Rove in the Spotlight and Plame's Neighbours Questioned

Accoring to the LA Times, this has been a very busy day for Patrick Fitzgerald with last minute questions for a Rove “colleague” and an FBI blitz of Valerie Plame/Wilson’s neighbourhood “asking neighbors again whether they were aware — before her name appeared in a syndicated column — that the agent, Valerie Plame, worked for the CIA.”

A deputy prosecutor called Rove’s colleague this afternoon and interviewed him in depth about statements Rove may have made to reporters about the case, a lawyer familiar with the case said.

“It appeared to me the prosecutor was trying to button up any holes that were remaining,” the lawyer said.

Curiouser and curiouser.

Update [2005-10-25 20:55:29 by catnip]: Reuters has more on the questioning of the neighbours. (Thanks RAW STORY!)

Questioned on Monday nite, one of Plame’s neighbours said:

They just asked me if I knew what my neighbor (Plame) did before it came out in the press,” Lefkowitz told Reuters. He said he told the agents: “I didn’t know.”

Two lawyers involved in the case said the line of questioning could be a sign that federal prosecutor Patrick Fitzgerald intends to charge administration officials for the leak itself, in addition to possible charges for easier-to-prove crimes like perjury and obstruction of justice.

[…]

Lefkowitz, Plame’s neighbor, said Monday was the first time he was questioned by the FBI in connection with the case. The agents told him they were talking to other neighbors as well.

22 Comments

Knut Wicksell on October 25, 2005 at 9:00 pm

On the sealed indictments. I’m not sure how this works. I understand that the sealing protects certain kinds of privileged information that would injure national security if it were to be published, and that it also protects an on-going investigation. My understanding also is that it protects the names of the individuals, who of course know that they are indicted but are not required to tell anyone else.

Suppose that the sealed indictments indict Rove, as we all expect. He is legally required — I would imagine — to tell his immediate employer. Does this constitute a dare by Fitzgerald to Bush? That Bush fire (or make to resign) Rove?

The same holds for Cheney.

If Bush did not require resignations, would he party to a cover-up? Just wondering.

Dean Pajevic on October 25, 2005 at 9:06 pm

I’m morphing self into a fly tonight so I can buzz around the White House tomorrow.
catnip on October 25, 2005 at 9:11 pm

David Corn wrote a bit about sealed indictments on Oct 20:

“Two words we should think about: sealed indictments.” That was said to me by a trustworthy Washington reporter who has been covering the Plame/CIA leak case. He wasn’t making a prediction; he was raising a possibility. It could be that special prosecutor Patrick Fitzgerald might choose to file sealed indictments before the grand jury expires at the end of next week. That would mean that the names of the indicted would be unknown to the public–unless the information leaked.

Why would Fitzgerald do this? Perhaps he has not finished investigating. It could be that recent developments–Judy Miller’s testimony, Karl Rove’s return to the grand jury, the Daily News story that indicates Rove and George W. Bush discussed the leak (and Rove’s involvement in the matter) two years ago–have provided him additional leads to chase down. (The Daily News story–see the items below–does raise important questions.) In such a case, Fitzgerald might want to bank several indictments, impanel a new grand jury, and keep digging. This is–needless to say–speculation. But anyone waiting anxiously for indictments should keep this scenario in mind.

more…

Dean Pajevic on October 25, 2005 at 9:03 pm

O.M.G.

I wonder if the FBI also did this at this late hour because:

to quell weeks of leaks and pressure on those interviewed, they held off interviews until the last minute.
they may want to ensure that the memories of people two years after the event hasn’t been muddled by all the publicity

but i think it’s mostly the first.

P.S. Elmo is not a street tramp panhandler.

brinnainne on October 25, 2005 at 9:12 pm

I had no idea there even was such a charge as “agressive begging”…. what a bunch of crap!
catnip on October 25, 2005 at 9:13 pm

Was one of the neighbours the leaker and it’s just coming out now?
- coffee cup on October 25, 2005 at 9:26 pm
  
  So the neighbors are calling the press?
  - catnip on October 25, 2005 at 9:40 pm
    
    Or one of the neighbours called the WH? Who knows? I can see someone with a grudge doing that.
    - American Insomniac on October 25, 2005 at 10:02 pm
      
      Some people over at Kos are saying that this might mean that Wilson himself is being investigated. I don’t believe it whatsoever, since Wilson has been en fuego during his speaking tours and that’s just a rumor Freepos are bustin’. But it adds to the cornfusion, that’s for sure.
    - catnip on October 25, 2005 at 11:47 pm
      
      That’s a right-wing talking point that’s spread across their end of the blogosphere.

coffee cup on October 25, 2005 at 9:11 pm

Raw Story also is saying that Rove’s lawyer talked to Fitzgerald today. So, sumthun’s up.

While cruising around, I saw a post at the orange place quoting David Ensor as saying a CIA spokesmen admitted there was damage after the leak. Not specific, but that’s the first time I’ve ever heard that being said on the MSM. If true (and again, this is based on a post at another blog by someone I don’t know), that would kind of make Kristof’s piece today a big embarrassment.

brinnainne on October 25, 2005 at 9:15 pm

Isn’t this the neighbor who has agreed to represent them in their civil suit?

Not that that necessarily means anything one way or another, but….

brinnainne on October 25, 2005 at 9:21 pm

Or is it this guy?? (another neighbor)
- brinnainne on October 25, 2005 at 9:24 pm
  
  … it is Chris Wolf
  - brinnainne on October 25, 2005 at 9:26 pm
    
    and even worse…..ahem, susan already diaried this, here …even badder!
    😉
    - catnip on October 25, 2005 at 9:42 pm
      
      There’s been so much written about every aspect of this case…not to worry! 🙂
      
      Some moments my mind just goes totally blank and I have such a bad memory as it is, it’s amazing I can put anything together.
    - Dean Pajevic on October 25, 2005 at 9:46 pm
      
      Yeah … BooMan called me last night and we were talkin’ the case, and I could NOT remember the name of Bolton’s CIA guy at the State Dept … Boo was trying to help me … Fleiss? … finally, I just blurted out, “Heidi Fleiss!” And he laughed.
      
      Sometimes it all gets so mixed up. I have to go back and reread what **I** wrote — never mind what other people wrote!
Dean Pajevic on October 25, 2005 at 9:44 pm

That’s Christopher Wolf, who’s representing them in a potential civil suit.

Joe and Valerie’s kids call him Wolfie but they told the kids they should call him “Mr. Wolf.”

I’m sure that those FBI interviews were merely to confirm that Valerie was indeed undercover and didn’t tell any acquaintances about her real job.

Dean Pajevic on October 25, 2005 at 9:47 pm

Catnip, Peter Warren should have you on his show next weekend.

catnip on October 25, 2005 at 11:48 pm

lol

I’m sure he’s got much more important guests lined up…MUCH more…:)

American Insomniac on October 25, 2005 at 9:51 pm

I’ve got Fitzmas Blue Balls!

boran2 on October 25, 2005 at 10:49 pm

Curious that it took almost 2 years for Fitzgerald/FBI to get around to this. I assume that they did the Mulder/Scully routine. “Madam, have you seen or noticed anything unusual about your neighbor Ms.Plame?…And What’s your take on the Iraq war?…And one other thing, do you have any of that black oil handy?”

Knut Wicksell on October 25, 2005 at 9:00 pm

On the sealed indictments. I’m not sure how this works. I understand that the sealing protects certain kinds of privileged information that would injure national security if it were to be published, and that it also protects an on-going investigation. My understanding also is that it protects the names of the individuals, who of course know that they are indicted but are not required to tell anyone else.

Suppose that the sealed indictments indict Rove, as we all expect. He is legally required — I would imagine — to tell his immediate employer. Does this constitute a dare by Fitzgerald to Bush? That Bush fire (or make to resign) Rove?

The same holds for Cheney.

If Bush did not require resignations, would he party to a cover-up? Just wondering.
- Dean Pajevic on October 25, 2005 at 9:06 pm
  
  I’m morphing self into a fly tonight so I can buzz around the White House tomorrow.
- catnip on October 25, 2005 at 9:11 pm
  
  David Corn wrote a bit about sealed indictments on Oct 20:
  
  “Two words we should think about: sealed indictments.” That was said to me by a trustworthy Washington reporter who has been covering the Plame/CIA leak case. He wasn’t making a prediction; he was raising a possibility. It could be that special prosecutor Patrick Fitzgerald might choose to file sealed indictments before the grand jury expires at the end of next week. That would mean that the names of the indicted would be unknown to the public–unless the information leaked.
  
  Why would Fitzgerald do this? Perhaps he has not finished investigating. It could be that recent developments–Judy Miller’s testimony, Karl Rove’s return to the grand jury, the Daily News story that indicates Rove and George W. Bush discussed the leak (and Rove’s involvement in the matter) two years ago–have provided him additional leads to chase down. (The Daily News story–see the items below–does raise important questions.) In such a case, Fitzgerald might want to bank several indictments, impanel a new grand jury, and keep digging. This is–needless to say–speculation. But anyone waiting anxiously for indictments should keep this scenario in mind.
  
  more…
Dean Pajevic on October 25, 2005 at 9:03 pm
O.M.G.

I wonder if the FBI also did this at this late hour because:
1. to quell weeks of leaks and pressure on those interviewed, they held off interviews until the last minute.
2. they may want to ensure that the memories of people two years after the event hasn’t been muddled by all the publicity
but i think it’s mostly the first.

P.S. Elmo is not a street tramp panhandler.
- brinnainne on October 25, 2005 at 9:12 pm
  
  I had no idea there even was such a charge as “agressive begging”…. what a bunch of crap!
- catnip on October 25, 2005 at 9:13 pm
  
  Was one of the neighbours the leaker and it’s just coming out now?
  - coffee cup on October 25, 2005 at 9:26 pm
    
    So the neighbors are calling the press?
    - catnip on October 25, 2005 at 9:40 pm
      
      Or one of the neighbours called the WH? Who knows? I can see someone with a grudge doing that.
      - American Insomniac on October 25, 2005 at 10:02 pm
        
        Some people over at Kos are saying that this might mean that Wilson himself is being investigated. I don’t believe it whatsoever, since Wilson has been en fuego during his speaking tours and that’s just a rumor Freepos are bustin’. But it adds to the cornfusion, that’s for sure.
      - catnip on October 25, 2005 at 11:47 pm
        
        That’s a right-wing talking point that’s spread across their end of the blogosphere.
coffee cup on October 25, 2005 at 9:11 pm

Raw Story also is saying that Rove’s lawyer talked to Fitzgerald today. So, sumthun’s up.

While cruising around, I saw a post at the orange place quoting David Ensor as saying a CIA spokesmen admitted there was damage after the leak. Not specific, but that’s the first time I’ve ever heard that being said on the MSM. If true (and again, this is based on a post at another blog by someone I don’t know), that would kind of make Kristof’s piece today a big embarrassment.
brinnainne on October 25, 2005 at 9:15 pm

Isn’t this the neighbor who has agreed to represent them in their civil suit?

Not that that necessarily means anything one way or another, but….
- brinnainne on October 25, 2005 at 9:21 pm
  
  Or is it this guy?? (another neighbor)
  - brinnainne on October 25, 2005 at 9:24 pm
    
    … it is Chris Wolf
    - brinnainne on October 25, 2005 at 9:26 pm
      
      and even worse…..ahem, susan already diaried this, here …even badder!
      😉
      - catnip on October 25, 2005 at 9:42 pm
        
        There’s been so much written about every aspect of this case…not to worry! 🙂
        
        Some moments my mind just goes totally blank and I have such a bad memory as it is, it’s amazing I can put anything together.
      - Dean Pajevic on October 25, 2005 at 9:46 pm
        
        Yeah … BooMan called me last night and we were talkin’ the case, and I could NOT remember the name of Bolton’s CIA guy at the State Dept … Boo was trying to help me … Fleiss? … finally, I just blurted out, “Heidi Fleiss!” And he laughed.
        
        Sometimes it all gets so mixed up. I have to go back and reread what **I** wrote — never mind what other people wrote!
- Dean Pajevic on October 25, 2005 at 9:44 pm
  
  That’s Christopher Wolf, who’s representing them in a potential civil suit.
  
  Joe and Valerie’s kids call him Wolfie but they told the kids they should call him “Mr. Wolf.”
  
  I’m sure that those FBI interviews were merely to confirm that Valerie was indeed undercover and didn’t tell any acquaintances about her real job.
Dean Pajevic on October 25, 2005 at 9:47 pm

Catnip, Peter Warren should have you on his show next weekend.
- catnip on October 25, 2005 at 11:48 pm
  
  lol
  
  I’m sure he’s got much more important guests lined up…MUCH more…:)
American Insomniac on October 25, 2005 at 9:51 pm

I’ve got Fitzmas Blue Balls!
boran2 on October 25, 2005 at 10:49 pm

Curious that it took almost 2 years for Fitzgerald/FBI to get around to this. I assume that they did the Mulder/Scully routine. “Madam, have you seen or noticed anything unusual about your neighbor Ms.Plame?…And What’s your take on the Iraq war?…And one other thing, do you have any of that black oil handy?”

Rove in the Spotlight and Plame’s Neighbours Questioned

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