FITZ NEWS-CIA LEAK PROSECUTOR GOES TO GRAND JURY WED A.M.

[kpete]

CIA Leak Prosecutor Goes to Grand Jury

WASHINGTON - Special counsel Patrick Fitzgerald early Wednesday went before a federal grand jury looking into the leak of the identity of undercover CIA officer Valerie Plame.

It is believed to be only the second session the prosecutor has had with the grand jury which is examining questions left unanswered in the Plame affair. The only other time Fitzgerald was seen going before the new panel was Dec. 7.

An earlier grand jury expired Oct. 28, the day it handed up an indictment against Vice President Dick Cheney's former chief of staff, I. Lewis "Scooter" Libby, on five counts of perjury, obstruction of justice and lying to the FBI. Libby is scheduled to go on trial next January.

Fitzgerald's unfinished business includes White House deputy chief of staff Karl Rove, who was under investigation when the previous grand jury that indicted Libby expired.

Rove's legal problems stem from the fact that it was not until more than a year into Fitzgerald's criminal investigation that the White House adviser told the prosecutor about disclosing the CIA status of Wilson's wife to Time magazine reporter Matt Cooper on July 11, 2003.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20060426/ap_on_go_ot/cia_leak_investigation

[Dr. Death]

1. Kick - keep us posted on developments

Fingers firmly crossed....

[stop the bleeding]

2. Sweet - Rover why don't you come over

;)

[kpete]

5. Stop the bleeding

Good Morning...

[stop the bleeding]

20. Great morning - I love the smell of potential indictments in the morning

it smells like victory.

Sorry I was away for a while, went to Orlando last week for business, it is good to be back.

[wordpix]

38. I do smell that pleasant aroma of KKKarl in the cooker

[NewJeffCT]

3. well, hopefully it is for new indictments

Karl Rove comes to mind.

[npincus]

4. thanks- I needed a little good news today

He's thinking about me again...:loveya:

[leveymg]

6. Any wagers about when the next indictments get handed down?

I'd give it four to six weeks. Anyone giving odds?

[Greybnk48]

7. If he's asking for an indictment

when would it be issued? Does anyone know the usual timeframe?

[Roland99]

8. Email that story (using the Yahoo link) to everyone!

[babylonsister]

9. Didn't Fitz meet w/the GJ twice last week? nt

[rodeodance]

22. i understood he met with them last FRIday (per ABC at the time)--

[H2O Man]

10. MSNBC

is reporting that Rove met with his attorneys this morning, and may be meeting with Mr. Fitzgerald today.

[Greybnk48]

11. Wheeeeeee!!

[npincus]

12. Not good

Rove is probably gong to blow more smoke up his ass... like his last minute revelations about Valerie Novak that saved his ass from indictment with Libby.

[rodeodance]

18. i will not place any bets on Rove getting indicted. nope--he is just too

slick.

[stop the bleeding]

21. If not Rove then we can hope for Cheney and Rice

I still want Rove :(

[SpiralHawk]

32. Don't forget Bush White House male prostitute Jeff Gannon

He is also a Major Leaker, so to speak.

The White House prostitute could be indicted, too.

Republicon traitors -- the scum at the top of the republicon culture of corruption.

[H2O Man]

24. Respectfully disagree.

Last week, I noted that it is possible, perhaps likely, that Mr. Fitzgerald had offered Mr. Rove a choice, and that he would give Mr. Rove a period of time to make a decision. Mr. Rove and his attorneys are meeting with Fitzgerald. It is interesting to consider if that means that Mr. Rove, and perhaps Mr. Luskin, will be answering questions for the grand jurors? In that case, of course, either or both would be alone with the prosecutor and grand jury. Or, are they simply meeting with Mr. Fitzgerald during a break in the grand jury hearings?

At this point, many things are possible. A few things are rather unlikely. It seems less likely that Mr. Fitzgerald has continued his investigation for 6 months to take pressure off of Mr. Rove.

[stop the bleeding]

26. you give us hope with good sound reasoning

I love it!!!

[Catrina]

37. Seems you were right. CNN is reporting that Rove will go before the

GJ this afternoon. I wonder if the GJ had some questions to ask him before making a decision. His attorney says they hope to put it all behind them today!! But what if they GJ doesn't buy what Rove tells them?

[Jack from Charlotte]

45. I think Fitz has allowed Rove to testify again in order to try to ....

talk The GJ out of indicting him. Just Fitz bending over backward to try to be fair. Recall, last Fall most thought Fitz was going to indict Rove and his lawyer talked Fitz out of it. Again think Rove thinks he can talk GJ out of indicting by saying he just forgot certain items in his previous GJ testimony.

IMO, Rove is indicted/arrested by Friday or not at all.

[npincus]

41. i have great respect for your opinion

and would gladly be wrong.

Can you please recap the "choices" that Fitz had offered Rove, that you wrote about last week? Sorry I missed it.

I'm very down today, so just spreading my gloom all over!

[Me.]

17. Ok Then

Rove is moving, now, what about puffed faced Hadley?

[Kingofalldems]

19. Oh no! Not another last second 'Wait I forgot to tell you' BS

From Rove.

[wordpix]

47. gee, KKK's very busy, I guess he won't have much time for dirty tricks 06

phone jamming, stealing elections and the like

[npincus]

61. Exactly! HOOOOORAY!

[robertpaulsen]

59. HA! Things are very good indeed.

Perhaps Fitz is taking time out of his day to politely inform Rove that he is no longer back in the "subject" designation. He is now back to being the "target" he was before his October stalling tactics.

[robertpaulsen]

76. Guess I was right! Things are GRRRreat!

Target Letter Drives Rove Back to Grand Jury
http://www.truthout.org/docs_2006/042606I.shtml

[rodeodance]

13. says there is this unfinished business also:

...Other unfinished business in the probe focuses on the source who provided Washington Post reporter Bob Woodward information about Plame, whose CIA identity was leaked to Novak in July 2003.

Plame's identity was exposed eight days after her husband, Bush administration critic and former U.S. Ambassador Joseph Wilson, alleged that the U.S. government had manipulated prewar intelligence to exaggerate an Iraqi nuclear threat.

Woodward says his source, who he has not publicly identified, provided the information about Wilson's wife, several weeks before Novak learned of Plame's identity. The Post reporter, who never wrote a story, was interviewed by Fitzgerald late last year.

[H2O Man]

25. That's an error.

The court documents note that both Judge Walton and Patrick Fitzgerald are not interested in any further investigation of Woodward's source.

[yodermon]

27. I wonder why this is?

* Woodward's source has already turned (it's most likely Hadley, right?)
* Woodward is actually authorized to receive this information (shh)
* It's not really new information because Woodward's source was also someone else's source who had already testified to the GJ -- altho' leaking to Woodward would be another count, right?

:popcorn:

[capi888]

28. H2O do you believe..

That Fitzgerald knows the whole picture, but is pressing for total verification that will lead him to the conspiracy charge? I believe it is Conspiracy within top officials in the WH, to make the charge stick, he needs someone in the circle to sing, other then Scooter. Just my thoughts.

[H2O Man]

35. Interesting question.

I'll say this: often, a federal prosecutor who is investigating a group of criminals -- it could be a group we call "organized crime" or a KKK-type group -- will know that members of the group is guilty of a wide range of crimes, but will face difficulties in making the specific charges that the public thinks are required. It can be due to some people "throwing sand" in his/her eyes, to borrow one of Patrick's sayings. And so the prosecutor decides to press charges that still punish (and, indeed, incarcerate) the guilty people.

When we think back to some of the terrible cases of violence during the civil rights era, where violent thugs were found "not guilty" by their KKK cousins on a local level, the federal prosecutors made cases for "violations of civil rights." And they got convictions that led to incarcerations.

One of the unsatisfactory parts of this, of course, is that there are times when someone who is a terrible human being escapes legal consequences, by striking a deal with the prosecutor. That may very well be where this is at today with Karl. But, as we know from Scooter's experience, Mr. Fitzgerald drives a hard bargain. He insisted that Scooter would have to serve significant time in prison, even if he made a deal.

[capi888]

39. Explained very well H2O

Yes, organized crime I believe this is. I hope Fitzgerald keeps his bargining at a premium. This is a High Crimes Case, and he is also going after high profile crimminals. I have faith in Fitz, I know he is persistant as the Gov. Ryan case has proved. I don't know what kind of deal Rove could make, but I know Fitz does drive a hard bargin. Thanks for your imput.

[wordpix]

49. "don't know what kind of deal Rove could make:" he could sing re: Cheney

's involvement or *Bush's. Not much farther up the food chain to sing about than those two criminals.

[DeepModem Mom]

14. CNN reporting Rove camp says they hope to put it all behind them today. nt

[wordpix]

50. my bet's on indictment

[joeunderdog]

66. They've been hoping that since the investigation began. How's it feel

to hope?

Well, we're hoping too, Karl. We're hoping, too.

[kpete]

15. CNN TOLD BY 3 Sources-Rove met with Fitz & is Now Speaking with Lawyers

Per CNN 7:55 a.m.

Karl Rove meeting with attorneys on his role in CIA leak matter

Hope is that Rove can answer the few remaining questions

Hope is that this can be resolved in near future

HA HA HA

[spanone]

23. Yep, it can be resolved, by frog-marching Rove, as Mr. Wilson said.

[kstewart33]

16. thanks for the heads-up, kpete.

Please keep us posted if you see anything else.

[capi888]

29. KEEP THIS KICKED n/t

[kpete]

30. Interesting - but ? source?

KARL ROVE TO TESTIFY AGAIN

A source with knowledge about the matter confirms to National Review Online that Rove will testify this afternoon before prosecutor Patrick Fitzgerald's grand jury in the CIA leak investigation. The testimony is said to be about matters that have arisen in the investigation since Rove's last appearance before the grand jury in October 2005.


Posted at 11:26 AM
http://corner.nationalreview.com/06_04_23_corner-archive.asp#095962

MORE ROVE

The source did not comment further, but one matter that has arisen since Rove's last testimony -- counting today, he has testified five times -- is the involvement of Time's Viveca Novak in the CIA leak matter. Last October, according to her own account, Novak received a call from Rove lawyer Robert Luskin in which Luskin said he had told Fitzgerald about a conversation he, Luskin, had had with Novak. The Rove side apparently believed the Novak conversation would be exculpatory for Rove, and it led to still more investigation by the grand jury -- which may be the topic of today's testimony.


Posted at 11:39 AM
http://corner.nationalreview.com/06_04_23_corner-archive.asp#095965

[capi888]

31. Me thinks, the SNOW job today....

Might be a defense on the ROVE news today...Ya Think ???? Deflect, Deflect...look over here , not over there...no more bad news, only good news...

[wordpix]

53. "hoping it's all behind us," yeah that's the mantra of the day/week

Note Rover's people don't say, "It IS all behind us" or "It WILL BE all behind us soon." Rover just HOPES to get off free for his treason.

[kpete]

33. CNN 8:45 a.m.

Karl Rove meeting with attorneys

This will be his fifth time with Prosectutor

Specifically talking about Vivica Novak

Now Rove is going to be asked about this under oath

Interesting addition:

"No Indictment "Today"...." Hmmmmmm....???

[Imagevision]

34. Perhaps Tony Snow to have Rove indictment as first press conference?

An excellant oportunity for Mr. Snow to get his feet wet, or would it be too soon and would Scottie have to undertake such a sensitive issue -- especially with Karl attempting to be the GOP savior of late...

[kpete]

36. Update from Firedoglake

UPDATE #2: Norah O’Donnell reports on MSNBC that Rove will be testifying today before the G/J for a fifth time in the CIA leak case. I have to say that in my experience, this is really unprecedented — I can’t ever remember any witness who was also potentially a subject in an investigation giving a prosecutor this many under oath opportunities to skewer them. O’Donnell reports that there are serious questions about how forthcoming/honest Rove has been — and that there are potential questions of more legal jeopardy. May be expecting a statement from Rove’s legal representatives some time this afternoon, according to O’Donnell.

http://www.firedoglake.com/2006/04/26/breaking-back-in-the-grand-jury-saddle-this-morning/#comments

[Catherine Vincent]

40. It also seems like Rove is given a lot of chances to come clean.

If that is the case, why does he get the privilege?

[H2O Man]

43. It isn't what

defense attorneys like, as a general rule. The more one talks about sensative issues, especially if one is lying, the more chances there are of getting caught.

That said, Luskin had approached Mr. Fitzgerald even before Mr. Cooper testified about his conversation with Karl. And Luskin called Mr. Fitzgerald almost immediately after Mr. Cooper exposed Rove's "error."

Some people believe that after Mr. Fitzgerald spoke informally to Vivica Novak in November, '05, and then deposed her in December, he also put Mr. Luskin under oath to discuss the story he told Mr. Fitzgerald in October, to "save" Rove from likely indictment.

It's important to remember that Mr. Fitzgerald and Co. present information to the grand jury, and then ask it to consider returning indictments. Usually these grand jurys have a total of 23 people assigned to serve; in order to indict, 16 panel members must be present, and 12 must agree to indict. In this type of grand jury, those panel members have the ability to participate in the investigation, including asking questions of witnesses. It is possible that in considering the case, one or more of the grand jurors had specific questions they want to ask Karl. Now that is simply speculation on my part. But it doesn't seem like a good thing for Karl.

For our side, however, things are good.

[stop the bleeding]

46. a DC GJ that is -

Things are very Good indeed


5 times !!! Rover is going down!!!!

[gkhouston]

44. I don't see it as a chance to come clean

so much as a chance for him to perjure himself in a fresh and interesting way. ;-)

[Imagevision]

42. Fitz wouldn’t drag the G/J back in just to tell them some good news and

go home, it just doesn’t work that way on the whole.

[Catrina]

54. Yes, that's true. But I don't think Rove is Fitz's main target ~ and maybe

despite Rove being a horrible human being, the only charge he could bring against him would be the same ones he brought against Libby, obstruction of justice and lying. He may have tried to pressure Rove, who probably knows more than anyone else about the conspiracy, and no doubt enjoyed every minute of it, to give him information on his main targets, who I think are Cheney, Bush and maybe Condy, Bolton, and a few others who actually could have been the real leakers.

Rove at the time, could not have had the information himself, it would have to have come to him from someone higher up in the chain. So, he was probably never in danger of being charged with the more serious crime, the one Fitz is supposed to investigate.

Considering all of that, Fitz would want to be able to indict the actual leaker, (not Rove) and maybe, needs Rove to help him do that. Along the way though, both Libby and Rove appear to have tried to cover for their bosses and got trapped into obstruction and lies, which should have been leverage for Fitzgerald.

That leverage would be removed if Bush is promising a pardon to Rove, which could be what Fitzgerald means when he says that people are throwing sand in his eyes.

Libby, it has been reported, was frantic and asked both Cheney and Bush to publicly exonerate him in 2003. They did nothing for him. So, he may not be on Bush's pardon list, yet.

After all, if threatening jail to his main, potential witnesses is undermined by the main leaker himself, Bush, telling the witnesses they need have no fear because he will pardon them so long as they do not talk, then not only is Rove obstructing the prosecutor, so is Bush.

[wordpix]

56. "potential questions of more legal jeopardy:" More than lying? Could be

guilty of treason for outing a CIA covert op and blowing her group's WMD investigation/cover.

[kpete]

48. Interesting speculation?

_ Rove surely knows (and the president and others may know now) precisely what he actually did and said _ and how likely it is that he may be indicted, as Vice President Cheney's former chief-of-staff Lewis (Scooter) Libby was, for obstruction of justice, making false statements and/or perjury.

Now put yourself in the boots of the president. You are enduring bottom-dwelling poll numbers and unending bad news from Baghdad and beyond. Do you really want to risk one more potentially shattering development? Do you want to see headlines everywhere that say the beleaguered Bush White House was suddenly shattered by the indictment of its chief overseer of all policies, foreign and domestic? Do you want to endure a tsunami of chattering pundits cascading doom all over the nonstop TV news?

No way. That's why it begins to seem likely that someone (it could have been Bush, or Bolten or even Rove himself) came up with this smart stroke of potential crisis management _ the one and only way to get out in front of what could be the next bad wave of news. Separate Rove from all policy. Then, if the indictment comes and he must resign, it can be said to have no effect at all on White House policy. And of course, if no indictment comes, well, Rove can still be the dominator in the wings, shaping all policies foreign and domestic _ without portfolio, but with his uninterrupted, Bush-bestowed clout. Just as he was during the first four years of the Bush presidency.

So it came to pass. And in the hours after the news was dribbled about Rove's newly reduced official portfolio, the care and feeding of the White House press corps got under way in a manner far different from the usual tight-lip, taut-ship style that has made the Bush White House what it is today.

more at:
http://www.shns.com/shns/g_index2.cfm?action=detail&pk=SCHRAM-04-25-06

[stop the bleeding]

51. I have been thinking the same thing when Rove's job duties changed

Also let's not forget about Andy Card's hasty departure from the WH.

there is something a'foot today......

[kpete]

55. Ahhh, things & life are good...

They just showed Rove on his way to the Grand Jury...

[npincus]

57. which network is doing the best coverage?

I'll tune in...

[Tiggeroshii]

52. I hope Rove is sacked

I hope, hope, hope....

[goclark]

62. Please let there be justice

doine.

If ROVE walks, that will really allow them to believe that they are the DECIDERS as usual.
Please let Justice flow today.

[Pithy Cherub]

58. Rove is in deep trouble no matter what.

Fitzgerald is having him before the grand jury to *explain* lapses of judgment and lying. It may have been the entrance fee so to speak for Rove to complete a deal with the Special prosecutor. That may mean confirming the email content that implicates the OVP further. Rove's side is the only side spinning it as the last days of participating and they have not been accurate yet. Team rove has pulled his bacon out of the fire several times, but it hasn't gotten him out of Fitzgerald's laser sights. The GJ will have an opportunity to judge for themselves and assess his honesty in light of the evidence. Rove is squeezed by having to provide further incriminating evidence and providing the information under oath. All in all a terrible day of reckoning for Rove.

:popcorn:

[stop the bleeding]

60. I love your insight

better stock up on that popcorn

[Pithy Cherub]

64. Thank you and

your enthusiasm and posts are always genuinely appreciated. I also:loveya: Yoda!

Rove is racing towards the bottom and if something happens well there went Tony Snowflake's honeymoon too.

:toast: and have some :popcorn: too!

[npincus]

63. MSM reporting status...

http://blogs.usatoday.com/ondeadline/2006/04/rove_to_testify.html

Update at 12:20 p.m. ET:
Fox News has the story as well. It says Rove will be discussing "left over details of case and not some new issue."

MSNBC, however, reports that "Rove consulted with his private lawyers before a scheduled afternoon court appearance and was prepared to answer questions about evidence that emerged since his last grand jury appearance last fall, (a source) said, speaking only on condition of anonymity because of grand jury secrecy rules. That new evidence includes information that emerged late last year that Rove’s attorney, Robert Luskin, had conversations with Time magazine reporter Viveca Novak during a critical time in the case."


Update at 1:00 p.m. ET:
Rove has arrived at the courthouse in Washington, D.C., where the grand jury meets

[kpete]

65. Rove meets with Fitzgerald, goes back before the grand jury

Rove meets with Fitzgerald, goes back before the grand jury
While George W. Bush was introducing his new press secretary this morning, the president's chief political advisor was meeting with a federal prosecutor and preparing to make his case -- again -- before a federal grand jury.

CNN is reporting that Karl Rove met with special prosecutor Patrick Fitzgerald this morning in what appears to be another attempt to explain away inconsistencies and omissions in what he told investigators and the grand jury about his role in the outing of Valerie Plame. According to the Associated Press, Rove will testify before the grand jury this afternoon.

It will be Rove's fifth trip to the grand jury room. In October, Rove returned to the grand jury to explain how it was that he failed to mention in his initial FBI interview and his first grand jury appearance that he had leaked Plame's identity to Time's Matthew Cooper. This time around, the AP says that Rove's testimony will be aimed at explaining away evidence that has emerged since his last visit -- including evidence that Rove came clean about his contact with Cooper only after Cooper's Time colleague Viveca Novak tipped off Rove's lawyer about the Rove-Cooper conversation.

CNN says Rove's camp is hoping today's grand jury appearance will put to rest "the few remaining questions" about his role in Plame's outing and the way he has described it -- or hasn't -- since then. We wouldn't be so optimistic. As we've said before, Fitzgerald needs the grand jury's help if he wants to indict Rove; he can decide not to seek an indictment all by himself.

http://www.salon.com/politics/war_room/2006/04/26/rove/index.html

[Catherine Vincent]

67. "Fitzgerald needs the grand jury's help if he wants to indict Rove"

Is this from Rove's defense lawyers? If it is, you can be rest assured that if Rove is indicted (and I hope he is), then they will spread all the blame on Fitzgerald and not the GJ to make it appear Fitzgerald has some vendetta against Rove, which we all know would be a big fricking lie because Rove has only himself to blame. Not Fitzgerald and not the GJ.

[kpete]

68. Who Asked Rove to Return

Who Asked Rove to Return

Karl Rove's return to the grand jury today could mean the end of the Rove investigation or the beginning of the Rove prosecution. It depends on who asked Rove to return. If Fitzgerald asked Rove to return to the grand jury, that means Fitzgerald thinks he doesn't have enough for an indictment.

If Rove asked to return to the grand jury, that means Rove's lawyer, Bob Luskin, believes an indictment is imminent and is sending his client back to make a final desperate attempt to avoid indictment. Luskin did this once before when he told Fitzgerald about the Viveca Novak connection, which is certainly going to be covered in Rove's testimony today. Luskin has experienced extreme mood swings in his willingness to talk to the press about this case. If a reporter can ask him one question today, it should be who asked Rove to return to the grand jury?

P.S. For what it's worth, the buzz among the Washington press corps right now is that Rove asked to return to the grand jury.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/lawrence-odonnell/who-asked-rove-to-return_b_19858.html

[robertpaulsen]

70. Hey kpete, did you see this?

The government of the United States has abandoned being a government of the people, for the people and by the people. The revolving door between corporate and military mercenaries and government agencies may make this administration the most corrupt and dishonest in our history. Independent journalist Jason Leopold has turned over to Special Prosecutor Patrick Fitzgerald 250 e-mails from Dick Cheney's office, relating to the outing of undercover CIA operative Valerie Plame-Wilson, that the White House claimed did not exist, in fact do. They are said to be explosive.

http://www.theithacajournal.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060426/OPINION02/604260303/1014

Perhaps this explains why Rove wants to meet with the grand jury. Perhaps Cheney is about to breathe fumes from a smoking gun once again?

Can't wait to read Leopold's next column!

[kpete]

71. well, well, well...

[stop the bleeding]

72. this doesn't make sense...

I thought that the OVP turned over the 250 emails to Fitz and that Jason reported on it not the other way around. I am wrong on this.

[robertpaulsen]

74. Actually, what you're saying does make more sense.

I hope Leopold has more to say on this. But your understanding of the order of events corresponds with mine, I think the writer might be confusing Leopold's reporting with possession as to how he found out that these e-mails are "explosive".

But it still makes me wonder if Rove went to Fitz concerning the e-mails to dump the blame on Cheney in a poor attempt to exonerate himself. We should find out soon.

[stop the bleeding]

75. yes we shall, either Hadley or Rove dumped those emails

or the VP did in response to Fitz's Febuary filings

who knows - what is important is that Fitz has them



Squeal piggy squeal.....

[npincus]

69. kick

[Patsy Stone]

73. Yes!

I love this.

[sendero]

77. It's absolutely...

... fabulous!