Treasury Investigation - why?

[BigBigBear]

To secure the 19,000 documents as potential evidence, and keep them OUT of the media's hands.

They could care less about O'Neill - it's the paperwork they're afraid of.

[cthrumatrix]

1. book is out tomorrow - like getting your arms around jello

[KissMyAsscroft]

2. BINGO!

That and it is an attempt to discredit him.

I can't see O'Neil being dumb enough to do something illegal and than scream about it on national TV. That just makes no sense.

[Must_B_Free]

3. He was playing so coy on 60 minutes

"why would anyone attack me for telling the truth?"

That just had that Bushco "mafia-esque" irony to it...

[alcuno]

6. O'Neill said that he checked before leaving to see what he could

take with him. Also, as someone pointed out, Bob Woodward was given all sorts of briefing documents to write his book.

[ant]

4. I thought about it last night

While watching 60 minutes I noticed the "secret" at the top of some of the documents they showed, and I immediately thought about Plame and how they might go after O'Neill for breaking the law. Of course, that would sort of require that the WH admit the book is based on legitimate documents. It actually adds to the book's credibility, I think, and will probably give it more publicity.

[PaDUer]

5. The book is going to sell

like wildfire..and you can bet the freepers are going to buy it so they can read also, then they'll say it's lies..but wait, we didn't hear from Ann the Man on this matter, yet..LOL

[alcuno]

7. The "secret" was on a cover sheet. Who knows if anything was attached.

Unless it's marked "Classified" I think it's fair game.

[ant]

8. the "secret" I saw...

...was on a document with writing on it, not a cover sheet. It was a section marking on the top paragraph.

And I don't understand - why would classified be fair game?

[alcuno]

13. I don't believe that "Classified" material is for public view.

I meant that if he is revealing "Classified" material, he would be in trouble.

[Catfish]

9. I like what Marshall has to say about this,

along the lines of what I was thinking earlier today:

(January 12, 2004 -- 07:45 PM EDT // link // print)

Number of days between Novak column outing Valerie Plame and announcement of investigation: 74 days.

Number of days between O'Neill 60 Minutes interview and announcement of investigation: 1 day.

Having the administration reveal itself as a gaggle of hypocritcal goons ... priceless.
-- Josh Marshall

http://www.talkingpointsmemo.com/

[BigBigBear]

10. LOL !!!

This is too good....

Josh nails it again.

[Catfish]

11. yep

I knew I'd enjoy his take on this.

[DoYouEverWonder]

12. To harass and intimidate

O'Neil and anyone else who might be thinking about coming out. Very similar to what they did to Wilson by outing his wife.

However, O'Neil knew that he would be opening the gates to hell with this. I'm sure he's prepared for whatever Rove and W will try to throw at him. O'Neil is to Bu$hler, as John Dean was to Nixon.

[Mz Pip]

14. I suspect that BushCo

is looking for some way any way to discredit O'Neill.

Launching an investigation will make O'Neill appear "guilty" in some people's eyes. For those who support Bush, this is all they will need to continue with the charade. "He must be lying, they've launched an investigation..."

MzPip
:dem: