Joe Conason: Republicans Ready to Slime Fitzgerald

[flpoljunkie]

Excellent article from Joe Conason...

http://www.observer.com/politics_joeconason.asp

Circled in a bristling perimeter around the White House, the friends and allies of Mr. Rove can soon be expected to fire their rhetorical mortars at Patrick Fitzgerald, the special prosecutor investigating the White House exposure of C.I.A. operative Valerie Wilson. Indeed, the preparations for that assault began months ago in the editorial columns of The Wall Street Journal, which has tarred Mr. Fitzgerald as a “loose cannon” and an “unguided missile.” 

Evidently Senator Pat Roberts, the Kansas Republican who chairs the Senate Intelligence Committee, will lead the next foray against the special prosecutor. This week the Senator’s press office announced his plan to hold hearings on the Fitzgerald probe. That means interfering with an “ongoing investigation,” as the White House press secretary might say, but such considerations won’t deter the highly partisan Kansan.

<>Such ironies won’t discourage the Rove Republicans from pursuing the scorched-earth strategy that has served them so well, however. Nor will those politicians and pundits pause to consider how odd their complaints about an overreaching special prosecutor will sound, emanating from once-fervent supporters of former independent counsel Kenneth Starr and his Whitewater legal jihad.

From their perspective, it’s all part of the same cynical game. If Mr. Starr was subject to sharp criticism, then Mr. Fitzgerald should be a legitimate target, too. They won’t remember how they once decried Mr. Starr’s critics for “obstructing justice.”

more...

[emulatorloo]

1. Kicking, because I love Joe Conason, and "Senator" Roberts must go. . .

EOM

[agingdem]

2. Obstruction of justice...

I think is a federal offense...Pat Roberts and his ilk should be thrown in jail. I suggest we email Dodd, Durbin, Reid, etc. and remind them.

[DeepModem Mom]

3. Kick -- thanks for posting. nt

[The Night Owl]

4. We need a countdown clock to time how long...

We need a countdown clock to time how long it takes Republicans to smear Fitzgerald once he issues indictments.

[rocktivity]

5. The Nixon camp tried FIRING the prosecutor

What makes them think smearing him will work?

:headbang:
rocknation

[warrens]

8. they DID fire the prosecutor, Archibald Cox

Which led to the all-time best bumpersticker ever: Impeach the Coxsacker.

[rocktivity]

9. I should have been more precise

I should have said that the Nixon camp tried to make Watergate go away by firing the prosecutor--THAT'S what didn't work.

:headbang:
rocknation

[dalaigh lllama]

13. LOL

:rofl:

[WilliamPitt]

6. Good

I'll bet my shoes Mr. Fitzgerald is more than a match for these clowns.

United States Attorneys are usually not people to fuck with.

[Catherine Vincent]

7. Kick for Joe Conason!

[retread]

10. The only surprise is that they haven't done it yet. These slimeballs

NEVER change. They will attempt ruin his name before firing him.

[tridim]

11. Hey pukes.. Maybe you should be ADDRESSING THE PROBLEM

Instead of going after the guy who's investigating the problem.

Yes, I realize that makes too much sense.

[kskiska]

12. Starr was the replacement

for the perfectly good prosecutor, Fiske, I believe, who was booted after finding no wrongdoing in Whitewater. That wasn't good enough, hence Starr.

[BrightKnight]

14. Shoot the messenger is one of Rove's favorite games.

This is a very public cover-up attempt.

[jean]

15. Joe Conason ~ nails it again!

[Cha]

16. As opposed to the non-"loose cannon",

karl rove?

"Unguided missle"? They HATE it that Fitzgerald is so FOCUSED!

[blm]

17. High time reporters point out that Roberts should TESTIFY how he came to

add antiWilson talking points into the Senate Intel report that only two other Republican senators agreed to.

Roberts wrote that addendum to plant antiWilson talking points for Rove into an official senate report.

Care to answer UNDER OATH, Sen. Roberts?