(Photo credit Larry Downing/Reuters)
Hey there, MI girl here–a little bit better prepared for the cold day out there than CA girl Jane.
I gotta say you, it was a pretty cool scene with Fitz and his team walking out of the court room. It made you believe, at least for this day, there was justice. I'm pretty happy about the events of the day. I'm relieved, more than anything else.
Fitz was his typical self, not saying more than he could. He will not do a report. Will not file further charges unless something new comes up. He will not give his materials to Congress unless they ask for it (Hey, John Conyers! Did you hear that?) He would not comment on a pardon. He said that if Libby wanted to plea, he would treat him like any other defendant. Which sounds like, if Libby really expects a pardon, the firewall will have worked.
Fitzgerald expressed both satisfaction and sadness. Which I guess is about right. Satisfaction with the verdict. Sadness that it came to this.
Some more notes from Dennis Colins. It sounded like there was a lot of regret on the part of the jury. They sympathized with Libby. None of them (Dennis is the journalist–and not even him) knew what Libby did. And they were wondering why Rove wasn't there, why Ari wasn't there, why Armitage. In short–Wells' attempt to nullify the jury might have worked. And they even wondered, with Wells' statements, where Bush would have testified.
I asked him what he–as a former journalist–thought about the journalists testifying. He didn't answer it that directly. He did say that he thought Ari was reasonably credible, even though he was Mr. Slick. They asked, apparently, why else he would talk about how many journalists didnt' take him seriously. They said the parade of journalists didn't have much effect–they didn't say anything controversial. He said they actually had sympathy for Judy Miller, because she got badgered so much by Wells. Huh. Go figure.
They were not impressed by the GJ testimony. They said Libby sounded polite and nice on the testimony. Maybe it would have helped them some of Libby had testified. Then of course, maybe not.
Most of all, though, it sounds like they were a methodical jury working narrowly within the scope of the trial. He seemed very aware that he was only seeing the very edges of what was going on–not the controversy behind it. He talked a lot about how the people on this jury were managers in their day jobs (thus all the post-its and so forth). And it really seemed that–in spite of all the things that might have gone wrong–they just approached the matter at hand, deciding whether Scooter Libby had lied to the FBI and the Grand Jury.
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Marcy!
FITZ!
FDL ROCKS THE WORLD
JANE!
Another Zed! I just dropped back in after visiting paypal to thank you good people again.
Oh yeah – yeah for post-its, managers, and taking the process seriously.
Denis w/ one “N”
:)
thanks emptywheel… I’ve thoroughly enjoyed your reporting
good work
Libby, it’s been good to know ya.
EW, I asked earlier, but the pace was such that I don’t think anyone read the question – Was/is there a sealed indictment “Secret v. Secret”? or was that just a joke/rumor?
Jane just on Thom Hartman’s national show!
Great job Marcy!
The juror interview was stellar … he definitely tossed this all back in the right laps.
So Congress – catch?
Here’s a youtube clip in honor of Scooter’s upcoming sentencing hearing:
http://youtube.com/watch?v=DafpaoyT0l8
LOL
Thanks again.
The first part of this hour of talk of the nation (2 pm eastern time) will be Dana Priest and Ann Hull on their series of articles.
But the second part will be on Libby. I imagine there will be a post about it on their new blog
http://www.npr.org/blogs/talk/index.html
The show will also be archived later today at
http://www.npr.org/templates/r…..hp?prgId=5
Marcy, thanks for sharing your incisive mind and clear writing here at the Lake.
You rawk.
Le Fitz, c’est chic!
There is a god! And she’s Marcy!
Congress – Catch? Before November I knew my messages to my congresscritters wouldn’t matter because they are all rethugs. After November, my messages still don’t matter, but in a different way. I love basking in their powerlessness.
MSNBC: Joe Wilson will be on Countdown With Keith Olbermann tonight.
VERY disappointed that Fitz is apparently tying things off here, without working is way up the food chain to the real culprit(s).
TOTN sez Libby verdict up first.
On now.
So, I’m back from my pilates class.
Did I miss anything?
Actually TOTN is talking about Libby now with their media reporter.
Finally justice begins in America!
Hey Congress, why don’t you ask Patrick Fitzgerald for ALL his information?
Now we can finally let the truth out!
What happened to the “Quote this comment” option on WordPress?
Thanks so much for all you’ve done, Marcy! I’m reading, and loving, your book.
Good on ya!
Jeralyn Merritt is doing an online chat on the washington post’s website right now.
Wonderful job FDL, it was almost like being there, but for me, I hate to think it is over. Yes, a guilty verdict was the right one in my view, but now that Libby has been found guilty of obstructing justice, what about the justice he obstructed? His lies were just, as Fitz said, “sand in the eyes of justice” and the nation needs to now move on to the REAL criminals, or should I say, the bigger fish.
If this is it, it will be a real disappointment and only a pretense of justice. It will be very interesting to see how this plays out in the next little while.
Maybe Fitz can’t think about beyond Libby, because he now has to cut the arrogant Conrad Black down to size, another big job. As a Canadian I certainly am hoping that Fitz is as successful with Laird “bloody” Black.
Hey,
I quoted you guys in my post about the Libby oonviction. Thanks for the tip!
Thanks again, Marcy. You and the rest of the FDL crew, but especially you, broke some serious new ground in citizen journalism.
He will not give his materials to Congress unless they ask for it (Hey, John Conyers! Did you hear that?)
That’s not what I heard. I heard him say they would do the appropriate thing. As special counsel, he is ‘in-house’ What would happen is that the AG and others, including, as applicable, WH and OVP counsel, possibly CIA Counsel etc., would step in at that point and raise all kinds of privilege and related issues. Fitzgerald would step back and let Congress and the appropriate party’s duke it out, but he is not able to make the call on his own if the AG’s office or Executive claims privilege (he’s the Exec’s lawyer, he can’t waive the Exec’s privilege for them).
He would be in shoes similar to an interpleader, except that he would and does also have some freestanding obligations to the Exec as a member of DOJ. So Conyers can subpeona, but Fitzgerald won’t be making the decision on what gets handed over and what doesn’t – that will involve a lot of others. And if he did make the decision, he would have to exercise discretion to protect the Exec’s privilege.
We needed, and still need, independent counsel. Special prosecutors for matters like this are far too hogtied and circumscribed to really do justice to the wide sweep of lawbreaking.
To be honest, with Fleischer, Rove and Armitage walking, and Fleischer likely also lieing on the stand as Fitzgerald’s witness about the Pincus situation, I feel a little sorry for Libby too. Not a lot sorry, just a little – bc he doesn’t come across as the sleaziest of the gang of sleaze, just the one who got caught.
Quote and Edit comments will return when the server load eases a bit more. Thanks!
Did anyone ask Juror why only 11 Valentine Day Tee shirts were worn??
Tweety on MSNBC, top of the 2:00 hour:
Tweety calls this like the Alger Hiss case???
But he does frame it as a “attacking the critics of the war.”
“I don’t know how the chief hawk in the Admin [Cheney] can walk away from this.”
Tweety then points out that Cheney was intimately involved with Libby in the planning & execution of the slamming of critics.
“If there’s a pardon, there’s gonna be a big smell to it. So I think there’s gonna be a lot of noise about ‘no pardon.’ If there’s a pardon, it obstructs further investigation.”
Then goes to Melanie Sloan. [I didn’t know she was lead counsel for Wilsons. Just knew her from CREW.]
Back to Tweety: “There are now serious questions about how/why we got into this war.” [Uh, “DUH!!!!”] Some more “me, me, ME”.
“This is only the beginning. When are we gonna get some answers.”
Unfortunately, at 10 past the hour they switch to some guy who killed dismembered his wife. Clearly lying to get us into a war, and attacking the critics of your lying is not as “sexy” as dead blondes.
For us “oldsters,” this brings back the phrase “Wallowing in Watergate.” Someone, put together a new, alliterative phrase for this!!
more mod notes: Please please please – do not repost your comment if it gets stuck in mod – our team is working as fast as they can to free them and reposting just doubles the work and server load. Thanks!
I shared the news with my very conservative pilates teacher, who has a husband serving in the Middle East right now, wondering about her reaction.
“He lied to the FBI and the grand jury!” she
said. “No one can do that!”
Left and right meet at the point of truth and justice.
thanks mods and servers…
(hope all the squirrels running the servers’ treadmills had an extra helping of Lake kibbles this morning….)
Wells knew his client was sooooo guilty. The task at hand then was to discombobulate the jury, but even $8million won’t get your client off if you’ve got essentially nothing to work with, which of course is what Wells had.
Cheney testifying? Too risky for Whitehouse — exposing Cheney as orchestrator for outing Plame. Better to hope for hung jury/mistrial/aquittal.
Too bad, so sad. Libby guilty=Libby lied to Cover His Ass and his boss’s too.
Look out Iran: diversionary Damage Control a’comin.
Too funny, Pat_AlexVA is taking pictures of Prettyman Courthouse before he takes Jane and Marcy back to Plame House.
They’re breaking set and wrapping up, gang.
The appropriate thing is to make amotion under Federal Rule of Crimainl Procedure 6(g). That the information from the GJ is needed for some other proceeding.
Fitz is an expert of 6(g) applications.He has done them succesfully before and litgated the issue through appellate review.
John Conyers, ask him to make a 6(g) motion.
Here’s some praise from a Buckeye for the Michigan girl — and let that be a sign that Peace on Earth is possible.
Well done, Marcy, you’ve done an outstanding job making this case accessible to all of us. And there’s still a lot left to do, I’m looking forward to the second act.
Mauimom – I noticed that they love this dismemberment story, too, but the wife was a brunette, according to all her photos. Go figure.
Pat Buchanan calling for a congressional investigation on how we got into the Iraq war.
Good work, emptywheel.
SparksNV at 30:
I swear, I have always thought that it could very well be that the juror just forgot. I think about times when we have some sort of costume day at work, and I forget. Didn’t mean anything other than it didn’t come to mind when I got dressed for the day.
Granted, if they brought the shirts in that day and the jurors put them on over their day clothes…. then I dunno.
Huh. Scooter hasn’t updated his website with the news yet.
Marcy, will there be a second edition?
Is there going to be a Politics TV wrap-up this evening? Marcy & Jane with bubbly in their hands!
C-SPAN 2 will show events @ Prettyman Courthouse. Fitz, Wells, juror Colins, and ‘Clucksters’ offical reaction. Pre-empted, for Lieberliar on Senate Floor.
FDL liveblogging, TV coverage, live feeds, radio interviews, FDL liveblogging, web chats, FDL liveblogging &&&
the server in my head exploded
Marcie, did you give the juror a copy of your book?
Will there be a sentencing hearing coming soon? Now that its over is Scooter going to Disney World?
Scooter Libby, Felon.
It’s not over yet. The ripples will be waves tomorrow. I want congress to feel the pressure – And those on the right are correct: This trial was just on the lying , not the actual crime. They are correct, and I want to add : That means that our job is not done yet! That means this case should not be INACTIVE or CLOSED.
Listen closely to Fitzgerald. Listen closely to the Juror. It will require more than them to get this case active again. Congress needs to know they hold the power to investigate further. As Norske says,
KEEP FIRING AND PASS THE AMMUNITION
I’ll bite, what’s a 6(g) motion?
[typing up fax to Conyers’ office about 6(g)…]
Dear FIREPUPS and all the FireDogLake content posters,Mr Fitz tells us his work is done. He did a great job.
If I remember my civics classes, it is Congress that must investigate and draw up an indictment (impeachment) if an elected white house official is suspected of breaking the law. Having followed this case for so long, did anyone else get the idea that Dick Cheney was the brains behind this effort to discredit Wilson in a sustained effort, to find out who sent him, to identify Wilson’s wife as a CIA agent, and to leak this CLASSIFIED information to the press?
As citizens, how do we best accelerate the momentum of this verdict (about lying and obstruction) and this crime (about leaking classified info) ? Like rubberstamp congress, the most effective idea will be the one that makes the loudest statement. Jane? Marcy? Trex? Scarecrow? Peterr? Firepups?
Gnome at 39:
Oh my god, did they find the head??
/morbidity. Sorry, couldn’t resist!
Just wanted to say great job to the whole FDL gang.
EPU’d from last thread, with emendations:
Re: pardons:
Yes, As Marc Rich’s lawyer, Scooter convinced Clinton to pardon Rich. Which then pissed off David Geffen because Geffen wanted Clinton to pardon Geffen’s friend Leonard Peltier. Geffen’s friendship with Clinton soured because of this. Geffen then dumps on Hillary. And now Scooter himself might be pardoned. Round robins all in Washington, New York, and Los Angeles.
Congratulations on your coverage for the past several years!!!!
It’s not surprising that the jury wondered about Rove’s role, since Wells’ opening-argument headfake was so dramatic in raising the question.
Given that he and Libby were the two people McClellan “protected,” it’s natural the jurors would wonder what Rove had done.
But IMO, a bit part of the reason Rove wasn’t prosecuted is that this was Scooter’s (and Shooter’s) show.
Thank you so much, Marcy, for all your good work. C-SPAN radio is just now playing Denis Collins presser. I can’t WAIT for the Wilson’s civil suit to come to trial. I’m just afraid it will happen too late to bring down this Administration.
Marcy,
What is your take on Fitz’s claim that the case is now inactive. From what I took from his initial statements way back when Scooter was indicted, he couldn’t go foreward without understanding if Libby was a liar or not.
Seems to me that it has been established.
Do you think this is a lure for Libby to make an offer in hopes of clemency?
Otherwise I don’t understand why this was so important and now there is nothing more to be done.
Can you clarify this: “None of them (Dennis is the journalist–and not even him) knew what Libby did.”
Did they not know who he was prior to the trial? Was it that they didn’t know as much as Libby? Or were they unable to decide what he had actually done? I’m a mite confused.
I noted the juror said the jury liked the woman who was dismissed and that she was sad to leave. Maybe we’ll eventually hear her story.
Call the Diane Rehms show “Anatomy of Deceit”
epu;
ok guys, this is FAR from over…we have GOT to get pressure to put the vice president under investigation
we have GOT to FORCE them to discontinue the effort, we’ve got to make them play their fascist hand
we have got to do more then convict irving, we need to get this done before more damage is done by these fascist morons
WELL THEY BETTER!!..not only conyers, EVERY SINGLE DEMOCRAT they BETTER get every single stitich of information, even to the point of asking fitz to testigy before them about things that did not make it into the record
and they better do it BEFORE the administration secretyly classifies the data!!!!
egregious @ 19:
Nah. As King George III allegedly wrote in his diary on July 4, 1776:
“Nothing important happened today.”
Seems like a good day to call our reps and ask when they are going to investigate Cheney for outing Plame …
The FDL team really deserves all the kudos on their hard work and intensive coverage of this story from the beginning and especially the trial. It is very rewarding to have been part of the mix here and to have been able to contribute a little to the effort. Thanks guys, well done.
To Ambassador and Mrs. Wilson: You are vindicated. I can’t tell you how pleased I am. I will continue to hit the donate button for your legal fund. Get em!
Great job by the FDL crew! You all should be very proud of yourselves.
Siun, you are absolutely right. We need to catch this lightning in the bottle and use it to begin investigations on capital hill.
Folks from the DemocraticUnderground give FDL a thanks and shout-out:here.
I suppose, like others, my sense of victory and vindication is tainted and diluted with a feeling of disappointment that this may be as far as it goes.
Telling is the juror’s comment asking what about Rove? What about the others?
If, as it has been pretty well established, Plame was covert and her status classified, then isn’t there some underlying crime here?
Is it all up to Congress?
Hasn’t some law been broken? Wasn’t there, as it seems obvious now, some underlying conspiracy?
Right now, I have more questions than answers.
Biodun @ 57, I read some time ago that Israel entered into Clinton’s pardon of Marc Rich.
marcy you are my hero. from the beginning if I ever needed to understand how the pieces fit in place I went to emptywheel, usually on the next hurrah, to see what you had to say. your words would inform, and in you i placed my trust, and you delivered magnificantly. thank you!!
I’m calling Heather Wilson, like that will do a dan thing. I hate her.
ROFL…go take a look at the comments over on littlegreenfootballs…classic!
LHP — correct me if this isn’t the right link for 6(g) explainer.
Scroll down as necessary.
Neil is right. The next step is to impeach Cheney and only congress can do that.
From Toronto, Canada:
tremendous thanks and appreciation to the FDL Team for your incredible expertise, vigilance, focus and courage.
And so the aspens turn …
If they’re joined at the roots and one gets uprooted, it seems there’s a chance the whole forest could fall.
If the willowy Tweety and conservative pri*k Pat Buchannon are already pounding this – maybe Congress will get a clue and do what needs to be done. This trial was a stepping stone. Let’s Roll!
Does anyone except Scoot, Turd and Deadeye REALLY know what “Libby did.”
He has (had) numerous titles, and each of them meant he was going to fall on his sword.
Congrats, Marcy.
Thank you FDL!
blah, blah, blah
cry me a river.
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/cia_leak_trial
Can you imagine being Scooter and sitting down this evening with the kiddos?
Does he have a conscience?
What ever happened to the days when it was not unusual for a person to ADMIT his crimes? And did what was right to expedite justice and SPARE the people, the system, those adversely afflicted by the crimes from having to wait for justice?
Scotter needs to come clean. We should create a major national buzz to plead for Scooter to do the right thing (no appeal and giving Fitz that new info to proceed). Ugh.
Tom – LGFer’s must be going out their minds.
One wonders how much more hateful these haters will get.
Wow, the stock market was doing okay before the verdict – it’s been going up steadily ever since. I guess Wall Street likes a verdict that might limit the VPs power. Nice.
Pat Buchanan wants congressional investigation on how we got into the Iraq War? Now BushCo have no friends left. Buchanan has been camping at MSNBC 24/7 for sometime now as an “MSNBC Special Analyst.” That’s now his full-time job, even on weekends.
Great work Rayne. I hope Conyers or others pursue it.
I still think that a call to action by concerned citizens (FDL, dailyKOS,etc) might focus the attention of out elected leaders on this issue of whether Cheney broke the law. Ideas, anyone?
Cathy @ 79,
Yep. I’d say from here on out, it’s up to the political system to take over and establish accountability by challenging Cheney’s role.
I’m not sure there is public support for impeachment … yet. But that’s what hearings should be for. Get everything out in the open, and voters may start to realize just how badly they’ve been yanked around.
A 3 (g) motion is made to the judge presiding over a given GJ and says “we need you to unseal the following items of GJ information for use in another case, for use in a civil case, for use in a different investigation (like for instance a Congressional investigation)
PEOPLE Don’t you see what PAt has managed to do?
He avoided the Larry Walsh/Congress is screwing up my investigation by immunizing my witnessess and tainting my GJ evidence problem!
The single biggest obstical(OK other than having Cheney and ABu trying to slime him and drive him crazy) was the possiblity of Congress diving in too early.
By NOT LEAKING and by only letting out a enough drip drip drip to allow FDL and similar venues to keep the story alive and accurate, he did not give out enough to get some ambitious Congress critter interfering, before he was ready to pass the ball to Congress.
He is a rugby player. In rugby you are supposed to run striaght a head until an opponenet (here sovereign immunity) gets in your way and then pass the ball to a team mate who will continue running it toward the goal line.
John Conyers. The ball is headed in your direction. Put your hands out in front of you, and catch the ball!
Morris Sheppard
Don’t worry. Matthews is right. This is a watershed event.
In fact, even if the jury had nullified, which all along I thought was Libby’s only hope, the path to Cheney would be just as clear.
This is, in fact, the worst case scenario. They considered nullification, clearly, because it was obvious that Libby wasn’t the only one who had committed wrongdoing.
The heroes of the day are those 11 people, who, from what Collins said, did their job with care and diligence.
The Wilson’s have a Civil Suit against the VP, Rove, Libby, and Armitage. Melanie Sloan of CREW is their attorney. Does anyone know when the trial is to begin? I’m anxious to see if the VP still has it. That is if he can “bob and weave” in this instance like he did to avoid the draft.
Wil @ 76,
She still needs to hear from all her constituents who pay her salary and whom she represents. I have to call my congressman now.
Thanks Marcy and Jane and all!
OT:
The first comment a LDF after the verdict was:
Bush need to do the right thing and pardon Libby immediately.
looseheadprop@37
I am stuck here at work for another hour whence I will head over to Fitzpatrick’s Hotel (Fitzers) for a drink. Until then, I think I will send some emails and the first one will be to John Conyers, asking him to make a 6(g) motion. Thanks
Impeachment is the next step. I should have told my congress women that when I called! Even if you’re represented by Republicans, I say you call for it anyway. Nothing like swarming both sides of the aisle – We’ll need that swarm for an impeachment to work.
If the Congress does now pick up the ball and start investigating further PLEASE don’t hand out immunity like candy – like you did in the Iran-Contra affair. In the end all that happened there was Ollie got a book contract and radio show. It’s one thing to give somebody a break because they assist an investigation, but when everybody walks and then comes back years later to pull the same crap only worse, NO MORE. Like the title to the Clint Eastwood movie “Hang ‘Em High!
Tom @ 77,
Just peeked over there and yes they are losing it very nicely.
And they are using cuss-words too!! ROTFLMAO!
Sally @ 74:
Yes, Israel did. I suppose Scooter also somewhat represented Israel’s interests by representing Rich.
But Fitzgerald failed to indict anyone for the underlying crime. Libby’s charges pertained only to the investigation itself, not the 1982 act that made it illegal to blow a covert U.S. agent’s cover.
(Story continues below)
The Washington attorney who spearheaded the drafting of that law said the verdict was “inconsistent” with itself. “The verdict is split; it doesn’t make sense,” said Victoria Toensing, although “legally, it doesn’t make any difference.”
She said there are “a lot of other bases for an appeal.”
I don’t like the timing of the senior administration official’s blood clot. We’re at the point where we have to assume it’s a dodge, a way to call off the hounds while the SAO recovers his good health.
BTW, has anyone seen a comment about the case from Cheney’s office yet? I want *every* reporter efforting a response to report directly to us by the end of the day on this success or failure. “No comment” must not be tolerated.
I sure hope so. Thanks for the encouragement.
I just wonder if this Congress has the stones to impeach an apricot.
Inactive only until Libby provides the information needed, I hope.
cathy @ 79
I don’t think Cheney will stay in office long enough to get impeached. There’s a Bush family legacy at stake here and Cheney is the albatross. The path out for Cheney is being cleared more each day.
Those feeling sympathy for Libby and his family should be saving their sympathy for the dead and maimed Americans and Iraqis, and their families, for which Libby and his neocon thugs bear sole responsibility.
angie @ 85:
What else would you expect cutie pie Dana Perino to say?
The appropriate thing is to make amotion under lhp @ 37:
Sorry if this is a dumb question. But wouldn’t the next step be for Fitz to touch base with Team Libby and see if they want to cut a deal and cooperate with the investigation?
It sounds like Fitz is saying the investigation is inactive unless new information comes in. Since Libby is the only likely source for new information, wouldn’t Fitz want that to be settled before Congress starts an investigation and puts a 6(g) in motion?
OTOH, it did sound as if Fitz is inviting Congress to take such an action, so maybe he expects Libby to continue holding out, or believes that Congress can now hold its own investigation on a parallel track without impeding a re-opened investigation should Libby decide to fess up?
LHP, Christy, Litagatormom, any other lawyers with knowledge or experience who want to comment?
Bueller? Anyone?
OT, sorry — but ePluribus Media has a liveblog up at DailyKos covering the House Subcommittee on Commercial and Administrative Law hearing on U.S. Attorneys dismissals right now.
Could use recommends to keep them up on Rec List.
(6) of the (8) known U.S. Attorneys dismissed have been subpoenaed for this hearing. There may be a couple of rather interesting questions (if I managed to make markup this morning…[fingers crossed])
The comments at Little Green Footballs really are hysterical, but so sad, so very sad. Thanks to whoever directed me there.
I just want to say how glad I am that the jury came to a just decision and to thank Firedoglake for keeping this in the forefront -good job – guys!
I think it ought to be naptime at Plame house until it;s time to get ready for the evening talk shows.
Everybody grab a poodle and a pillow.
You get a little rest now that the tension is broken.
You, too, EW. Off to bed.
Oh! Me name Patrick Fitzgerald,
I’m the leader of the band.
Although we’re few in numbers
We’re the finest in the land.
We play at wakes and weddings
And at ev’ry fancy ball,
And when we played Scooter’s funeral
We played the march from Saul.
Oh! The drums go bang,
And the cymbals clang,
And the horns they blaze away;
Randall pumps the old bassoon
While I the pipes do play;
And Hennessey Tennessee tootles the flute,
And the music is somethin’ grand;
A credit to old Ireland is Patrick Fitzgerald’s band.
I just emailed my Congressional Rep and Senators asking for an investigation of Cheney and all those involved in the outing of Valerie Plame. Since two of the three are Republicans, I don’t know how much effect it will have…
This part is true:
Nothing embarrasses this White House. If this White House had any respect for the rule of law, it would be asking for Cheney’s resignation. Even the Nixon White House got Agnew’s resignation.
Great job, you guys. Too bad the servers went down, but you got them back up relatively quickly, and you’ve all been so great, especially Emptywheel, who has done an elephant’s job, and of course, Jane, without whom this all might not have happened (making blog history, that is. Scooter still would have been indicted and found guilty. You guys can’t take credit for that.)
Haven’t finished reading all the comments yet, because by the time I do, there’ll be a new thread. One comment: I watched the thing with Denis Collins and he specified twice: with 1 n, so MSNBC spelled it the way I did just now. Now a question:
How did the jury, who was supposed not to have known anything about politics, know about Rove and Armitage?
I thought I had another question, but I won’t remember it until I hit Submit Comment, so if I could just get an answer to this one now, I’ll be happy.
Marcy,
You must be so relieved and happy that all your hard work has been justified. I hope you can get a good night’s sleep tonight.
Schlaf schoen Schaetzen
The verdict is good; but, there are still some high level officials who committed treason for political payback. It is just a small little drop in the bucket. There was no Firzmas. People who really need to serve big time jail time will most likely get off scott free. What a world.
I just called my NJ senators asking them to please keep the investigation alive. I know I stammered when I spoke and maybe didn’t come across so articulately. I got some good responses and Menendez’s staffer took my info. Both calls ended nicely, with staffers saying they would pass on my comments to their bosses.
If someone might be kind enough to put together some quick talking points so others, like myself, don’t have a hard time making our point it would be really helpful.
Thank you again to Marcy, Jane, Christy, Pach, TRex and EVERYONE else at FDL for all their hard work. Thank you doesn’t even begin to cover the feelings of gratitude but it’s a start.
Cheers and Happy Fitzmas to all!
JGabriel @ 109:
I don’t know what it means, but Fitz asked for time with Wells via the court (as noted by the prescient and perspicacious Marcy)
I don’t think Cheney will stay in office long enough to get impeached. There’s a Bush family legacy at stake here and Cheney is the albatross. The path out for Cheney is being cleared more each day.
Do you really think Cheney cares about the Bush family legacy? It’s been obvious for a long time that, at the very least, Cheney’s operating outside of Bush’s control…and at most is more of a shadow president pulling Georgie-boy’s strings. I just don’t see him resigning because he might hurt the Bush legacy. If fact, I can see him digging in his heels and refusing to budge. And telling Bush and family to go you know what themselves.
As the first disinfecting glimmers of sunlight shine upon the dark doings of Dick Cheney and the Whitehouse cabal, the true sinister nature of their war continues apace.
Having forced the Shiite militias underground in the wake of the US escalation the Sunni’s have been working overtime to fill in the void and provoke the Shiites with more atrocities.
This is the fruit of Dick Cheney’s labor in the shadows. Either it is a metastacizing clusterfuck of magnificent proportions or the most calculated strategy of sewing political destruction the world has seen in a long time.
Either way it is death and blood and travesty heaped upon piles of miseray and hate.
Heckuva job Dick, George, Scooter and Karl.
-GSD
Thread Theorist @117:
It embarrasses them. They don’t admit it because they see it as politial weakness. The idiots are so blinded by pride that they’d rather get lost in the desert then pull over and ask for directions.
lhp (or anyone): Don’t you think the Wilson’s civil suit will run smack into the graymail issue on day one? I don’t see it getting very far.
i was EPU’d (again)
March 6th, 2007 at 11:21 am
thanks for the post (about the juror) jane, (and now marcy)
i was hoping the jury was approaching it and digging through it in a manner that is above reproach…….
hoping the republicans and the democrats everywhere will remember, truth is not partisan, we need more of it expressed and displayed every day…(c’mon out all you closet truth-loving reps and senators)
and to say again, my bumper sticker which i found in wva says:
when you tell the truth you don’t have to remember what you said
and thanks to all who relay the tv stuff, i only get pbs here and am on dial-up so can’t stream anything…….when i had cable, i was a political news junkie…….so thanks for your daily reports……..
and to add on–marcy, i can’t imagine what you and your gang are feeling right now, so won’t try to insert a word that may not describe it, just hope that it is all good, and that what you are feeling right now gets you through a rough day in the future. i wish i had more money to send toward your efforts, and will be sending some when i get a reimbursement soon……..it’s all yours!!!!!!! i know you all will spend it wisely, feels good to be able to say that to someone i don’t even know…….thank you.
Libby was also Assistant to the President of the United States.
Why don’t the reporters ever mention that I wonder, huh?
-
The quote I heard on NPR from Chimpy was that “he accepts the jury’s verdict and expresses his concern for Scooter and his family”.
Doesn’t sound like a man getting ready to offer up any pardons to me.
Ann in AZ:
If I’m not mistaken the defense brought up both, especially Rove (throwing Libby under the bus) in their opening statement! And they pointed out that there was no question that Armitage had disclosed Valerie’s position, yet not been charged – as if since everybody does it why can’t Irving?
LDF Commenter #48 has the Ann Coulter Disease, i.e. Fitz is Gay:
“BTW, I have my theories about what motivates Fitzgerald. Andrew Sullivan Syndrome. A 45 year old Catholic American of Irish ancestry man with decent looks and a good job, who has never married?”
Manimal@124, President Bush has no control, clearly. I think that George H.W. Bush will do whatever he can to save his son, yet again. The Bush family will sacrifice anyone for the sake of the family.
PBS Frontline has had a 4 part series called “News War” on the state of journalism in the US… tonight is the last one I think. It’s been an informative series, altho imho they gave Woodward (there’s nothing here, move along) and JudyJudyJudy was too much positive press in the first show… but to my point.
In the first episode… they focused on the Libby trial and really took some time to highlight how Fitz very cleverly changed the rules of reporters testifying… eg allowing them to testify very narrowly, in order to get them to testify at all.
This was the first time a prosecutor had used this approach, and were it not for that, this conviction would never have happened. Libby was relying on his believe that Russert would never testify…. but he was WRONG because of Fitz.
This is huge…. thank you so much for all Americans Fitz…
Thread Theorist @ 117:
I agree with Helen Thomas, the venerable journalist, who said that the Bush Adminstration is the worst in American history. It’s not Nixon’s, as many people often believe.
Thread Theorist: I like that handle.
Maybe Scotter was the bun in the oven, and now that he’s baked, impeachment is on going to be on the table.
Margot @ 95
She won’t do shit for Vets, can’t imagine she’ll do anything about this
Quentin@127
Sure, Libby held the rank of Assistant to POTUS. But that’s what it was – a rank. It brought with it a number of tangible perks, and increased his purview and authority – but it didn’t mean he worked for Bush. Libby’s job was CoS to VPOTUS, and he took that very seriously. What we’ve seen in this trial is that Scooter was perfectly willing to sacrifice the broader interests of the administration in order to protect his boss. And I think most journalists understand that. To describe him as an assistant to the president, in those circumstances, is misleading.
unwittingly EPU’d: to-do list in the off chance that our office pool wins the $.375B CA mega-lotto tonight:
1. fully fund the Wilsons’ civil suit fund
2. create a massive FDL endowment (if desired :~)
3. champagne all around
Bushco’s wheels are falling off. They are getting called out for many of their transgressions at once – many of which had been ignored until now. There is a lot for Congress to do. Will they do it and will they do it right? They must give no quarter. Remember what they did to Bill Clinton over a personal matter. Bushco has committed criminal acts against the citizens of the USA.
Thank you to all who persevered to bring the facts of this story to the American public. Your efforts are the highest form of patriotism and citizenship. The doors to the inner sanctum of governmental power are open, granting a glimpse of the need for disinfectent. Yes, it’s the sunshine remedy. You are the trail blazers. Will the MSM show the courage and integrity that you at FDL and the Federal Presecutors have shown? You are catalysts, unleashing the forces of justice that have been thwarted until now. The stench of corruption has begun to leak through the White House doors and is beginning to fill Main Street. The smear machine has been revealed along with its operators. “Unspeakable”, cries Mary Matalin. Yes the behavior of our public servants has been unspeakable, but now it is revealed, and we will speak of it. The facts are out, no denial will alter what they show to be the truth. The public is in your debt FDL and Fitz – you have shown us that herosim is not a sign on the deck of a ship, or a man wearing a flight suit. It is the continuous hard and quiet work of people fighting the “good” fight, for no other reason than it is the right thing to do. WELL DONE!
Congrats Marcy and FDL on such a job well done! What an exciting day seeing some justice. Now to get both Conyers and Waxman busy as bees.
I don’t think Cheney will stay in office long enough to get impeached.
I do believe the vp can be impeached after he leaves office
Eliott @ 121
No, he was saying that the folks at LGF want to do it to us. Because we’re all unAmerican terrorist-loving evil lib’ruls, you know.
LHP@92
JGabriel@109
seems both plays at once..
would libby be more likely to flip if he thought that congress was about to open up the case in hearings? Maybe force WH hand on pardon?
could he agree to provide info to fitz and testify before congress?
what a day.
Jane, I’ll miss seeing you on Political TV. Christy, Swopa and Marcy, too.
Now is the time to get busy, purging the enablers like Ellen Tauscher and Barbara Boxer, Joe Biden, Charles Schumer, Hillary Clinton and many more.
Let’s get busy.
My problem is that the underlying crime – someone revealed the name of a CIA employee who had Non-Official Cover – still hasn’t been resolved.
Why can’t Fitzgerald pursue this matter further? Can’t he use evidence from this trial as a backdrop to pursuing the case to find the culprit? I know there was a deadline for the original investigation, which ended with this Libby trial, but can’t he now go back to the Justice Dept. and say, “Hey guys we need to reopen the case”?
You’ve got the Faux Opinion talking heads saying that Libby can appeal because “there’s no underlying crime.” There was: someone outed Plame and ruined a vital CIA operation in the process. If that goes unanswered, then those talking heads will claim that as proof…
Hi Elliot -
Thanks for the opportunity to clarify.
My meaning is that the LGF commenters nudge and giggle at calls for political murder.
They and their totalitarian views are despicable, but this doesn’t justify war crimes and genocide against them or anyone else.
Even those who call for genocide against liberals and progressives.
In the twisted world of consumer America the real winner of the day is:
Post-It brand easel size Post-It notes.
They already have an ad running on Fox News Web coverage of the trial….
what should their new tagline be?
how about,
When You Absolutely Must Deconstruct the Convuluted Lies and Public Deceptions of Our Public Servants.
Not that this is related but about 15 minutes before the verdict was read there was a military helicopter flying from the general area of DC in the general direction of Camp David. Flying quite high actually. (Sighting in Rockville.) A few minutes later a bright red helicopter travelled the same path.
Thank you for such amazing and erudite coverage and commentary. We out here in Texas salute you!
When I marched and pushed for women’s rights in the 60’s, those of you who are women were the kind of women I had hoped would rise up and change the world. You did and you have!!
I am so proud of you!
looseheadprop @ 92:
I’ll bite, what’s a 6(g) motion?
A 3 (g) motion is made to the judge presiding over a given GJ and says “we need you to unseal the following items of GJ information for use in another case, for use in a civil case, for use in a different investigation (like for instance a Congressional investigation)
PEOPLE Don’t you see what PAt has managed to do?
He avoided the Larry Walsh/Congress is screwing up my investigation by immunizing my witnessess and tainting my GJ evidence problem!
The single biggest obstical(OK other than having Cheney and ABu trying to slime him and drive him crazy) was the possiblity of Congress diving in too early.
By NOT LEAKING and by only letting out a enough drip drip drip to allow FDL and similar venues to keep the story alive and accurate, he did not give out enough to get some ambitious Congress critter interfering, before he was ready to pass the ball to Congress.
He is a rugby player. In rugby you are supposed to run striaght a head until an opponenet (here sovereign immunity) gets in your way and then pass the ball to a team mate who will continue running it toward the goal line.
John Conyers. The ball is headed in your direction. Put your hands out in front of you, and catch the ball!
——–
LHP, you read my mind on this.
As for the verdict- Thank You, that combination of Daniel Webster & St. Michael the Archangel, IOW Fitzgerald & team…
Jail Break!
Al Qaeda affiliated group stages a mass raid on a Mosul jail and frees up to 140 suspected insurgents.
Squeezing Jello again.
As the crackdown in Baghdad takes hold the war pops up in more places.
-GSD
rayne tyhank you
And All I have egg on the face.
Not 6(g)
6(e) (3) Exceptions to GJ secrecy.
I wonder how history will judge this whole scenario.
music to my ears:
Democrat Geoffrey Garin argued that the outcome of the Libby trial only adds to the political argument from his party that the Republicans should be turned out of the White House in 2008, to complete a clean sweep in Washington that began with the 2006 midterm elections.
“For the general electorate, this just adds to the feeling that there’s something really rotten at the core of this administration and that the country needs a pretty big change,” he said.
(fr. WaPo)
I am curious about Harriet Grant’s reaction. She was all over Wells, but didn’t hurl herself at her husband. I’m thinking that there was some disagreement in the Libby household about whether to follow particular advice by Wells. I would guess that at some point Wells made a strong case that Libby should try to negotiate a plea with Fitz, that the missus was persuaded (perhaps she was the only person Libby ‘fessed up to?) by this course of action and Libby nixed them both. She is, like Libby, an attorney and would’ve understood as well as anybody the risks at stake.
If my husband & father of my children had gotten himself into a pickle of this nature for the sake the likes of Darth Cheney, I would be royally pissed.
From Josh Marshall:
Lesson of the day: running the administration as a criminal enterprise is much harder when the opposition controls Congress.
– Josh Marshall
From the NYTimes:
My bold. He will be that…for the rest of his life. Even if he gets a pardon. Unless he wins an appeal, which is highly doubful.
Pat Buchanan on MSNBC may have called for a congressional investigation, but he also clearly stated that NO COVERT AGENT was outed in this case.
That assertion was not challenged by the MSNBC bobblehead, even though Fitzgerald had just got done saying there was no doubt of it.
This is what I get for working from memeory when I am distratced
6(e)(3) motion not 6(g)
I just got home to the news of the verdict.
Wow, this has been a long, strange trip indeed. It sure is nice to win one occasionally!
Well done on your awesome coverage, FDL! Thank you.
voxpopgirl @ 130
Sounds more like wishful thinking.
Thank you much, Marcy. I know I’m going to miss your presence on FDL most every day. You did a fantastic job – but I bet you’re glad it’s over and you can go back to your own life.
Just curious about some of the comments you made above. When you say the jury were not impressed by the grand jury testimony – I’m not quite sure I understand. Did he mean that they didn’t think Libby lied to the grand jury? (If so, that doesn’t make sense to me since they found him guilty) Were they not impressed by Fitz’s questioning?
And even though they were wondering why Rove and the others hadn’t been charged – isn’t that still a long way from jury nullification? I mean, was anyone on the jury arguing that Libby shouldn’t be found guilty of charges because Rove wasn’t brought to trial? (Anyway, thanks in advance for the clarification)
And last but not least – I’m looking forward to meeting you this Saturday in New York. I’ll be sure to bring your book so perhaps you can autograph it for me.
lhp 6(e)(3) motion not 6(g)
Somebody better tell Rayne! I think she’s already faxing Levin with a demand re 6(g).
KirkMurphy@146
Thank you for clarifying.
I must say I am stunned at their thinking patterns here — if you can call it thinking.
Pat_AlexVA and I just popped open the huge bottle of white wine that LHP bought us. Anyone up for a party tonight?
Buchanan also said that Joe Wilson falsely stated he was sent by the Veep, which (as we know) Wilson never said.
He is a rugby player. In rugby you are supposed to run striaght a head until an opponenet (here sovereign immunity) gets in your way and then pass the ball to a team mate who will continue running it toward the goal line.
Fine analogy. He’s the number 8, smacking into the opposition. The second phase is for Congress, so let’s see who the wingers are.
I am convinced this will turn out to be nothing more than a little chatter, gossip.
-Bob Wayward Woodward
Jwoods @ 153:
Ask Bush.
cool insight Woodhall Hollow:
Now she knows Scooter loves Dick more than her.
Exile @ 129:
Rove was brought up in the opening statement, and the jury heard a tape of Armitage’s conversation with Woodward.
It worries me that we, as Americans, are, by and large, such nice people–especially with the Bushco fascists at helm of our tempest-tossed ship of state. The Libby jury is a good case in point.
The jurors seemed to feel sympathy for most everyone connected with this case of (to my mind) clearcut treason: They felt sorry for Judy Miller. They felt sorry for poor devoted Scooter Libby. They thought he sounded nice and polite in his GJ testimony. A few weeks back, they wanted to politely wish everyone a Happy Valentine’s Day. They felt sympathy for the juror who quit their ranks.
Jeeez! Do they think anyone in the Bush White House feels the slightest amount of sympathy for them? Do they think any one of those fascists wants them to enjoy pleasant holidays?
I think this jury was fairly representative of America and it worries me. As a people, I fear our optimism and our forgiving nature make us easy pickings for those who would use us. Even better-educated Americans (this jury, for instance) still seem possessed of a bit too much naivete for these dark times. I can’t help remembering that during the Middle Ages, the word nice meant foolish.
Here’s hoping I’m just overly cynical.
You’ve got the Faux Opinion talking heads saying that Libby can appeal because “there’s no underlying crime.”
Well, their spin was quite different when the issue was a man misleading a grand jury about his private sex life. And it’s bullshit, anyway. There was a very serious underlying crime, which involved misuse of classified information for political purposes. I think it is quite possible that Cheney will get away with it, since he has the power (through Bush) to pardon Libby as a reward for not giving him up. But I hope Libby sings. It’s still possible.
When do we get to find out what was in
“06 cr 128″?
Now Pat_AlexVA just hit the Ann Coulter doll’s button and she won’t shut up.
Oh, crap, I left the italics open. Help me, oh god(desse)s of moderation!
[Mod Note; Tsk tsk tsk…]
Maybe I’m just being naive, but I didn’t interpret the juror’s comments about there being sympathy for Libby meaning that the jury came close to jury nullification.
Colins said, the way I heard it, that Scooter’s being the fall guy didn’t absolve him of responsibility for his own bad judgments. They were sympathetic because he was the only one paying the price, “not that we thought that he hadn’t done anything wrong. He made bad judgments.”
They would have liked it if other people (where was Rove, where was Cheney?) were being held responsible too.
So, Chuck Schumer and John Conyers, are you ready to be the Sam Ervin and Peter Rodino of the 21st century? Ask for Fitz’s grand jury materials. Though I am not sure there is an exception in the grand jury secrecy rules for materials subpoenaed by Congress.
See Rule 6(e):
Unless you include members of Congress in the definition of “any government personnel…that an attorney for the government considers necessary to assist in performing that attorney’s duty to enforce federal criminal law.” If you assume impeachment assists Fitz in performing his duty to enforce federal criminal law…..
BioDun at 157
Um, Elliot Abrams, convicted felon, and other Iran-contra convictees are serving in this administration. IOKIFYAR. Even felonies.
Moreover, this is why Fitz won’t flip Libby. Libby has no choice but to bank for a pardon. If he takes down Cheney, and, perhaps the administration with him (Agnew went first, you know), he will not be having lunch with anyone in that town again.
looseheadprop@139
Great – now John and Hillary think I am an idiot:) That’s okay – I will just send them ANOTHER email!!!! Thanks for making the correction before I blogged it:)
Now Pat_AlexVA just hit the Ann Coulter doll’s button and she won’t shut up.
I knew I should have bribed one of the poodles into burying that thing while I had the chance.
emptywheel liveblogging the Plame House par-tay!
So, can we finally know the details of Marcy’s coversation with Fitz?
Sounds as if Fitz is done. Seems that he could have done more- but he won’t- and that’s that.
He DID manage to uncover a cesspool and let some of the stink out for public enjoyment- but he ain’t goin after Cheney- for whatever reason…
It may be all over- ready for the civil suit that could actually be more interesting.
Bye Fitz.
I just have to say it is so great to be here celebrating with you guys.
What a long strange trip it has been…
You will never meet a less gay man in your life.
Not that there would be anything wrong if he were. But he isn’t.
Hey you guys, come on up.
It’s looseheadprop with more Fitzgerald goodness.
Just wanted to drop a line of Thank you from a lurker that enjoyed your coverage and analogy of the events.
Anyone for St. Fitz???
Great job Everybody! (If I start naming names I’ll leave someone out)
Actually the way I see this is that it’s really fantastic and sad at the same time.
Why do I say that?
Because the system works if it is allowed to work by having people being held to account; but it’s sad in the fact that we have a government and administration that was so hell-bent into going to war that they manufactured evidence and lied and obfuscated their and our way into it … and that’s not even counting all the death and destruction that was the result.
… back to work
One of my favorites from LGF:
“Perjury? Too bad he wasn’t a democrat president, then those charges would have just been dropped.”
And they say irony is a lost art…
So, I thought I would be a good citizen and report Mr. Libby’s felony conviction to the DC Bar so that they could take appropriate disciplinary action, but what do you know? According to the DC Bar website, I L Libby Jr is already suspended for non-payment of dues. Very disappointing.
Does Fitz’s characterization of the investigation as “inactive” have any specific, technical legal meaning? Or is it (as it sounds) simply, in the absence of additional information, at rest?
Does anyone else wonder whether Harriet Grant is hollering, “Tell them! Tell them everything!!”
As the crackdown in Baghdad takes hold the war pops up in more places.
-GSD
NPR this morning reported that 9 soldiers had died in two incidents and it was the deadliest single day, etc., the story continued without pause, reporting that Pres. Bush said there are signs of progress that [the troop surge] is showing signs of working.
Absolutely f**king ridiculous. It was something out of Monty Python or The Twilight Zone.
dab_from_ct: “And last but not least – I’m looking forward to meeting you this Saturday in New York. I’ll be sure to bring your book so perhaps you can autograph it for me.”
Marcy’s in NYC on Saturday?
What time and where?
The jury deserves a lot of credit for wading through all of the evidence and, in spite of their natural empathy, to come to the right conclusion.
EW @ 165:
By all means, drink away! Bottoms up! Chin chin! Enchantee!
I say time for the most important roots project of all time
we must get congress to act before this information is declared classified
Perris-
Impeachment is a means of removing from office- conducted by congress. The idea of impeachment of someone who is already out of office is contradictory. Such a person can be TRIED and CONVICTED in normal court proceedings.
Canislatrans@174
I went back and dug into the sealed vs. sealed flap. Someone, somewhere, said that all indictments coming from this court were now being listed as sealed vs. sealed. Another source quoted some law as limiting the amount of time of the seal.
If that specific law is still around, even though it may have a now-normal designation, it has been kept sealed for an exceptionally long time.
And the sudden US/Ethiopian attacks that overthrew the Islamic Courts in Somalia?
Well the warlords are back in Mogadishu -
and the “Al Queda” who were in Somalia?
Looks like they just nabbed British Embassy staff in Ethiopia.
I hope the staff are safe.
It’s not their fault their leaders were too lazy to read Blowback.
Amen to Layla @ 172.
Now Pat_AlexVA just contaminated
Kobe’sSwopa’s leather jacket with Ann Coulter. She shut up, as soon as she was wrapped up in the jacket.Barbara McKinney @149 says:
wow, what a compliment for them!!!!!!!! made me feel soooooo good to read it……
i had a really rough in some ways ‘non-traditional’ job in early 80’s into the 90’s and wondered sometimes if people understand how it really was and if they know what people did for them to be where they are now……..only in rare times do my thoughts turn there, but reading what you wrote so eloquently it has now turned to being proud…..never thought of it that way……and applies to many things expressed here on fdl…..thanks barbara……so it wasn’t in vain, after all…….nice.
I called Congressman Conyers office and said I would like to leave a message for him and a woman named CAROL laughed at me.
(Sigh) now I have to write a letter.
I had a comment lost in moderation about the fact that Rule 6(e) doesn’t explicitly authorize release of grand jury material to Congress for purposes of Congressional investigation.
Unless disclosing it to Congress would assist the goverment prosecutor to enforce federal criminal law….
Would impeachment investigations help the government prosecutor here enforce federal criminal law? What do you think?
jayackroyd @ 178:
Perhaps only the Bush Administration, the worst in American history, will hire these many convicted felons.
Congratulations FDL for the great coverage.
Great news!
Where were YOU when you heard the news?
I was in my car dodging errant shopping carts blown around by the wind storm we are having at the moment in Boston.
Now I will be reminded of Libby’s guilt any time I see a shopping cart run amok. And maybe every time a see a shopping cart…
correction to I98:
If that specific INDICTMENT is still around…
So Fitz once again said this in his brief presser today (and I’m sure wingnuts all over the world put their fingers in their ears while saying lalalalalala) That Valerie Plame’s position and affiliation with the CIA was classified. Should we take bets as to when Toesucker and company will be penning another op-ed in WSJ or WaPo begging/pleading for Libby’s pardon/mercy/innocence using the but she wasn’t because no one has been prosecuted for that crime…and therefore there was not a crime.
Swopa,
I don’t have as good a grasp of the details as you, but didn’t the defense bring up the Armitage-Woodward tape as somehow exonerating Libby. As I said I could be wrong, so much of the defense witnesses seemed to work against the defense, like Hannah and most of the defense cross examination.
Somewhere on this site I read that Fitzgerald lost a high-profile case that somehow involved classified information… and that it is very difficult to prove that someone knowlingly outed a classified person…
I think that is why there will be no more charges… just mho.
__________________________
Party on ladies!!!!
Coming up from deep lurk to say that this is a watershed moment in US history. FDL has kept me from despairing for our country and for journalism since the beginning of this process. I was in Berlin when I became aware of this treason, waking every morning asking “has he been impeached yet?” Thankfully, I discovered FDL at the same time and have been here since. When one is abroad, the focus on the nonsense going on here is sharper, and in this case more painful. I’m on this side of the pond now, a block away from where I was when I heard about JFK, and feeling that what we’re experiencing now is nearly as monumental, but in a hopeful way. Jane, Christy, Marcy and the whole FDL family (as well as The Prosecutor and his team) have given us all a great gift – hope. Molly would be so proud. My gratitude is endless…..
EW at 175: it REALLY is time for a nap.
Thank you FDL for your persistence over the past several years. Great job, well done!
Regarding a Libby pardon – I don’t think it will happen right away because of the pending civil trial. It is my understanding that if Libby were to be pardoned prior to that trail he could not claim “the 5th” during testimony, he would have to answer or answer “I don’t remember”.
I think he will eventually be pardoned I just don’t think it’s going to happen right away.
So, can we finally know the details of Marcy’s coversation with Fitz?
FITZ: So, after I nail this creep, how about we, uh, retire to my chambers for a few drinks?
MARCY: Sorry, I admire your work, but I’ve already got a hot Irish guy.
FITZ: *sobs*
MARCY: That’s the same thing my commenters said!
I got interested in this thing back in June, (i think, memory is a tricky thing)
Reading Truthout.org about the supposed indictment against Rove, I even sent Jason Leopold a supportive e-mail and he was nice enough to respond. I hope he feels a bit vindicated, event though we still don’t know who tried to ruin his rep as a reporter again…here is the text of the kind note he sent me back in June:
On a day when I am feeling crappy and pretty low your email arrives and
lifts my spirit. Thank you so much for taking the time to write to me.
I
truly appreciate the kind words.
I can tell you that there is SO MUCH activity going on behind the
scenes
that I am not allowed to spill that makes this story so on the money.
The
hard part is having to wait for the “announcement” to be made in order
to be
vindicated.
The one thing I can tell you is that there is a sealed indictment that
was
returned by the grand jury in the CIA leak case on May 10th. That
indictment
is still under seal as of today–more than a month after the grand jury
returned it. Seems I am the only one who has the case number: 06 cr
128.
Keep an eye on it.
Best
Jason
Exile @ 209:
Yes, but the main thing is, the jury heard the tape. That’s why Armitage would have stuck in their heads. (We’re basically agreeing here.)
EW @ 201… Yikes! Coulter cooties!
Maybe I’m just being naive, but I didn’t interpret the juror’s comments about there being sympathy for Libby meaning that the jury came close to jury nullification.
I don’t interpret those remarks that way either. But it was pretty clearly the only defense strategy that had any effect on the jury. The fact that they were sympathetic to Libby and thought that “this sucks” means that the best shot the defense had was painting libby as a scapegoat.
What also came across in Collins’ comments is what a fine job Walton had done at conveying the boundaries they were to operate within, and their adherence to those boundaries.
And that also illustrated something that I think is underappreciated. This system actually works pretty darn well. The jury was given a narrow scope and they adhered to that scope.
I wonder if Bush would really kick Cheney out. Cheney has the goods that could take Bush down.
jgabriel:
Marcy’s in NYC on Saturday?
What time and where?
The Tank on Church Street. 6-9pm
Details
It’s a YKos fundraiser. I’ll be there, and Raginggurrl is bringing her video camera.
Dammit.
Details
T.O.@218
Cheney has to be taken down before he takes the rest of the world down!
Thank you, Marcy. Extraordinary work. You probably don’t want to give up your “day job” but you would be a wonderful addition to Jane and Christy as a FDL regular.
BACK OFF QUEEN — I SAW HIM FIRST!!!
Irony of ironies. I heard the news of the conviction (yes!) on the stupid Limbaugh radio show while I was driving around doing errands. At first it wasn’t clear what he was talking about, but then I figured out that Libby was convicted. Of course Rush the Idiot said a lot of mumbo jumbo.
Couldn’t wait to get home and log on to FDL. You folks have done a superlative job! I can’t thank you enough. Though you have screwed up my work schedule beyond repair, due to constant refreshing.
JGabriel at 193 – Below is info about the “Marcy” event:
Saturday, March 10th – 6-9pm
The Tank @ C:U – 279 Church Street
$50 – YearlyKos Suggested Donation
$100 – YearlyKos Fundraiser Host
(Hosts will receive recognition in invitations and complimentary copies of “Anatomy of Deceit.”)
Hosted by Living Liberally with Vaster Books, Young People For (YP4), The Albany Project, and the Kossack community of New York City.
Free food, cheap drinks, great gifts, lively conversation and progressive camaraderie with special guests Marcy Wheeler (emptywheel), author of “Anatomy of Deceit” and Libby Trial blogger, the comedians of Laughing Liberally, the sweet eats of Eating Liberally, fellow Kossacks, bloggers and rabble-rousers.
And to support our Liberally friends, mark your calendar for the launch of their massive empire. Once upon a time, in a galaxy far, far away…SAVE THE DATE!
The Living Liberally Launch Party:
A Fundraiser for Drinking, Laughing, Screening, Eating, Reading & All Things Liberally
Saturday, April 21st
349 West 12th Street between Greenwich and Washington Streets
Email mary@livingliberally.org for more information.
I just arrived home from the school where I worked tday in total isolation from any news reports except for the instant my cell phone message light began blinking at the time the verdict was announced. What an amazing moment in history. And now I have rushed home to read the blog. Thank you so much to Jane Marcy, Swopa, Christy, TRex, LHP and anyone else at FDL I may be forgetting in my delirium at the moment. I had never been to a blog before this trial but pressing the pay button last week was the best most gratifying thing I have done for the First Ammendment in a very long time. It has been an education that I credit also to the brilliant people who comment (and I can assure you I am not one of them) especially Rayne, Mason, EvilDrPurma, Ed*ardTellar, Suzanne and Litigatormom. Thank you and my cat thanks you!!!!!!