jjk @ 213

Slightly OT, but “lord” Conrad Black’s trial starts here in Chicago on March 5th. Fitzgerald is definately one busy fed. If anyone is interested, here are some goodies on the case:

http://www.chicagoreader.com/f…..pe/070105/

http://news.independent.co.uk/…..125416.ece

So, if they do Opening Statements on Jan 22nd (my guess) and they said they had 4 weeks estimated for the trial, that takes us to Feb 22. That means only 2 weeks until the Black trial? I know Pat did a lot of the pre-trial stuff, but I don’t see how he can be trying Black himself with only 2 weeks to prep.

Either, this trial has bee handed off (which would surprise me) or it’s gong to need to be postponed. I just don’t see how it can be done otherwise.

I wish I had some verified info for you LHP, but only third (no fourth!) hand gossip and I could be completely wrong … but, that said – I think he may have handed over the Black case. But, to whom? Most of the first AUSAs here are already loaded up. It is as if Fitzgerald has put the entire state of Illinois in federal receivership.

I dunno, it boggles the mind how anyone could do it all.

lina @ 34

Has a sitting VP ever testified in a criminal trial?

If Cheney is called as a witness and agrees to testify, when there are questions he doesn’t want to answer, will he claim “executive privilege” rather than invoking the 5th amendment?

I would assume he’d be testifying via videotape.

I don’t know the answer to whether a sitting VP has ever testified. Agnew may have testified in acaase in Maryland. I don’t have a good recollection (setting up my memeory defense here *g*)

I can only assume that a great deal of thought went inot Cheney’s decison to testify and that he and Team Irving have a well choreographed strategy to try to limit the scope of what Fitz can ask of cross exam.
On cross axamination, you can only ask questions on the topics overed on direct exam.

The VP’s testiomy may be the most riveting (to lawyers b/c it will involve VERY NUANCED applications of Criminal Procedure LAw) or really, really boring.

I am quite intrigued by the VP’s decision to testify and by Team Irving’s decision to have him testify. I can see such HUGE downside potential for them. It seems a risky strategy.

One of the most parallel instances might be Ronnie Reagan testifying in favor of Poindexter after he was out of office. He testified via close-circuit. And–most shocking to me–he testified before the trial staeted, so the prosecutors couldn’t respond to anything that came up in trial. He basically got up, literally winked at Poindexter, and testified that he was a nice guy. The prosecution team was able to get him to back off some statements, but in the end the jurors said the testimony wasn’t all that interesting to their deliberations.

Obviously, we don’t yet know WHY Cheney is being called. If it’s to impeahch another witness (Martin?) then things ought to get more interesting.

Slightly OT, but “lord” Conrad Black’s trial starts here in Chicago on March 5th. Fitzgerald is definately one busy fed. If anyone is interested, here are some goodies on the case:

http://www.chicagoreader.com/f…..pe/070105/

http://news.independent.co.uk/…..125416.ece

So, if they do Opening Statements on Jan 22nd (my guess) and they said they had 4 weeks estimated for the trial, that takes us to Feb 22. That means only 2 weeks until the Black trial? I know Pat did a lot of the pre-trial stuff, but I don’t see how he can be trying Black himself with only 2 weeks to prep.

Either, this trial has bee handed off (which would surprise me) or it’s gong to need to be postponed. I just don’t see how it can be done otherwise.

looseheadprop @
71

Phoenix Woman @ 56

Looseheadprop:

So, assuming that Rove saved himself by offering up Libby immediately and promising Fitz Cheney’s scalp, what are Cheney’s options to save himself? The only scalp with a higher value than Cheney’s belongs to Bush — and I just can’t see Cheney selling out Bush; the retaliation factor would be tremendous.

Who says Rove saved himself? Onlt Rove’s lawyer says that. Since when do I believe spin coming from Rove’s lawyer?

Aha! So you think that while Rove was in contact with Fitz from the start, his efforts to protect himself (say, by trying to offer up Team Cheney, who Rove cordially despises) weren’t successful?

I like the idea of Fitzgerald getting Rove and Cheney to sell each other out to him, each thinking that he’s now protected — until it’s too late.

I’m just saying the only person who ever said Rove was off the hook, was Rove’s lawyer. Not a source I trust.

I have no idea whether or not he is, I’m waiting and keeping my powder dry until I find out for sure.

http://www.chicagoreader.com/f…..pe/070105/

http://news.independent.co.uk/…..125416.ece