Editorial: Wrap it up / Two years on, it's time to end the Plame case

[RamboLiberal]

http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/05222/551137.stm

The latest episode in the saga of columnist Robert Novak, "outed" CIA operative Valerie Plame, jailed journalist Judith Miller and possible leakers in the Bush administration like Deputy Chief of Staff Karl Rove, makes clear the need to wrap up this now-two-year-old affair with decisive legal action.

Mr. Novak blew his top Thursday under sharp questioning on CNN from Democratic provocateur James Carville and, with an expletive, stalked off the set. CNN responded by suspending Mr. Novak, temporarily or permanently -- which it is, the network has not yet revealed.

Special prosecutor Patrick Fitzgerald was assigned the case, which originated in July 2003 after columnist Novak put in print the name of CIA officer Plame. The leak of her identity could have been part of a Bush administration enterprise to punish her husband for revealing the lack of accuracy in a statement the president made in his State of the Union speech. Mr. Bush had reported that Iraq had tried to buy nuclear material from Niger; Ms. Plame's husband said it wasn't so. Mr. Fitzgerald managed to drag action on the case past the 2004 elections and now past the two-year point. He has had a journalist, the New York Times' Judith Miller, imprisoned, but taken no action against anyone else.

Since Ms. Miller was locked up because she wouldn't tell a federal grand jury who had contacted her with the information about Ms. Plame and since Robert Novak had cited two administration sources in printing her name, it should be assumed either that Mr. Novak gave up their names or that he had invented his sources. Whatever it is, he hasn't been charged or jailed for protecting his sources from the special prosecutor.

Note - this is Not the Scaife paper.

[evlbstrd]

1. I say let him follow the trail.

He must have bigger fish to fry in this case.

[The_Casual_Observer]

2. How long did Starr take? 8 years?

Fuck this guy, I don't care if it takes 20 years, put the chimp in jail.

[Richard Steele]

5. And Starr ended up holding a blue dress...

...and the cries of "IMPEACH" were heard across the land!

We already have PROOF of some very SERIOUS crimes which extend FAR beyond Plame, so where are the cries of outrage?

We have PROOF from our own eyes and ears that the Chimperor has
lied about MUCH more serious issues, where are the cries?

Treason, murder, obstruction, conspiracy, profiteering, War crimes that have left 100,000 dead, policies which have turned a crackpot terrorist into a worldwide JIHAD...

I guess all of that isn't worth a (cigar)F*CK to the SHEEPLE...

[rodeodance]

6. yes, as long as he does a good job-he can take his time.

[Kurovski]

3. I've seen the Novak clip 3 times now.

It seems clear that he planned the walk-out to weasel out on the Who's Who question clearly in the offing.

It was a poor performance all around. watch it again, he rushed his "beats". For an outburst, it looks stilted.

But anywho...yes, it's time to stop screwing around and take care of the Plame perpetrators. although it would be prudent to let Fitzgerald get all his ducks in a row. (Lame or otherwise.)

[EST]

4. The dragging pace is allowing the crooks and liars

ample time to obfuscate, delay, threaten and strong-arm their way to a tie, nobody winning. In that case, the administration wins.