Rove Decision: Political Pressure or Cut A Deal - Which One?

[Ugnmoose]

Given all that we have learned up to this point, it is really hard to believe that Fitz didn't have Rove on a criminal offense, even if it was just lying to a Federal Grand Jury. That being the case, there are only two reasonable explanations as to why he is apparently being let off the hook.

One: Somehow or other the powers that be were able to bring down enough pressure on Fitz to make him cave. Knowing that Fitz is a died in the wool, blood and guts Prosecutor, I see this one as a real long shot.

Two: Rove cut a deal after seeing the sealed indictment (Leopold's sources got it right). The question to answer is what did Fitz get in return. Either Rove is rolling over on Libby or Cheney or perhaps both. My bet is that it is both. Rover will not only testify against Libby, but he provided Fitz with some valuable inside information and documentation that will take Cheney down. It is well known that Rove blames Cheney for the Iraqi War fiasco and for the pummeling that Bushco is taking in the polls. There is no love lost here and to save his own neck and that of Chimpy, he is taking a dive.

Time will tell. But I don't think it will be too much longer.

[grytpype]

1. Uh, how about Fitzgerald decided he couldn't prove perjury.

How about the obvious before resorting to conspiracy theories?

[Redbear]

8. An underling avoiding prosecution by turning the queen's evidence

against his superiors is hardly a conspiracy theory.

[Snivi Yllom]

13. MASTER OF THE OBVIOUS!

[KittyWampus]

20. Fitzgerald has used smallfry to get to superiors. THAT is what's obvious

What point are you trying to make?

[Snivi Yllom]

27. you have zero evidence Rove rolled over on Libby

none.

[OPERATIONMINDCRIME]

2. Absolutely Plausible.

Something really isn't adding up in all of this. Unfortunately we may never know the truth of it all.

[DoYouEverWonder]

3. I don't think Rove is rolling over on anyone

all indicators are that the Aspens are standing together for better or for worse and that's why the investigation is taking much longer then Fitzgerald originally planned. When everyone takes the 5th, it makes it a lot harder to prove anything.

[KittyWampus]

21. Fitzgerald planned on a shorter investigation? Link? BTW, is it over?

Did Fitz come out and say he was finished?

[DoYouEverWonder]

28. No, not at all

But I remember him mentioning during his press conference when he indicted Libby, that with the delays caused by folks like Miller not being willing to talk and other who were throwing sand, that things were taking longer then he had originally anticipated.

[OrangeCountyDemocrat]

4. We Were Gullible Yet Again

We're just stupid giddy democrats. Thinking that honesty and justice will prevail. When are we going to learn?

We're like a last place team. Even though we're 30 games out of first,with only 31 to play....we still think we have a chance.

Now's when the fun really begins. We can spend the next 5 months hoping for a victory sweep in the primaries, while the repubs are finalizing plans on stealing the election again. But come November, we can all sit around and examine where we went wrong. I can't wait.

[OldLeftieLawyer]

6. Honesty and justice have prevailed

Fitzgerald did his job.

Why do you think honesty and justice are only available if an indictment is issued or a conviction brought forth? Ever hear of the concept of innocent until proven guilty, something I'm certain you'd certainly want mentioned were you ever to be charged with a criminal violation?

Get out of this delusional RoveBloodLust and get to working for the grassroots candidates who will win in November and bring our country back to us.

Rove's history, and Joe Wilson's taken his little sideshow as far as he can go. I'm sure he'll miss the spotlight, but we've got far, far more important things to fix in America than Joe Wilson/Valerie Plame's gripes. Bigger and more important.

Justice has prevailed. So has dignity, hard work, and honesty. You just don't like the results. Hey, that's how it goes ................

[OrangeCountyDemocrat]

11. You Almost Sound Relieved

Like you're glad he wasn't indicted. As if this means he's not guilty, and that's a good thing.

When a slimeball like rove, continually gets away with BS, then it's not right. There is no honesty. There is no justice. When you can cheat, bend the rules, smear someone in public, only to further yourself.....and then you get away with it scot free, then justice has not prevailed.

When something goes right for the dems, I'll believe it, but NOTHING of substance has gone in their favor for years and years, and it doesn't look like things have changed at all.

[OldLeftieLawyer]

15. No, I don't care

I "sound relieved"? You got some ears on you.

I don't take these things very seriously when there are no known facts, and Fitzgerald has run such a perfect operation, there have been very few known facts - only what he's chosen to make public. A brilliant job.

Being a slimeball is not, last time I looked, a crime. Sorry, but people get away with this stuff all day every day all ove the world. It's human nature, but it's not indictable just because it's Karl Rove. At least not today.

You get carried away. I've watched this system for over 30 years. It's just another day. And, frankly, Joe Wilson is irrelevant now, in comparison to so many other matters.

[AussieDave]

24. Excellent post, and you're right

Nice guys don't always finish first, and it was ever thus.

The thing to do is to work our asses off to ensure both Houses of Congress fall into Democratic hands from early January - the scope will then be there to unlock a few of the secret cupboards that just MAY lead to the justice many people say is sadly lacking.

[OldLeftieLawyer]

5. How about the difficulty of

enforcing an absolutely wretched law that's so badly drafted, no one can ever be charged under it?

That's the reason. No need to go into farfetched, off-the-wall conspiracy theories that have no foundation in reality.

Sometimes, things don't go the way we want them, and all that means is that the system is working, and we have to learn to deal with the disappointment.

That's all. Bad law, impossible task. Why do you think Libby was charged with perjury and not under the main law Fitzgerald is charged with enforcing?

Read the law. Read its history. You'll get a much better grasp and put these other fantasies away.

[Ugnmoose]

9. So Libby perjured himself and Rove didn't?

If Libby is charged why not Rover? I think from what is known so far that both had there hands in the pot and were stirring it pretty good. I think it was also speculated upon from the get go that getting a conviction under the treason statute was gonna be a very long shot.

Too many people on the inside felt Rove was going down. This means that Fitz must have had the goods on him. It took a sealed indictment to make Rover cough sing like a canary. That's my theory for the moment and I'm sticking by it.

[Ugnmoose]

10. Let's not forget Joe Wilson

In his book he said that he had it on pretty good authority that Rove was involved. Remeber the reference to seeing him "frog marched out of the White House.

[OldLeftieLawyer]

14. Libby was charged with perjury before the grand jury

I have no idea what Rove's testimoney before the grand jury was - neither do you - but it clearly was not perjury. The grand jury decided it wasn't.

I think you're making up facts that don't exist.

No one knows what went on. No one.

Listen to Fitzgerald. He's the only one who knows anything.

And don't make things up. That's dangerous, and could lead to more serious troubles down the road if someone takes you seriously and asks you where you got your "information."

[Ugnmoose]

18. It clearly was not perjury - how do you know?

You don't and neither do I. But we know there was an indictment marked "Sealed v Sealed". This is in itself very strange. Nevertheless, none of us can say for sure whether or not Rover was indicted. I choose to believe based upon all the evidence that has come out so far, that he was indicted, or if not about to be. The only way Rover was going to roll over was if he was going to be indicted. If nothing else having Rove testify against Libby would probably put the nail in Scotter's coffin. And Fitz didn't want to have both of them in adversarial roles. Again, I also choose to believe, that Fitz is going for a bigger prize and that is Cheney. It is very clear up to this point that the decisions to go after Plame were made out of Cheney's office and that Cheney himself was actively involved in the process. There was no way Libby was going to roll over on his boss. I don't see Rover having this problem.

Again, all of this is interesting speculation. I hope that I am right. If not, it will be a sad day for out justice system.

[OldLeftieLawyer]

26. Huh?

Oh, I don't know. If a grand jury returns an indictment for perjury, I have to take them on their word with it, don't I?

Do you understand how this system works before you make such a comment? I think, perhaps, you're confused.

If you choose to believe the Leopold story, then all I can say to you is "Godspeed, and I hope you achieve some clarity down the road."

Good luck, and I hope you catch on soon.

[theboss]

7. Neither

Fitzgerald couldn't make a case. The end.

Hey, it happens.

[KittyWampus]

22. Really? The End? Did Fitzgerald Announce He Was Finished?

Fitzgerald has always gotten the little guys underneath to turn on their superiors. How is it you are privy to information that says otherwise.

[theboss]

29. Rove is not exactly "a little guy"

An indictment of Rove would be historical. Not since Grant would someone so high-ranking have been indicted.

[leftofthedial]

12. 2000 was a coup

none of our systems of "government" remain functional

[warrens]

16. Let's wait for the facts?

There are a lot of legal points here. Fitz ain't going to indict a ham sandwich, and perhaps he just couldn't prove that Rove knew Plame was undercover.

[Kerry fan]

17. I can't think of any more worthy cause

Than bringing down a presidential administration who would, for political purposes, and for purposes of illegally invading a country, out a CIA agent who is tracking wmd.

[Junkdrawer]

19. This story on Kos seems the most likely to me...

Did Gonzales Kill Fitz's Rove Indictments?
by JiggyFlunknut
Sun May 21, 2006 at 03:40:51 PM PDT
Last Friday, Judge Reggie Walton, the presiding judge in the Libby trial, deliberated over a case titled "SEALED v. SEALED." There is growing speculation that sealed v. sealed is Fitzgerald v. Gonzales' Deputy, Paul McNulty (Fitzgerald's direct superior).
...


http://www.dailykos.com/story/2006/5/21/184052/881

[KittyWampus]

23. Actually, it's absurd. Gonzales is not Fitzgerald's superior.That story

started with Madsen and should be taken with massive salt.

[Junkdrawer]

25. The story talks about Paul McNulty and speculates that SEALED v. SEALED...

was the fight by Fitz to claim that McNulty wasn't his boss.