LAT: Prosecutor's Lips Still Sealed in Probe of Leaked Information (Plame)

[DeepModem Mom]

THE NATION
Prosecutor's Lips Still Sealed in Probe of Leaked Information
Who disclosed to a columnist the name of a CIA operative? A federal investigation is entering its second year with no conclusion in sight

By Richard B. Schmitt, Times Staff Writer


WASHINGTON — Time seemed to be of the essence last December when the Justice Department named a special prosecutor to handle the seemingly straightforward, if politically delicate, task of investigating whether a Bush administration official had illegally identified the name of a CIA operative to a newspaper columnist....

***

Today, Fitzgerald's investigation seems plenty energized, although the urgency he is bringing to the task is open to debate.

The probe, which the Justice Department began on its own in September 2003, is entering its second year without any clear end in sight. The schedule for a court fight over subpoenas indicates that the case is unlikely to be resolved before the Nov. 2 election, and could stretch into 2005.

Thus, when voters go to the polls in less than two weeks, they will probably have no better idea whether an administration official may have committed a crime.

The question that drove Fitzgerald's appointment — who leaked the identity of a CIA operative to columnist Robert Novak? — has devolved into a 1st Amendment courtroom brawl with a gaggle of other Beltway journalists about contacts they had with administration officials during the summer of 2003, when the Novak column was published....


http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/nation/la-na-leak23oct23,1,5504199.story?coll=la-home-nation

[DoYouEverWonder]

1. All it would take is for one person

to come clean and we could stop wasting all this time and money. There are a number of people who know exactly who leaked this information and if Bush had control over his staff, we wouldn't be having this conversation.

Now because it was so important to protect one, many others will go down has a result of this investigation. I guess the one must have been a very important person.

[H2O Man]

5. And that one person

is President Bush. If he wanted to end this controversy today, he could. He could come clean on this, and tell the country exactly what happened. If he were interested in showing the country that he will not stand for criminal behavior in his administration, and that he wants to end any conflict between the press and the judicial process, he could. But he won't.

[4dsc]

12. It could only be a handful of people

with the clearence to know who was with the CIA.. That narrows the search to about 4 or 5 people in the WHITE HOUSE.. Bush, Cheney, Rove and who else?? So you're telling me its going to take over a year to question 5 people??

[hang a left]

2. No end in sight.

There is no justice for the few in this country. What a pisser.

[rfranklin]

3. Jail Novak and take away his Dentucreme....

He would give up Rove in a matter of hours.

[farmbo]

4. Fitzgerald was brought in for one reason: To run out the clock

...and he's succeeded in doing so.

The whole investigation was designed to go down enough blind alleys ...and to deliberately incur quash litigation by subpoenaing marginal actors... so that he could stretch it out beyond November 2nd.

:grr:

[snippy]

6. Agreed. n/t

[sattahipdeep]

7. Comey and Fitzgerald "are both Bush political appointees

Massachusetts Sen. John Kerry called Fitzgerald's appointment "a half measure and
nowhere good enough to restore public confidence in this tarnished agency."

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2003/09/30/national/main575925.shtml

[GOTV]

8. I still don't get it

If Novak received the leak.
And their putting people in jail to find the leaker.

Why isn't Novak in jail?

[DeepModem Mom]

9. Welcome to DU, GOTV! From the article, re. Novak --

"Novak's refusal to say whether he has spoken to Fitzgerald has led to speculation that the prosecutor is marshaling other evidence before confronting the columnist with the identity of the suspected leaker as part of a climactic end game.

Another theory has it that Novak is not talking because he might be culpable under a sweeping 1917 law that on its face makes it a crime for anyone, journalists included, to mishandle classified information.

Still others speculate that the prosecutor has concluded that Novak's two administration sources did not break the letter of the law that makes it a crime to reveal names of covert agents.

Under that law, prosecutors must show that the person who leaked the information had a classified status — which would include numerous White House officials — and knew he or she was unmasking a covert agent whose identity authorities were attempting to conceal."

[hang a left]

10. It is probable he is the one of the criminals

that will be indicted. Oh....wait a minute....they will all be pardoned in January.

[madrchsod]

13. can`t pardon people

that haven`t been convicted

[fsbooks]

16. Ford pardoned Nixon

[hang a left]

17. Didn't Bush I pardon people that hadn't been convicted in

Iran Contra? Or was it BCCI?

[hang a left]

19. ah-hem

Bush's last controversial act in office was his pardon of six former government employees implicated in the Iran-Contra scandal on December 24, 1992, most prominently former Secretary of Defense Caspar Weinberger. Weinberger had been scheduled to stand trial on January 5, 1993 for lying to Congress regarding his knowledge of arms sales to Iran and concealing 1700 pages of his personal diary detailing discussions with other officials about the arms sales. As Weinberger's private notes contained references to Bush's endorsement of the secret shipments to Iran, some believe that Bush's pardon was an effort to prevent an order for Bush to appear before a grand jury or possibly to avoid an indictment. Weinberger's indictment stated that Weinberger's notes contradicted Bush's assertions that he had only peripheral knowledge of the arms for hostages deal. Lawrence Walsh, the Independent Counsel assigned to the case, charged that "the Iran-contra cover-up, which has continued for more than six years, has now been completed." Walsh likened the pardons to President Nixon's Saturday Night Massacre. Bush responded that the Walsh probe constituted an attempt to criminalize a policy dispute between the legislative and executive branches. In addition to Weinberger, Bush pardoned Duane R. Clarridge, Clair E. George, Robert C. McFarlane, Elliott Abrams, and Alan G. Fiers Jr., all of whom had been indicted and/or convicted of charges by the Independent Counsel.



http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_H._W._Bush

[lil-petunia]

11. that is one busy man

Yesterday's Chicago tribune and Suntimes announced that he also has two separate divisions working on nothing but policial corruption in chicago and the sorrounding area. I dropped my subscription of the Trib because of their support for Bush, but followed a thread and saw that report.

[warrior1]

15. I rather him wait till after bush is out of office

then he can indict and no on, I mean no on will be pardon by President Kerry. We can wait a bit more.

[lil-petunia]

20. you think? Why wait? If he can indict before 11/2, he should.

If people get angry, well, tough cookies, jerks.

What is to stop Bush from issuing pardons even before indictments? Waiting 'till January solves nothing. He can prevent any future indictment with the stroke of his crayon. Then, all the quiet indictment info will never see the light of day.

I say do it now. Early and often.

like voting in chicago.

[madrchsod]

14. fitzgerald is building a case

this case could lead to treason....i think he should take all the time he needs. there is also the ny times reporters who just may also be linked to the plame investigation and/or the saudi investigation in chicago that these scum ruined for fitszgerald. if you follow what he is doing in illinois you`d see he doesn`t give up. he has also sent to prison several of the key players in the truck bombing of the trade center....

[w4rma]

18. The question isn't "whether an administration official may have committed"

Its WHICH administration official committed THE crime.

[lil-petunia]

21. wrong tense. Plural, not singular.

which administration hacks committed the crime(S).