Friday’s New York Times tells us that Karl Rove and Lewis “Scooter” Libby are definite targets of Fitztgerald’s investigation of the Plame leak.
They may not be busted on the most serious offenses, but it’s likely they will be indicted on lesser offenses that would still ruin their political careers, seeing them frog-marched right out of Washington.
WASHINGTON, Oct. 20 – As he weighs whether to bring criminal charges in the C.I.A. leak case, Patrick J. Fitzgerald, the special counsel, is focusing on whether Karl Rove, the senior White House adviser, and I. Lewis Libby Jr., chief of staff for Vice President Dick Cheney, sought to conceal their actions and mislead prosecutors, lawyers involved in the case said Thursday.
Among the charges that Mr. Fitzgerald is considering are perjury, obstruction of justice and false statement – counts that suggest the prosecutor may believe the evidence presented in a 22-month grand jury inquiry shows that the two White House aides sought to cover up their actions, the lawyers said.
Mr. Rove and Mr. Libby have been advised that they may be in serious legal jeopardy, the lawyers said, but only this week has Mr. Fitzgerald begun to narrow the possible charges. The prosecutor has said he will not make up his mind about any charges until next week, government officials say.
According to the NYT article, it is still quite possible that someone may be charged with espionage. Fitzgerald’s people are mum on the speculation though.
Blogger Matthew Gross thinks that Wurmser and Hannah are the most likely leakers, thus the rumours that they’ve both turned on their higher-ups who orchestrated the conspiracy.
Meanwhile, back at the conscience-challenged White House ranch, Bush referred to the investigation as background noise. I guess that’s what it sounds like when you hold your hands over your ears like a toddler and scream “I can’t hear you! La la la.”
In related news, Gallup informs us that the administration’s support is melting faster than an ice cream cone in the Sahara desert:
A new CNN/USA Today/Gallup survey finds the public in the most dour mood ever measured during the Bush presidency. The public’s approval of the way President George W. Bush is handling his job is at 39%, public approval of Congress at 29%, and overall satisfaction with the way things are going at 31%.
And, Cheney’s approval numbers are at their lowest.levels.ever.
Just wait until these indictments are brought down. They might incite a revolution! And, this revolution will be televised.
on whether Rove and Libby want to contain the damage or share it.
Very true. If Rove has fingered Libby, Libby may face more serious charges. Hard to say.
The article seems to report strategic leaking by counsel for Rove and Libby.
If so, it seems to have a two purposes:
Leading to the view that Cheney is cornered on espionage.
Had a beer in the land of wing-nuttery last night. Talked with local nuts. When I mentioned “special prosecutor weighing indictments against the administration” the nuts, with Fox News blaring in the backdrop at their watering hole, looked clueless. So I says, “You know, Patrick Fitzgerald. The federal prosecutor trying to decide whether to indict Karl Rove and Dick Cheney.”
More blank stares from local nuts. One particularly bright now showed some tiny recognition, and said, “That. That’s all a bunch of bullshit.”
Either I, or the nuts, are in for a severe shaking of our respective world views come next week.
Reading the Times story, I felt a bit deflated. They’re only going to get Rove and Libby, and only on post scandal cover up stuff, I thought. My expectations listening to all the rampant speculation have gone sky high. I want the whole enchilada. The conspiracy that touches Bush and Cheney and the whole fucking illegal, lying war. I guess some PR machine has played the expectations game on me. Because now when Rove gets indicted for mere obstruction and perjury, I’m going to be slightly disappointed.
The reason you get the blank stares is because they are clueless to even who Rove is. I tried to have this conversation with sis in Aug. while visiting her. She did NOT know who Rove was. I told her Bush’s Brain and she was still clueless. I told her to read the DSM and she replied, “Oh, is that one of your blogs”. You see, they don’t get into the details thus they vote the way they vote. If she and I had not agreed to NOT talk politics or send emails with information to our point of view I would be slamming her every GD day with the headlines but it would be useless. I so want to say I told you so.
I bet they are going to know who he is next week. 🙂
Can I just quietly admit that my Plamegate fantasy includes Bush as an unindicted co-conspirator? (I want Cheney indicted, nasty son-of-a-gun that he is).
Not much longer to wait, I hope we’re all not too disappointed. Our local nuts are completely unaware of the Watergate-like implications of this whole thing too. Of course, they also believe that Saddam attacked us on 9/11…
You can admit it. But not quietly. We want screaming, ranting, drooling kind of admissions. Bush — unindicted impeachee!!! Cheney — cuffs and mug shots!!!
Man — I am so set up for major disappointment.
guru, but isn’t it possible that this is negotiation time for them? That Fitz has put the light on them and it is up to them to start singing or molting?
This is out of my law league. My opinion wouldn’t be much (or any) better than yours. In my league, generally speaking, 99.9% of plea bargaining takes place after the fact. It is the rare case in my league, that witnesses are plied pre-indictment or pre-information with deals to gain their cooperation.
That said. From the reports I am seeing, yes, I think it is entirely possible that now is the time that Fitz is nailing down deals against little fish, so he can go on a Hemingway-like fishing outing for the big boys.
We can only hope (and pray to the Flying Spaghetti Monster).
From the LA Times this morning:
If Fitzgerald can prove Cheney gave the orders then he is toast. (I hope. IANAL)
By “he” I meant Cheney.
Not Fitzgerald.
(I need more coffee)
That looks like diary material.
Man, do we have inflated hopes or what? Only a couple of months ago we would have been on our knees thanking FSM for indictments of Libby and Rove. I’m loving every second of this with a double set of expectations: 1. The whole enchilada; 2. Two major figures and a few small fry with major information dump. Either way it’s
This is Oct. 05 instead of 04! Can you just imagine what that would have been like? Need to hammer them in 06 with this, the war, social security, disaster at New Orleans, environmental concerns (ala Knoxville progressive!) energy policy that is counter productive, Gitmo, the Terry Schiavo fiasco, North Korea, Iran, Syria, lack of significant help to Africa, loss of jobs overseas, tax cuts for the wealthy, health care costs, ummm lets see, I know there is something else…Oh Yeah!! Where is Osama??!
Think there is room enough to build a platform around these issues? I do.
I suggest a neologism:
To Fitzgerald: Verb. To squeeze someone’s gonads until the knowledge in their heads comes out of their mouth.
er … make that “head” not “heads.”
(Second time today. Preview really is my friend.)