More Plame speculations
I first ran across this tidbit over at The Next Hurrah last night(tons of detail but long), but it's pulled out a little more cleanly at Firedoglake this morning.
From the May 5 hearing transcript regarding motions arguments in the Libby case.
(This was Fitzgerald speaking.)
The actual timing of when this took place is critical as to the specifics, but just as a general matter, tell me that doesn't say to you that the administration KNEW that Plame was covert, and that Fitzgerald has a witness to testify to that effect.
Also, she finds some support for my current working theory of Fitzgerald's overall prosecutorial strategy. It is my opinion, that right now, in this phase, Fitzgerald is clearing the decks as it were. He's simply going through all the elements of the coverup, working out the cases of perjury and obstruction before going forward to prosecute the underlying crime of outing Plame.
It would be absolutely necessary to establish the evidence, including any efforts to obstruct the discovery of evidence, before a final case on the underlying crime could be made. If I were betting, I would say that the "missing emails" might be the next phase of the investigation followed by indictments around the conspiracy to out Valerie Plame. (In many different documents and filings, Fitzgerald has made it quite clear that he believes Plame was covert, and thus outed, regardless of what pundits may say.)
Also, while on the topic, if you're deep into all this, Emptywheel also has some little bits collected through the various transcripts and filings that offers further evidence that Fitzgerald believes Cheney was behind the conspiracy. Not a revelation that Cheney was at the core, but that Fitzgerald has some evidence indicating that is a pretty big deal.
And, if you're not following this too closely, just remember in the short term that Rove believes he'll be indicted and he told the President and Bolten that.
Update: Isikoff at Newsweek focuses on one of the little bits that puts Cheney in the center of the conspiracy to out Plame.
From the May 5 hearing transcript regarding motions arguments in the Libby case.
(This was Fitzgerald speaking.)
So the issue of potential damage from discussing it may come up. In a different conversation that Mr. Libby was present for, a witness did describe to Mr. Libby and another person the damage that can be caused specifically by the outing of Ms. Wilson. It was before the grand jury. It was back in July of 2003.
The actual timing of when this took place is critical as to the specifics, but just as a general matter, tell me that doesn't say to you that the administration KNEW that Plame was covert, and that Fitzgerald has a witness to testify to that effect.
Also, she finds some support for my current working theory of Fitzgerald's overall prosecutorial strategy. It is my opinion, that right now, in this phase, Fitzgerald is clearing the decks as it were. He's simply going through all the elements of the coverup, working out the cases of perjury and obstruction before going forward to prosecute the underlying crime of outing Plame.
It would be absolutely necessary to establish the evidence, including any efforts to obstruct the discovery of evidence, before a final case on the underlying crime could be made. If I were betting, I would say that the "missing emails" might be the next phase of the investigation followed by indictments around the conspiracy to out Valerie Plame. (In many different documents and filings, Fitzgerald has made it quite clear that he believes Plame was covert, and thus outed, regardless of what pundits may say.)
Also, while on the topic, if you're deep into all this, Emptywheel also has some little bits collected through the various transcripts and filings that offers further evidence that Fitzgerald believes Cheney was behind the conspiracy. Not a revelation that Cheney was at the core, but that Fitzgerald has some evidence indicating that is a pretty big deal.
And, if you're not following this too closely, just remember in the short term that Rove believes he'll be indicted and he told the President and Bolten that.
Update: Isikoff at Newsweek focuses on one of the little bits that puts Cheney in the center of the conspiracy to out Plame.
posted by mikevotes at
1:50 PM
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