I think Fitzgerald told us a great deal yesterday.

[RedOnce]

He said that while Libby was the first to leak, this apparently did not blow Valerie's cover:

a) From Fitzgerald's news conference: "The first sign of that cover being blown was when Mr. Novak published a column on July 14th, 2003."

b) From the Indictment: "21. On or about July 10 or July 11, 2003, LIBBY spoke to a senior official in the White House (“Official A”) who advised LIBBY of a conversation Official A had earlier that week with columnist Robert Novak in which Wilson’s wife was discussed as a CIA employee involved in Wilson’s trip. LIBBY was advised by Official A that Novak would be writing a story about Wilson’s wife."

Libby was not charged with leaking even though Fitzgerald clearly states that he was the first to leak. Libby's leak (while it may have been technically illegal) did not actually result in damage i.e. blowing her cover by allowing it to become widely known.

However, "Official A's" leak did blow Valerie's cover and by implication Brewster Jennings cover. This resulted actual damage. I doubt that this could be easily ignored by someone like Fitzgerald.

"Official A" is rumored to be Karl Rove. Karl's attorneys offered up some last minute new information and Karl was not indicted yesterday. Fitzgerald appears to be a very thorough guy and his reputation is riding on this case. He will want to look at this new information very closely.

If "Official A" really is Karl Rove my guess is that Fitzgerald is "making a list and checking it twice" to make sure that he has all the counts right.

[janx]

1. That was my thought as well.

Rove is not out of the woods yet. Not at all.

[FreedomAngel82]

21. Nope

Fitzgerald did say that Rove was still under investigation. I think the next few months are going to be very interesting though.

[AlCzervik]

2. Coopers lawyer was on some show yesterday and he said "Fitzgerald will

tell you what he wants you to know--only"

[rateyes]

3. Yes, redonce and bluenow,

you are correct. Good analysis and put in terms to understand. This is not over by a long shot.

[Loge23]

4. Rove could be the big one

If Rove is ever charged,it will probably be the big one: giving up classifed info, maybe espionage.
This will effectively finish off the illegal regime.

[Media_Lies_Daily]

8. Or Chaney.

[Loge23]

9. Yes, it could be

I'd love to see that, but I think either pig will feed the feast.

[FreedomAngel82]

22. Right

Someone on Malloy or either Stephanie Miller's show made the point that Fitzgerald could be using Rove as a witness and to get other people. If you haven't go and visit http://www.stephaniemiller.com and listen to the last part of the second hour. A prosecutor calls in and gives Stephanie a lot of really great information.

[thinkingwoman]

5. Recommended, because...

clear, concise, insightful.

Great post.

[Skink]

6. This is why I think indictments are sealed and may have been delivered

FitzGerald shows no sign of wanting to try this in the media.

[thinkingwoman]

7. I completely agree. nt

[flyarm]

10. ok so who remembers yesterday when the gj forman entered the

magistrates office to deliver the indictment documents...i was watching cnn and joe degenova was on as an expert...it was reported by someone in the court via remote lines..that there was an attachment to the indictment..i can not for the life of me remember what they called it..but wolf asked joe degenova about this attachment and joe said he never heard of that before and he ran that court house...

my feeeling when i heard that ..that is is an amendment to the indictment or sealed indictments ..but the word they used was not sealed indictments...dang i wish i could remember the word they used...it was something like a manusript or something like that...dang..my mind can not remember...

but i definitely thought..fitz has rove..but is holding it off to see if rove really flips..if not the indicitment will be opened..

did anyone else hear this exchange..when the cameras were looking at the outside of the courthouse..and cnn was getting remote from someone inside ??

fly

[hiaasenrocks]

16. It could have just been a

narrative on the investigation. In other words, all the detail and minutiae of the 2-year investigation, but not something that is required along with the indictment. The narrative is for the judge and Fitzgerald's bosses.

I'm guessing here. Not 100% sure.

[me b zola]

20. That is my hunch as well

Rover knows that he faces charges on being the leak, which could be a death penalty if it is proved in an after-action report that an American CIA operative was killed as a result. Rove flipped. Fitz is with-holding the indictments until Rove's testimony is complete and on record before he receives the lesser charges on the plea deal.

During friday's WH press briefing Scotty refused to answer if Rove remains working for POTUS and was not on Marine One when the administration left for Camp David. Both of these things could be supporting evidence to this theory.

[hiaasenrocks]

23. Bush and others are already distancing themselves

from Rove (publicly at least). Hmmm.

I think you're on to something.

[RedOnce]

13. Yes, 2 bags went to court but only 22 pages came out!

I remember seeing the before and after photos of Fitzgerald carrying 2 brief cases into court and leaving without them. What was in them? Indictments that were not returned? His lunch? Or...sealed indictments?

[cassiepriam]

11. What was the last minute info???????????????????????

IT is killing me.

[emulatorloo]

12. kick and nominating -- EOM

[Mandate My Ass]

14. My thoughts are Libby leaked to Rove w/o telling Rove how covert she

was. Remember Rove has always been the one talking to the reporters behind the scenes. Ever since 9/11, reporters have been saying they've gotten calls from Karl if they said something or asked something damaging to the president. They lived in fear of getting on his bad side so they would've been eager to please him by doing his bidding in this.

There are two factions at war here, the Cheney PNACers and the WH Rovers.

I think Libby's letter to Judy Miller saying "the aspens are turning" was her hint to give up Rove in order to get out of jail. She already had a waiver from Libby so she was shielding someone else. Right after her testimony, Rove's panties were bunched up really tight and his lawyer was anxiously calling Fitz to see what was up and whether Rove had to testify again. This is very significant, IMO, because why would someone who lied before want to go in front of the grand jury again?

Rove's fourth testimony cannot be used against him. That was the only one where he has that assurance. I think he plea bargained with Fitz in private and then gave up Libby on perjury and obstruction because Libby set Rove up to take the fall and then let Miller push him over the edge.

In Joe Wilson's book it says Rove blames Cheney and Libby for getting him into hot water. How else could they have done so unless they gave him the info and the suggestion to out Plame to his reporter buddies? Character assassination is his field after all.

Miller gave up Rove, Rove gave up Libby. Now Fitz can sweat Libby and keep going up the food chain, hopefully to Cheney, Bolton and Bush.

Fitz is no dummy. I'm more and more impressed with him every day. He knows these people are craven and eventually they will all try to save their own sorry asses and would probably sell out their own mothers to escape jail or indictments. He's tipping his hand just enough to show them he has something big up his sleeve. He likely now has Rove on his side and has given Libby a big enough scare to get him into plea bargain position as well.

My prediction is that Rove is gonna sing like a whole flock of canaries. If he says that the reporters didn't know about Plame before Libby started his smear campaign, that opens another can of worms and I don't see Libby falling on that sword for anyone.

[RedOnce]

15. Thanks, interesting points all! ...although

I wouldn't make too much out of the covert knowledge issue.

Fitz states in his news conference "...if national defense information which is involved because her affiliation with the CIA, whether or not she was covert, was classified, if that was intentionally transmitted, that would violate the statute known as Section 793, which is the Espionage Act."

He goes out of his to explain that it "...is a difficult statute to interpret. It's a statute you ought to carefully apply."

While some argue that this statute should never be used, Fitz implies that he is not opposed to charging to this statute given the right circumstances. I

I find it interesting that he went out of his way to explain his view on this.

[hiaasenrocks]

17. You and I were thinking alike on this.

I too found it interesting that Fitz explained it that way. Perhaps laying the groundwork for explaining forthcoming charges.

[Media_Lies_Daily]

18. I personally believe "Official A" is Chaney. I think Fitz is allowing...

...Rove to believe that he has escaped, and is waiting to see what Rove does or says next.

[Carolab]

19. Even if Rove managed to convince Fitz of this, he still lied to the FBI.

That's not nothing.

http://www.afterdowningstreet.org/?q=node/3463

And I don't believe Rove didn't know Plame's status.

I think Rove is making deals and turning on Cheney. But I don't think that will save him either.