No Underlying Crime, Not!

by Larry C. Johnson

The Republican spin machine is fully engaged and the word is out on the indictment of Scooter Libby: NO UNDERLYING CRIME WAS COMMITTED.

In other words, Federal Prosecutor Patrick Fitzgerald did not file any charges against Libby for compromising a CIA officer’s cover under the Identities Protection Act. Nope. He just charged Libby with technicalities like perjury and obstruction of justice.

Ignore for a moment that Fitzgerald said at the start of his press conference that Valerie Wilson’s cover was blown. Cover your ears and pretend that he really did not mean to say that prior to Robert Novak’s infamous column her association with the CIA was known only in classified circles.

Here is a novel idea. Fitzgerald is proscecuting Libby because he has obstructed or blocked or hindered (you choose the word) the investigation. He, Libby, has refused to provide the evidence he has of the crime of helping finger Valerie as an intelligence officer. As a result, he gets an obstruction of justice charge and lying to a federal law enforcement officer. Just because Patrick Fitzgerald has not yet collected sufficient evident to charge Libby with violating the Intelligence Identities Protection Act, because Libby has tried to cover up his crime, does not mean a crime was not committed.

So, let’s keep a list of all those who repeat this mantra, but especially keep track of the media luminaries who say it. At a mnimum we will see the names of William Safire, Andrea Mitchell, Pete Williams, David Brooks, Tim Russert, Chris Matthews, and Bob Woodward. Then, one day (hopefully sooner rather than later), Patrick Fitzgerald will file charges. At that point, all of these Administration apologists will have to come to grips with the fact that senior Bush Administration officials engaged in a conspiracy to expose the identity of an undercover CIA officer. Looks like the term “journalism” is in jeopardy of becoming a synonym for “administration cheerleader.”

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Larry C. Johnson is CEO and co-founder of BERG Associates, LLC, an international business-consulting firm that helps corporations and governments manage threats posed by terrorism and money laundering. Mr. Johnson, who worked previously with the Central Intelligence Agency and U.S. State Department’s Office of Counter Terrorism (as a Deputy Director), is a recognized expert in the fields of terrorism, aviation security, crisis and risk management. Mr. Johnson has analyzed terrorist incidents for a variety of media including the Jim Lehrer News Hour, National Public Radio, ABC’s Nightline, NBC’s Today Show, the New York Times, CNN, Fox News, and the BBC. Mr. Johnson has authored several articles for publications, including Security Management Magazine, the New York Times, and The Los Angeles Times. He has lectured on terrorism and aviation security around the world. Further bio details.