09
Feb
Plame Update
Kos points to this Murray Waass piece:
Vice President Dick Cheney’s former chief of staff, I. Lewis (Scooter) Libby, testified to a federal grand jury that he had been “authorized” by Cheney and other White House “superiors” in the summer of 2003 to disclose classified information to journalists to defend the Bush administration’s use of prewar intelligence in making the case to go to war with Iraq, according to attorneys familiar with the matter, and to court records.According to sources with firsthand knowledge, Cheney authorized Libby to release additional classified information, including details of the NIE, to defend the administration’s use of prewar intelligence in making the case for war.
Libby specifically claimed that in one instance he had been authorized to divulge portions of a then-still highly classified National Intelligence Estimate regarding Saddam Hussein’s purported efforts to develop nuclear weapons, according to correspondence recently filed in federal court by special prosecutor Patrick J. Fitzgerald
This could get interesting.
The Disenfranchised Voter
Could get interesting? If I’m reading that right this is definitely going to get interesting.
Oh and guess what? Kos ended up banning me a few days ago (at least I think it was Kos). I hadn’t even been posting lately so it’s kinda odd if he was banning me for the Americablog diary.
John B.
This is pretty major. Even Conservatives are starting to see what a joke this administration has for the law. For God’s sake can they put Country before Party???
rilkefan
TDV, John could have linked via hilzoy or Kevin Drum – he’s just goading you.
Paddy O'Shea
Love to see Fitz turn Libby. If he can get Scooter to sit on the canary seat, why just think of all the fun we’ll have watching the Hero of New Orleans and Ticker Dick sweat!
I wonder how Karl Rove will approach smearing Libby? He walks funny?
DougJ
Come on, vice president Tyler did this kind of thing all the time and on one cared. Why? Because we didn’t have cable news show in the 1840s.
Sock Puppet
All this Bush bashing has got to stop. Is this any way to treat the man who saved Los Angeles?
LITBMueller
I’m not too familiar with what powers the Veep has to declassify information, but does this make sense?: What I’m thinking is that Libby is setting up a two-pronged defense:
1. I did not lie, perjure myself, or obstruct justice – I simply misspoke.
2. Even if you do not believe me, I was not trying to obstruct because what I did was not illegal – specifically, I was authorized by the Vice President himself to disclose this information, and the VP had declassified it. Therefore, there was no crime for me to try and cover up.
Now that the trial date has been put off until after the election, Libby can use this defense. Sure, it makes Cheney look bad, but (a) why the hell would Cheney care, and (b) it won’t have any affect on the 2006 elections, or Cheney’s political future since he isn’t running in ‘08.
Heck, they could have Cheney do some sort of snarly-faced apology in order to isolate the President from all of this; then declare the whole matter closed.
No further investigation. No more indictments.
This strategy would also explain why no damage assessment has been completed regarding the Plame leak – because any assessment would have to acknowledge that Cheney declassified the information.
Make sense? What do you think?
P.S.: I’m not trying to defend – just trying to figure this out…
Richard Bottoms
I thought that was Blue Thunder. Or was it Airwolf?
Paddy O'Shea
LITBMueller: Too complicated. I think Scooter’s getting ready to squeal like a pig because he’s come to the conclusion that if he doesn’t he’s going to spend the rest of his life in the pokey.
And besides, blaming others for one’s own mistakes is hardly alien to Bush admin members, current or former.
Of course, in this case it could be accompanied with the novelty of it being the truth …
CaseyL
Snake Plissken.
les
Dumb question of the moment: Does Cheney have authority to declassify info like this? Presumably it was classified by someone else initially.
gratefulcub
Cheney didn’t declassify it. He had it leaked. Very different.
If they don’t like the law, they don’t obey it, instead of go through the constitutional process of changing it.
They want classified information known, they leak it, they don’t get it declassified.
They are simple folk, that’s 91.23% of their appeal.
LITBMueller
les…that’s what I’m wondering. Of course, like John points out in his other post, a NSA-wartime-unitry executive type argument could probably be dreamed up by Abu Gonzales.
And…we all know MANIMAL saved Los Angeles! :)
Brian
Let’s see…..
NSA “wiretap” story? Public doesn’t care.
Katrina? More whites affected than blacks, so can’t play the race card. Anyhow, it’s old news now.
SCOTUS confirmations? Dem’s walked away with tail between legs.
Iraq? Elections have happened on sked and opinion polls there show that Iraqis see a positive future no longer under the finger of a tyrant.
What else is there?
I KNOW! Let’s dig up that ol’ Plame thingy and see if we can pump some life into that dead horse. Yeah, that’s it.
Par R
Cheney has the authority to “declassify” information, so what’s the big deal?
Rob
I’m curious about blogger etiquette. If you found it from Kos who linked to someone who linked to the Waass, do you show the whole path to get to Waass?
Kimmitt
Heh, funny guy.
The Disenfranchised Voter
What about him?
Paul L.
I am not defending Dick Cheney if this is True
But…
LITBMueller: Too complicated. I think Scooter’s getting ready to squeal like a pig because he’s come to the conclusion that if he doesn’t he’s going to spend the rest of his life in the pokey.
And besides, blaming others for one’s own mistakes is hardly alien to Bush admin members, current or former.
Of course, in this case it could be accompanied with the novelty of it being the truth …
What makes you think they are going to give Libby a life sentence for purgery? Do you think Bush will not pardon him?
Clinton was just disbarred.
Sandy Burg(l)er got a slip on the wrist and a fine.
Oh that right, They are Democrats.
The Other Steve
Moral equivalency?
A murderer is the same as a pick pocket?
Bob In Pacifica
There is a story out on TruthOut about others who have said the same thing to the Grand Jury. So while the folks sitting around the hooka at Tom Maguire’s pad are toking up and dreaming about Joseph Wilson walking the plank, seems that Fitzgerald is slowly tightening the rope around “I’ll vote for apartheid because I’m scared of Commies” Cheney.
Expect a Saturday Night Massacre soon.
Bob In Pacifica
Cheney AND Hadley.
Also, expect more about Hadley and the forgery of the Italian docs soon.
Uberweiss
Is it me or does it seem like Bush is trying to pretend that he is Jack Bauer in the show 24?
Otto Man
No, it was visiting NYPD Detective John McClaine.
CaseyL
Snake Plissken saved Los Angeles before saving Los Angeles was cool.
Otto Man
Seriously, does Libby think that saying Lord Cheney put his signet ring to the wax seal and gave him his leave is going to excuse this? I’m sure in their minds, that’s a reasonable defense, since they consider themselves to be above the law. But it doesn’t work that way.
Yeah, that’s coming down the pike too. There’s so much on the way that we may wind up suffering from scandal overload.
DougJ
Cheney has the authority to “declassify” information, so what’s the big deal?
Okay, you’re a parody.
And a damned good one.
Barry
Otto Man, this might be a public signal – perhaps Cheney has rebuffed Libby in private. Perhaps it’s the start of anther media campaign.
Heck, we’re just peasants. What do we know about the squabblings of nobles? If they wanted us to know, they’d tell us.
Perry Como
Could Libby be a French spy?
The Other Steve
Yeah, but Jack Burton got Kim Cattrall after saving the city!
Paul L.
A murderer is the same as a pick pocket?
You are an idiot.
I am comparing like to like
Why is Libby Perjury charge worst that Clinton’s.? And don’t say it is about sex.
Clinton lied to a grand jury. Same thing Libby is accused of
As for Moral equivalency?
Why is the NSA leaker a whistleblower and Libby is not?
Steve
Cut this one out and frame it.