Des Moines Register says: “Bob Novak has acted so dishonorably throughout all of this.” She also said that his fellow journalists have been remiss in not demanding answers from him: “They should be calling on him to say what happened. He should say if he has been subpoenaed, if he has testified, or whether or not he has taken the Fifth. If he wants to say he is a journalist, he should tell the truth.” '

I'm glad the Prospect ended with that.

[smoogatz]

8. Not surprising

Since he seems obsessively focused on two reporters who had nothing directly to do with the case.

[plasticsundance]

9. Not so fast you guys ...

“But Fitzgerald himself did not hint in the court papers as to how he might further proceed. And because Fitzgerald has so emphatically emphasized that the testimony of the two reporters is so crucial to his investigation, he may believe that they have corroborating evidence of wrongdoing by one or more persons under investigation that would allow him to finally charge someone.”

Plame Case, All Over But the Jailing?

on edit ... fixed link.

[Festivito]

10. Usually things are done after baking. This is bogus.

Mix of non-fresh news keeps MSM from reporting it well, I'll bet.

Someone should step on this and call it a flagrant coverup.

[plasticsundance]

11. Again ... not so fast

Did Novak co-operate with the grand jury, and if he did, what did he say?

I will have the story for you, my six readers, sometime soon.. but make no promises yet exactly when, because, unlike most bloggers, I actually have phone calls to make, sources to double check with, and people to call for comment... That last part is going to be pleasant. Calling Novak for comment, that is.

The story will be detailed and definitive. But I won't post it until I am absolutely sure of everything that I have.

So check back here sometime soon.

Novak News

[HootieMcBoob]

26. fingers crossed n/t

B-)

[CHIMO]

12. Fox In The Hen House

Was already predicted what the probable outcome would be.

Convicted Attorney Lynne Stewart: "You Can't Lock Up the Lawyers"


AMY GOODMAN: Michael Tigar, are you suggesting the SAMs themselves are unconstitutional? I mean, when you make that point for example about lawyers going to Guantanamo and they get word out about what's happening to their clients, if the government says, “You can't say this,” that's, in effect, what they were saying here, that you could not send a message out, what your client had to say. Do you think that the SAMs should be challenged themselves?

MICHAEL TIGAR: We have challenged the SAMs as a part of this trial. Yes, these SAMs raise constitutional issues. But beyond that, Lynne Stewart recognized that these SAMs needed to be interpreted in a way that permitted the lawyers to do their job. That is, when you're faced with a document as a lawyer, she needs to go in and see her client, she has got two choices: She can say, “This is unconstitutional, I will sue the United States of America, and four years from now, maybe I will be able to see my client,” or she can take the document in hand and say, “Let's meet -- let's be a good lawyer, let's see if we can read this document in a way that says we get to do our job, we will interpret it as being in conformity with the constitution and we'll do it.” That way you can see your client right now, and that had been the modus vivendi. And in fact, when Pat Fitzgerald, the Assistant US attorney said, “Well, you are not interpreting it correctly,” he wrote her a letter, way back in 2000, and he said, “Do you know what we are going to do to you, you are not going to be able to see your client until we get this straightened out.” Nobody ever imagined until George Bush became President and John Ashcroft, Attorney General that these kinds of consequences would be poured down on a lawyer.

AMY GOODMAN: And now Pat Fitzgerald is the man now in Chicago, who is in charge of -- chosen by John Ashcroft -- in charge of investigating who outed Valerie Plame?

MICHAEL TIGAR: Yes, the fox has been placed in charge of a different hen house.

http://www.democracynow.org/article.pl?sid=05/02/11/1545229&mode=thread&tid=25

[OneBlueSky]

13. the fine art of the coverup . . .

no one does it better than BushCo . . .

[Massachusetts]

14. And they cripple the Bid Dog because of a BJ....

:wtf:

OUR country is HOPLESS because the MORONS (citizens and pols), are the majority.

[rodeodance]

16. so, so many sighs!

[quaoar]

17. Doesn't mean indictments are not coming

Would not surprise me one bit if:

1. Novak has already testified before the grand jury.
2. Fitzgerald is looking to wrap up loose ends with the two reporters' testimony. If their testimony was critical to finding out who did it, he would not say his investigation is otherwise over.

I would also not be surprised if indictments have already been prepared and sealed -- or if plea agreements have been made with the offending party pleading to some misdemeanor a la Sandy Berger.

[Stephanie]

21. speculation was he need the reporters' corroboration

so he could get increased charges against the WH leakers -

[johnfunk]

18. Complete... which means indictments may well be coming...

Stay tuned, it ain't over (at least until John Ass-KKKroft sings "Let the Eagle's Whore"...)

JUST IN: We might yet be surprised by some good news -- Murray Waas is working on a follow-up!

[burrowowl]

47. Here is hoping

Fingers and toes crossed!

[seemslikeadream]

19. doubt he would be going through all of this to just wrap up some loose end

Referring to the contentious battle to obtain the testimony of the two reporters, this person said: “ would not have done this, and put everyone through it, without good reason. And he would have not just done this just to close out to case. He is meticulous and careful to a fault, and wants his work to be complete. But I doubt he would be going through all of this to just wrap up some loose ends.”

http://www.prospect.org/web/page.ww?section=root&name=ViewWeb&articleId=9473

[lancdem]

23. Yes, everyone should read the entire article

"The fact that the special prosecutor has completed his investigation, albeit absent the testimony of the two reporters he still wants to call before his grand jury, on its face makes it more likely than not that Fitzgerald will not bring criminal charges in the case. But at least one former federal prosecutor (who worked closely with Fitzgerald in government and is now in private practice) says there should be no rush to judgment.

Referring to the contentious battle to obtain the testimony of the two reporters, this person said: “ would not have done this, and put everyone through it, without good reason. And he would have not just done this just to close out to case. He is meticulous and careful to a fault, and wants his work to be complete. But I doubt he would be going through all of this to just wrap up some loose ends.”

[grumpy old fart]

25. The "loose ends" are just his putting the ribbon on the sham....

"Gee whiz, I did the best I could"...funny how this joke of an investigation just couldn't be concluded before the election, not that it's gonna amount to a hill of dog shit anyway....

[lancdem]

29. I'm not willing to give up

I think Stephanie might be right. It's clear that Fitzgerald really wants that testimony.

[rooboy]

20. Then they should FRY FITZGERALD for corruption. n/t

[Stephanie]

22. lawyers! I want to see the doc Fitz filed -

where do we find it?

*edit* somewhere in here?

http://www.dcd.uscourts.gov/

[merh]

36. I don't think you can get what he filed. Grand jury proceedings

are secret and usually pleadings regarding them are filed under seal.

He may have made this "filing" with the court to justify another extension of the grand jury beyond its term. They have a time limit that exist and every extension beyond that limit must be authorized by the court for good cause. It's hell to have to empanel a whole new grand jury and then get them to hear all the evidence all over again.

His statements does not mean it is over with, imho. The rest of the article is media spin, quoting people without naming them. "People say" that it is done, nothing there, "people say" Plame is CIA. Damn, I don't think we need to fire all of the lawyers, I think we need to fire all of the damn editors! I am sick of their crap, letting journalists right opinion pieces and political spin. Whatever happened to the "WHO, WHAT, WHEN, WHERE and HOW" of journalism?

:rant:

[grumpy old fart]

24. Nothing but a sham of a mockery of a sham from the get go......

I mean, if the WH ordered everyone to give up any confidentiality agreement they had with Novak, or the others, Novak et. al. should be free to tell us who did it. Duh. Bush didn't and they won't and this sham "investigation" is at a close.

[Zorra]

27. GOP Golden Rule: "No republican legislator may be held responsible,

for any crimes committed while holding public office, for as long as he or she may live."

Now watch Tom Delay get away with his crimes because of a DOJ that refuses to prosecute republicans.

[agincourt]

37. You are correct,

Our law enforcement in this country is subservient to the GOPig party. Iran-contra was the last time neo-con repigs came close to accounting for any illegal activity.

[RBHam]

28. Yet another one of my predictions comes true...

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=104&topic_id=973585

A whitewash all the way...

[JPZenger]

30. Completed Before the Nov. Election

So the investigator could have released his findings 6 months ago - right before the November election?

Its funny how these things don't get released. According to a report in the Philadelphia Inquirer, the Bush Administration has created a whole new category of documents - "Sensitive but Not Classified." It is for documents that cannot be rated classified for national security reasons, but they are politically embarrasing, so everyone in the administration is expected to do everything they can to make sure no one sees them.

[thebigidea]

31. I guess that whole "Bulldog" nickname thing was meant in the Gannon sense

[mmonk]

32. Does this mean

whistleblowers could go ahead and write books giving the truth if the case is wrapped up?

[merh]

33. That is not what he is saying at all!

Damn --

" Fitzgerald implied in the court papers that if he were able to obtain the testimony of both reporters, he would most likely be able to close out his investigation once and for all.

He has just informed the court that the testimony of the reporters is essential to his investigation! The rest of that paragraph is spin!

Most outside legal observers, and government officials with knowledge of the probe, as well as private attorneys representing individuals who are appearing before Fitzgerald’s grand jury interviewed for this article, say the fact that the prosecutor has considered his investigation virtually complete for several months indicates that he most likely will not bring any criminal charges.

I mean, of course, you want everyone to think it is all over and there is nothing there if you represent people involved or who are being investigated. These type of broad statements by journalists are not factual and who the heck are the sources. "People say" is not legitimate journalism, why not provide the source of the statements?
Isn't that what Plame is all about - people say - someone said she is CIA - everyone knows she was CIA. The media wants the Plame matter to go away. Can you not see that this is an attempt to diffuse this?

Damn folks, this is spin, pure and simple spin.

[newscott]

34. Same shit different day.

[paineinthearse]

35. Federal grand jury question

When I sat on a state grand jury, we had the power to invesitgate, direct the DA to investigate and to vote indictments.

Does a federal grand jury have the same power?

[lovuian]

38. So Fitzgerald does NOTHING!!! after a CIA Agent is outed!!!

this is a sad day for the Intelligence Units of America... I would not want to be a spy for Bush cause you are so expendable!!!

and the FBI has changed to Bush's Butt Boys... Gestapo was another name for them did I hear Fitzgerald click his heels!!!

[merh]

43. He did not say he was finished, he said he was almost finished.

He has to obtain the court's permission to extend the life of the grand jury and this one has gone on for quite a while. He had to explain to the judge that he was diligent in his investigations, he has almost completed his investigations but he needs the testimony of the 2 reporters and he would like the grand jury extended!

Don't give up -- it ain't over till the fat lady sings.!!!!!!!

[Nancy Waterman]

39. Probe Into Leak of CIA Agent's Identity May Be Complete (Drudge)

http://www.drudgereport.com/flash3rdn.htm

The special prosecutor investigating whether Bush administration officials illegally revealed the identity of a covert CIA operative says he finished his investigation months ago -- except for questioning two reporters who have refused to testify, the WASHINGTON POST is planning to report on Thursday.

Special counsel Patrick Fitzgerald has interviewed columnist Robert Novak, who first published the name of undercover CIA officer Valerie Plame, the report suggests.

Fitzgerald is not likely to seek an indictment for the crime he originally set out to investigate -- whether a government official knowingly exposed a covert agent. Fitzgerald may instead seek to charge a government official with committing perjury by giving conflicting information to prosecutors.

Developing...

[Kimber Scott]

40. Complete before the election, eh? And we've all forgotten about it now.

Oh, and they won't charge anybody because of Miller and the other guy, right? It's all their fault, they won't testify. Next.

[Rockerdem]

41. This is outrageous. Joseph Wilson should be blowing his top!!!

This country is upside down. I understand now why good people are moving overseas. We've lost it, folks.

[cal04]

42. Probe Into Leak of CIA Agent's Identity May Be Nearly Complete

WASHINGTON POST STORY EXCERPTS LEAKED:

WASHINGTON--The special prosecutor investigating whether Bush administration officials illegally revealed the identity of a covert CIA operative says he finished his investigation months ago, except for questioning two reporters who have refused to testify.
Advertisement

The information in a March 22 court filing by special counsel Patrick Fitzgerald suggests that syndicated columnist Robert Novak, who first published the name of undercover CIA officer Valerie Plame, has already spoken to investigators about his sources for that report, according to legal experts. Novak, whose July 2003 column sparked the investigation, and his attorney have refused to comment on whether he was questioned by prosecutors.

Legal experts and sources close to the case also speculated Wednesday that Fitzgerald is not likely to seek an indictment for the crime he originally set out to investigate--whether a government official knowingly exposed a covert agent. The sources, who asked not to be named because the matter is the subject of a grand jury investigation, said Fitzgerald may instead seek to charge a government official with committing perjury by giving conflicting information to prosecutors.

Fitzgerald's court filing was part of his effort to persuade the U.S. Court of Appeals in the District of Columbia that he needs the testimony of New York Times reporter Judith Miller and Time magazine reporter Matt Cooper to wrap up his two-year investigation.

http://rawstory.com/aexternal/plame_story_406.htm
(thank you ONCE again Rawstory for all you do)

[Carolab]

44. Perjury.

If it was good enough for Martha, it's good enough for ________.

[KoKo]

45. Murray Waas's article is much more thorough that the WaPo's

that was posted tonight. Glad to see Murray Waas back. He wrote alot of the articles on Mellon-Scaife's funding of the Starr fiasco against Clinton with Joe Conason way back on Salon Mag.

He says he has a blog and he will be writing more about Plame/Fitzgerald this week. I wonder if he knows more. :shrug:

I haven't seen anything written by him in a long time. Thought he'd dropped out.

Here's link to his blog to check for more news this week:

http://www.whateveralready.blogspot.com/