*UPDATE — Henry Waxman has just announced that he will hold hearings on the disclosure of Valerie Plame Wilson's identity. "In addition, the Committee today sent a letter to Special Prosecutor Patrick Fitzgerald commending him for his investigation and requesting a meeting to discuss testimony by Mr. Fitzgerald before the Committee." Oh yeah… — JH
Continuing on with Scooter Libby pardon pushback morning here at FDL… I see from Jane's post below that the wingnut Wurlitzer is referring to poor Lewis "I'm middle-aged, but call me Scooter" Libby as the Jean Valjean of perjurers, unfairly persecuted for a few inadvertent, innocuous lies (and, um, some innocuous obstruction of justice, too, apparently).
But a quick glance at some of the facts makes clear that special counsel Patrick Fitzgerald wasn't desperately hunting for any stray inconsistency or minor falsehood on which to indict Libby — because he left plenty of suspicious statements and insufficiently explained events on the table. For instance, there's the remarkable coincidence by which Scooter testified that he was the person who told Time magazine's Matt Cooper about Joe Wilson's wife working for the CIA, rather than merely confirming Cooper's inquiry… even as Karl Rove, Cooper's true source, was conveniently forgetting to mention the conversation in his testimony. Smells like an obvious conspiracy to obstruct justice to me, but Fitzgerald chose not to pursue an indictment on those grounds.
And then there's the curious discovery that Robert Novak talked to Libby during the week after Wilson went public with his criticisms of the Corleone Bush administration, even though Libby had testified that no such conversation occurred. If Fitz was going to indict Libby on every inconsistency he could find, why not that glaring one?
Speaking of the Novak-Libby chat, emptywheel famously inferred that it had happened based on newspaper accounts of Libby's grand jury testimony that magically appeared the day Judith Miller was scheduled to testify. EW's now-vindicated analysis was based on the assumption that the media leaks were intended to coach Judy in what to say under oath; if Fitz was so hell-bent for indictments, why not a count of obstruction of justice for that?
Moreover, we learned from the trial replays of Libby's grand jury testimony that he had dipped his hand into some other witness-related cookie jars as well, calling Tim Russert directly around the time of Libby's first grand jury appearance, and some run-ins with Ari Fleischer as well:
Q. And have you talked to Ari Fleischer since he left government?
A. No, sir. Oh, I'm sorry. . . . Yes, I saw him at a basketball game, and I think I saw him around the White House — more than once, I think. I think I've seen him at some receptions at the White House. It's tricky about this since he left government part — he's gotten married and I've run into him with his wife, I think. Anyway, I definitely saw him at a basketball game.
Q. Have you talked to him at all about this matter since he's left government?
A. Not that I know of. (NOTE: In the audio, there are muffled laughs in grand jury room — S.) Was that a strange answer?
Q. Yes.
A. No. Sorry. I, I don't think so. At the basketball game he asked me how things were doing, things were going okay, that sort of thing. I don't think we've talked in any detail about this matter.
Libby had a similarly "undetailed" conversation with his boss, Dick Cheney, after discovering there was proof the VP had told him about Joe Wilson's wife a full month earlier than Libby would claim having heard about it from Tim Russert.
A truly vindictive prosecutor could have pursued indictments for perjury or obstruction of justice in all these instances. Scooter Libby should thank his lucky stars that Pat Fitzgerald was more discerning.
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WAXMAN!
Swopa!
Waxman’s on it. Is Conyers far behind?
http://oversight.house.gov/story.asp?ID=1205
Yup, and lets face it, if the wording of the legal statutes were any less vague, all these asshats would be facing lots of hard time for leaking the name of a CIA agent… as it is it’s just too hard to prosecute under the law, so libby got off easy, everyone else just got off.
*sigh*
two beers @
1
Oh, yes, and if Rep. Waxman is interested in pursuing these anomalies, that would be just dandy.
EPU’ed from las thread
two beers @ 201 says:
March 8th, 2007 at 11:14 am
Yowza!!
YES! Now Waxman can finally put to bed all the right wing talking points on Plame.
Go man, GO!
OT- Rove surfaces
In Arkansas
Gee Scooter, what about this?
Mums the word eh?
After the letters to the usual suspects I just cancelled my subscription to the Washington Post. It was like ripping a band-aid off. Well, maybe a wet band-aid in the tub. It wasn’t so hard.
Now here this….Libby, Chaney, et al committed treason against the US when they lied this nation into war. By their actions, a country that did nothing to the US has been destroyed, tens of thousands have been killed, tens of thousands more maimed and/or displaced. They are war criminals on a par with the worst the world has ever seen. The idea, propounded by the media and the wingers that Libby is a victim is pathological.
The Libby Apologists gotta be screaming like banshees from the far corners of the earth! They just will beat themselves silly against the WAXMAN!
Could be a Marvel Superhero.
I’ve e-mailed Waxman to cheer him on, and said that I was glad he was looking into it.
My congressperson!
(If his e-mail didn’t require Zip-plus-four, which is a pain, it would be even better.)
I heart Waxman!!!
Some of these dems are REALLY earing their paychecks!
There is hope for America!
Heh. Thanks to Waxman and his staff.
This is gonna rawk!
Hmmm…let’s see now:
Criminals in the White House during the Nixon Administration.
Next Repug Administration – Criminals in the White House during the Reagan Administration.
Hmmm…and?
Next Repug Administration – Criminals in the White House during the Bush 41 Administration.
Oh oh…and?
Next Repug Administration – Criminals in the White House during the Junya/Deadeye Administration.
Hmmm…are we beginning to connect the dots?
Ok, here’s the final test question for ya’ll:
What part of a “criminal organization” and Repugs don’t ya’ll understand?
And for an additional set of bonus points, shouldn’t the word “criminals” now be modified in all dictionaries to list as its 1st equivalent, Repugs?
For ya’ll’s success in answering this quiz, go straight to the head of the class!
david baerwald @
3
Not at all. In fact, his office was talking with Fitz’ people as soon as the verdicts came down Tuesday.
Pachacutec @ 15
Hmmmm. I feel some ’60s-ish TV show theme music coming on:
Na na na na Na na na na Na na na na Na na na na
WAX MAN!
Phoenix Woman @
17
That’s what I like to hear! Man, those boys better staff up, theyre going to be busy.
Phoenix Woman @ 18
…and Fitz, the Boy Wonder!
Hearings kick off on Friday the 16th. I wonder if I can attend in person?
marcy on Sam Seder now here:
http://www.620kpoj.com/main.html
The hearing is scheduled for Friday, March 16.
The day before St. Patrick’s Day, how fitting.
I assume C-SPAN will cover these, right?
Will Waxman permit live-blogging?
Pachacutec @ 21
If it’s on CSPAN, we’ll all be there in person!
Pachacutec @ 21
That would be the BEST!
Phoenix Woman @ 17
Got a link about that? I’d love to see it confirmed. Thanks.
For folks calling the Waxman offfive ask them if they have Marcy’s book.
Millineryman @ 23
Also, the day before Valerie’s interview with Keith Olbermann in NYC.
From below thread — FDL at Waxman Hearings and I’ll put up another fifty to help make it happen.
Wow – saw this on TalkingPoints Memo. Michael Barone – yeah, republican and Fox News Contributor – Michael Barone just LAMBASTED this administration for the U.S. Attorney purge.
Link
Look at the last lines:
‘Domenici would not have made that call had either a Democrat or a law-abiding Republican been in the White House. He would not have had the temerity to throw his weight around to such an outrageous extent.
What’s going on in Washington is not sufficiently removed from the routine doings of a tawdry Third World dictatorship to give any American comfort.”
WHOA!
“In addition, the Committee today sent a letter to Special Prosecutor Patrick Fitzgerald commending him for his investigation…
You’se guys at FDL deserve a letter of commendation, too. But as I’m not a congresscritter, this post’ll have to do.
I agree, BTW, that Scooter, if he were a regular schlub, would’ve had the charges piled on him SO thick that it would have taken an hour to list them all. It’s a wonderful racket the USA’sG have, stacking charges like flapjacks, hoping something will stick.
Scooter was handled with kid gloves.
OT:
MMMMmmm, Lieberman loves him some Swift Boaters.
Please, lead me to the fainting couch…I’m so distraught by this I can barely clutch
;>)
Has it been mention that Valerie is going to testify?
Valerie Plame to Testify
I’m floored by the speed of this. There is momentum!
TeddySanFran @ 25
Pach, EW
He ought to give press credentials and permit live blogging.If the court could do it, Congress –which already allows cameras–can do it.
This is another “historic” moment for the the blogs
Millineryman @ 35
Cool! Thanks!!
Here’s Waxman’s phone info.
Please call and thank him!!!
Washington, DC
(202) 225-3976 (phone)
In Los Angeles
(323) 651-1040 (phone)
(818) 878-7400 (phone)
(310) 652-3095 (phone)
Middle-aged? Only if he plans on living to 114. If my name were irving lewis libby I’d want people calling me scooter also
Swopa has just wrapped our knuckles Down Under, so here is` what I have just asked all you locals who know more.
Eggjelly…… isn’t Waxman a better Committee, because he can cover any inch of ground he likes?
Thanks for that catch, db. Shameless, that RGJoe. Kerry sounded suitably grim:
Pachacutec @ 21
WE NEED POLITICS TV!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Millineryman @ 35
Oh. My. Gawd. Gotta figure out how I can call in sick….
(been so busy I’ve just lurked without much posting…this is a driveby before I head out the door….but the thought of hearing from Ms. Plame-Wilson herself about her status and the damage done by the criminals in the White HOuse…..Gotta jump up and cheer again!)
Valerie Plame testifying will put it on the front page. Wow.
I would love the hearings to be live-blogged. Can we keep Plame house for another month?
klyde @ 40
It is kind of a no-win situation, I admit.
Although he could have given himself a cool nickname like “Swopa.”
how about passes to waxman’s hearing for the masses?
epu’ed from below, i have a call in to my congressmember’s office for help getting passes… but, i don’t know if that’s the right way to go about it….
any firepups with advice?
Do we need to fund the Plame House a bit longer?
(of course I will continue to support $$ FDL as much as possible.)
Waxman!
Valerie is amazing, very sharp, very serious about her prior work to the extent that she is permitted to talk at all about it. And she is, in all honesty, incredibly beautiful and charismatic — and calm. Deadly calm. This is going to be one helluva hearing, I must say. I hope to hell that C-Span broadcasts it because we’ll be liveblogging it if they do to the extent that is possible.
Tithonia @
45
The fact that she takes a fine picture doesn’t hurt but I’m sure she has more than a few things to say that will capture public attention, regardless.
My only question is this: she and the Ambassador currently have a civil suit in progress. What do you legal eagles say she can comment on? Are civil investigations bound by any rules of public disclosure?
I guess this also means definitely no Cheney indictment. If Fitzgerald opens up his GJ files, then it will be impossible for him to come back later and indict. Plus, the witnesses subpoenaed before this committee will almost assuredly ask for immunity before they testify.
Sounds like Fitz and Wells sat down yesterday and Wells told him, sorry, no deal. I hope Fitz pushes for the max allowed sentence under the federal guidelines. And then I hope Judge Walton adds a little more on top. It will serve Scooter right.
Nonetheless, if the revelations are explosive enough, it might push Congress to move on impeachment proceedings against Cheney if he refuses to resign.
Christy Hardin Smith @ 50
So, to what extent will she be? Will she have to clear her responses with a CIA censor?
P J Evans @ 13
(Grin) I’m from the government, and I’m here to help you: Go to USPS.com, use the zip code look-up function (put your address in) and it will cough up your plus-four.
Christy @ 50,
Can we get copies to Marcy’s lovely little book to the staffers on that committee?
Just got off the phone w/ Waxman’s L.A. and D.C. offices (actual humans). Left my “go for it ! kudos.
annx @ 46
c-span ought to cover it (you can call (202) 737-3220 to make the request). which means it can be live-blogged from the comfort of your own home.
that said, i’d still love to be there in person… (and most importantly, would love to support the plameologists in the house (EW, jane, christy) if they are interested in reporting it live.
3 cheers for henry waxman!
justice!
Tell Waxman that you appreciate what his committee is doing.
Just called and thanked the woman at Waxman’s office.
Having Valerie Plame testify will demonstrate that there is a clear victim here. And–are you ready for this, MSM?–she’s a BEAUTIFUL BLOND WOMAN!!!
selise @ 57
Yes, live. I can’t do C-span at work and I’ve run out of excuses for staying home.
Frank Probst @ 60
Valerie Wilson is not an argument, she’s a person.
darkblack @ 34
Joe Lieberman was beaming. “Sam Fox represents what America is all about,” he said, “and that’s why he will be, when confirmed, an extraordinary ambassador.”
OH C.R.A.P, this man is twisted beyond everything. I think I will definitely have to go to the Tom Swan Hartford Protest Fest.
I was just over at DKos and there is thread pushing on the Waxman hearings too. All around the blogs now.
*xyz @
28
Here you go! (And Maurice Hinchey and Carl Levin are in on the fun, too.)
c-span has already gotten several calls requesting they cover waxman’s hearing… in fact they’re laughing about the calls…
keep ‘em coming!
(202) 737-3220
Happy Day Before St. Patrick’s Day!
Yeah. CSPAN CSPAN CSPAN. Yeah. Load up on the Guinness.
Oh dear, another summer of ‘73. Looks like I won’t be getting much work done in the near future. I was just in high school in 1973, but it seems like the entire summer was spent on the couch watching Sam Ervin.
Scooter lied (not just in this little affair)
Troops died
how can anybody have sympathy for these men?
what’s the count up to now?
As of Wednesday, at least 3,188 members of the U.S. military had died in Iraq since the beginning of the war in March 2003, according to an Associated Press count. The latest identifications reported by the military:
– Army Sgt. Brandon A. Parr, 25, West Valley, Utah
– Army Sgt. Michael C. Peek, 23, Chesapeake, Va
– Army Sgt. Ashly L. Moyer, 21, Emmaus, Pa.
– Army Spc. Blake Harris, 22, Pueblo, Colo.
– Army Spc. Ryan D. Russell, 20, Elm City, N.C.
– Army Pvt. Barry W. Mayo, 21, Ecru, Miss.
Not counting the ones that have to drink thru straws the rest of their lives
kpoj — Ed Schultz is ranting that Steny Hoyer (super duper DINO) told him this morning that Congress won’t investigate… and he’s lambasting the Dems
guess he hadn’t heard about Waxman yet :)
Christy Hardin Smith @ 50
Woo-hooo!
Brisingamen @ 54
I do. It’s still a pain. Fortunately both my addresses are in his district!
(It annoys me because it says on the page that the plus-four is optional; I know his district isn’t all of Chatsworth, but don’t tell me it’s optional when it’s not.)
MarkC @ 53
Ah, but non-answers can be quite informative in the hands of a skilled questioner.
Q: Ms Plame, were you a covert CIA operative?
Plame: The CIA has informed me that I cannot answer that question.
Q: I see. And if you were NOT a covert CIA operative, would you be permitted to testify to that fact before Congress?
Plame: Of course! Why in the world would the CIA tell me I couldn’t that I was NOT a covert CIA operative?
The wingnuts are going to cry like babies tonight! Is KO still on vacation?
Phoenix Woman @ 65
I’m still waiting for Jason Leopold’s assertion that Rove has been indicted (actually, I think sealed vs. sealed is probably the truth of it).
It’s like multiple orgasms. First the verdict, now the Waxman hearings, now PLAME testifies. I’m going to be totally exhausted by next week.
TeddySanFran @ 25
Excellent question….
Swopa,
Just wanted to tell you that I was relieved to see your response to Kevin Drum’s lousy post yesterday.
Also, I think I’ll need a neck brace if I see any more video of that Libby juror expressing her epic case of cognitive dissonance on Hardball.
raven @ 73
Maybe he will come back from Vaca again like he did for the verdict.
Boy did KO pick the wrong week to try to get away from it all
emptywheel @ 62
I agree, but the MSM doesn’t seem to get this, and if they want to use her to fill the void that Anna Nicole left behind, I’ll take it.
portia.vz @ 75
I MUST DO WORK! Will commit malpractice if I don’t finish this brief.
Stop making me too happy to work.!
Tithonia @ 45
exactly. this can move the story forward (new info) and bring the story to a wider audience.
portia.vz @ 75
A whole WEEK! You’re supposed to call your doctor after four hours!!!!
david baerwald @
19
Um, speaking of “staffing up”….
anyone else having a gorgeous fantasy of Marcy Wheeler acting as a special assistant?
looseheadprop @ 78
Spring Training in Florida. He did this last year too ; )
johnSwifty @ 82
I thought that was if you didn’t?
darkblack @ 34
I should not be shocked but I really am. I can’t believe a person can be so twisted like Liarman, and not look like a pretzel. OHH GAWWWD!
I’ve heard that’s a tough gig….
annx @ 46
I second that.
portia.vz @ 75
Comment of the day. LOL!
Jeremius @ 88
if people get up off those .07!
Lightbulb moment ! Makes total sense.
raven @ 73
Remember that KO interviews Valerie Wilson live the following day, in NYC.
Hey guys, I just called Waxman’s office to thank him for holding hearings on this matter.
I also took the chance to tell Waxman’s staffer about Firedoglake and Anatomy of Deceit.
The staffer had not heard of either one, but she was very excited when I explained both to her.
My main points were that FDL has been covering the Fitzgerald investigation since it began, and that the FDL team is composed of PhD’s, lawyers, and other experts and was recently recognized for their coverage of the Libby trial with a front-page NY Times article.
I also told her that the book was a fantastic and simple guide to the story of how Valerie Plame’s identity was revealed, also written by a PhD who blogs at FDL.
Finally, I told her that Waxman has thousands of allies at FDL and in the progressive blogosphere.
She visited FDL as we spoke and she saw the update regarding Waxman.
I told her that there would be much more in the comments and encouraged her to read and to share!
Please, everyone who calls Waxman’s office, take the opportunity to educate his staffers at the same time about FDL and Anatomy of Deceit!
It is important that Waxman’s people know that FDL is available to help them and to share our resources!
emptywheel @ 62
She’s about to become both — only not the way Cheney/Rove intended.
annx @ 32
In the words of Napoleon Dynamite: Yessss!
I have often thought Bush’s Iraq policy was a really nightmarish episode of “Trading Spaces” wherein our pluckish DIY-fers export “democracy” and import a fully appointed dictatorship.
I’m glad someone with more clout than little ol girl on the street (me) said it.
looseheadprop @ 78
Who knew that KO was the one we had to get rid of to finally get a verdict.
Murray left one day, thinking he might be the lucky absent person. I guess KO has the Midas touch…
emptywheel @ 92
True, and he has lotsa of new stuff to work with.
bookperson just did some great work !
Just talked to a guy in the Oversight office– so far only Valerie as a witness, open to the public (no passes necessary), there is no media room and they discourage computers in the hearing room b/c it is intrusive and since it promises to be packed– don’t do it. They will have a webcast from their site and they think that cspan will definately carry it.
selise @ 81
Wish it were not on a Friday, a Friday of a holiday weekend.
We must make sure this does not get lost in the Friday newsdumps or smother by the Erin Go Bragh coverage.
I like a good bagpipe parade more than the next person (did I tell you I have dual citizenship? Us and Irish–yep took bagpipe lessons and step dancing and the whole nine yards), but I do not want to see parade coverage swamping this story.
a media strategy is called for.
(Why do I suspect that Jane and Christy and PAch may already be working on that? Hmmmm?)
rofl – randi rhodes is going into detail talking about the porno in the book libby wrote – eww – had to turn the sound down :)
AZ Matt @
55
Ah! That’s what I get for not reading the comments here before posting.
I see you’re thinking along the same lines, Matt.
I guess I’m just taking the thought a little bit further. Why shouldn’t her brilliant mind be put to use in real time, cooking up the very bestest questions for the
inquisitorscommitteepersons to pose? Suggesting lines of inquiry, strategy of approach?I wonder what Marcy would think of my volunteering her for this service…? Mighty generous of me, I know.
;-)
Just sent my .07 – keep plame house going!
I do believe sir waxman reads us here ar the lake
and we are pleased
There also is the march on the Pentagon Saturday March and there should be lots of folks in town.
looseheadprop @ 100
I was going to ask what the holiday was. THen I recalled–equally a dual citizen myself–what it was. I had even proposed to mr. emptywheel to treat himself to his first NYC Paddy’s Day.
By the way, there might be someone else who posts as bookperson. That isn’t me. Don’t want to cause confusion or steal names so apologies if I inadvertently did. This is my first post (not first post overall, but first post as bookperson).
Love it that Waxman is coming through!
Thank you Henry! At least someone has guts.
Mrs. K8 @ 83, what a great idea!
Tim @ 98
Yes, second that.
Good Lord!!
I went to download that Waxman letter to Fitz and got an ADOBE update warning. (pdf file).
I figured, what the heck, it’s lunch time,OK do it.
A HALF a FRIGGIN’ hour to download! CRAP!Froze everything up while it did it’s nefarious deed.
The scary part was when it was done, there was this message blinking on my screen;
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
ALL YOUR WINDOWS ARE BELONG TO US!
annx @ 32
(my bold)
Jesus! I’m feeling The Rapture
WTG, Chairman Waxman!
Henry is the one dem the wingnuts would like to see go on a hunting trip w/ Shooter.
This is great news. Thanks, swopa.
Do I sense a K.O. lede or maybe a Special Comment to light a fire under congress?
————————
Was there any resolution on the discussion of the 6(e)(3) exception on congresscritters getting access to Fitz’s sealed investigatory materials & the GJ testimony?
Oh, baby…what I wouldn’t give for a peek at the transcripts of the Dim Son, Cheney & Rover interviews & testimony.
Frank Probst #79:
You’re naive about the media if you think Valerie Plame’s physical attributes are going to make them more likely to cover something they’d prefer covered up.
That fact that there will be investigations beyond this Libby lawsuit is almost enough to renew a little faith in our government.
I hate to be a wet rag but this keeps nagging at me – if Fitz was charged with finding who outed Plame, and via testimony in the Libby trial it was obvious that Rove and Cheney (and Libby) were directly involved, why wouldn’t Fitz go forward with indictments against these guys? I’ve heard all sorts of reasoning, from dark and conspiratorial reasons to the fact that perhaps Cheney declassified Plame’s status with the CIA a moment before he told someone, but none of them ring true to me. I keep feeling like something is missing…
raven @ 85
I guess that’s priapism and primarily a male issue. But now that I think about it an intelligent, deadly serious and exactingly detailed woman with Ms. Wilson’s obvious physical appeal could certainly lead to this sort of condition. I hope C-SPAN is quickly infiltrated by the spooks from the Veep’s office — otherwise it could lead to an epidemic for the progressive males of the country. The right wing males will be safely viewing images of Matt Sanchez, so the *y* chromozones of the progressive movement will be the only ones affected. Fortunately, FDL has proved the *x* components of the progressive movement have no problem leading the charge.
brendan @ 114
I disagree, she’s hot, she’s blond, they’ll cover it
WAXMAS ?
hehe…I would have loved to see a recording of libby’s expression when the grand jury laughed at his testimony..I could see him turning beet red in my minds eye
Just called Waxman’s office to express my gratitude over the hearing, and when I mentioned I’d be willing to donate a copy of Anatomy of Deceit the gentleman on the other end of the line started laughing…
angie @ 99
thanks angie – i’m still going to ask my congress critter for passes (otherwise i don’t dare bring my nephew)….
hhmm… wonder how many hours in advance i should be there to have a chance to get in? reminds me of being a teenager and planning on camping out in line to get tickets to see my favorite rock-n-roll bands.
Remeber this Morning XYZ wanted to stage a “rubber Stamp” type event?
What if we sent a copy of Marcy’s book to every memeber of Waxman’s Committee?
If any other committee’s take up the issue we immeditaley send to thm as well?
Can we set up a code, like the .07 code for donations related to the sending the book.
Or alternatively, we could set up a list and volunteers could agree to adopt a member and send a book via Amazon to that member. Whichever is faster.
Is “Anatomy of Deceit” out of date given what was filled in by the trial?
Tim @ 87
Not at all.
;-)
TeddySanFran @
42
…Raises self from couch long enough to hat tip Digby, then falls back in a misty puddle of swoon…
;>)
johnSwifty @ 116
yea, that’s what I meant!
Will @
68
Damn, babies every one of them, at least to this middle-aged mom of young adults.
I told Chairman Waxman’s D.C. office that we Democrats need to clone Representative Waxman. If we only could….
MariaSquared @ 127
That’s who get to do this shit.
I JUST CALLED WAXMAN’S OFFICE TO SUPPORT THE HEARINGS…
…BUT I FORGOT ONE THING–TO RECOMMEND THAT WAXMAN INVITE EMPTYWHEEL, JANE, MARCY, PAC, ETC. TO TESTIFY AS EXPERT WITNESSES!
I WILL CALL BACK AND DO THAT, THEN CALL C-SPAN!
ATTA FIBBY!!!
Dee @ 115
Repeat after me GREYMAIL
Wil @
117
Ohhh, yeah, the wingers will be drooling all over themselves. She’s a blonde mata hari. She is going to have to be both professional and also a seductress. Should be devastating.
Sophist @ 118
No this more like the 12 days of Fitzmas.
Baby, Fitzmas ain’t over yet!
Ohhh, yeah, the wingers will be drooling all over themselves. She’s a blonde mata hari. She is going to have to be both professional and also a seductress. Should be devastating.
And, of course, they will try to diminish her because of her looks.
looseheadprop @ 133
Not by a long shot. Fitzmas was the spark that will ignite a firestorm.
And if you want to be part of it, please call Waxman today and tell him thanks and that we’ve got his back!
And stay tuned to FDL for further developments…
XYZ gald to see you here. Please review my 122 above
I’ve tried to diminish Jane because of her looks. For some reason it never works ;-)
Fitz has been invited as well. I sure hope he accepts.
http://oversight.house.gov/Doc…..-02108.pdf
That’s “glad” not “gald”
Can’t type, can’t type, can’t type
portia.vz @ 132
I’ve seen her speak, she can do both. Never underestimate the power of blond hair with a brain
looseheadprop @ 136
LHP — GET TO WORK!
(I’ve got about 500 lines of code to write, myself, and you’re setting a really bad example)
raven @
134
And, of course, they will try to diminish her because of her looks.
I guess if she ends up looking like Sharon Stone, talking like Laura Bush and sounding like Anna Nicole Smith, they could possibly diminish her.
Do any of us see that happening?
Ummm, no.
I keep thinking that Libby’s wife is a big X-factor here. Was she trying to talk Libby into cutting a deal? If I were his wife, and a Democrat and a lawyer to boot, that’s what I would have done. If that’s what happened, Libby obviously didn’t take her advice.
But…if that’s what happened, he has many more reasons to listen to her now than he did last week. A week ago, there was still a chance he could get off. Now, his ass is nailed to the wall, and her leverage with him just got a whole lot stronger. Imagine how it could go:
Libby’s wife: Honey, I really think you should go back to Fitzgerald and cut a deal. Why don’t you roll on those bastards that hung you out to dry?
Libby: No, honey, I’m loyal to my boss.
Libby’s wife: Scooter, you really have to make a choice here: It’s either your family or your boss.
Libby: Fine, I choose my boss.
Libby’s wife: Are you sure about that? Keep in mind that you’re a convicted felon now. If I remember my divorce law correctly, I’m betting that I can get the house, the cars, the kids, half of your assets, and a lifetime’s worth of alimony and child support. That way, the kids and I will have a secure future even if you get hit with jail time and millions of dollars in fines and civil suit judgments. Are you absolutely sure you choose your boss?
Froomkin is up:
Did Libby Make a Deal?
By Dan Froomkin
Special to washingtonpost.com
Thursday, March 8, 2007; 1:20 PM
http://www.washingtonpost.com/…..00879.html
WOW.
Get your healing beads and prayers out.
Seve Gilliard had his surgery;
http://www.thenewsblog.net/
As to background, after he has done his first night’s homework — Anatomy of D, we should recommend he reads Justin, Joshua and, of course, to cap it all off, Murray! He should collect himself a nice little witness list out of that lot. Perhaps they should all be co-opted as Special Assistants……… Anything we can do to help, Mr Waxman!
I just had an vivid image pop into my mind.
I’m seeing CSPAN coverage of a panel of committee members questioning a senior adminstration official.
Speaking right now is Henry Waxman.
Waxman’s really making some great points.
And he keeps visibly brandishing the same book as he speak.
It is a book he keeps referring to, over and over again.
The book is…
You guessed it, Anatomy of Deceit
raven @ 134
And, of course, they will try to diminish her because of her looks.
The Repubs will be prepared with questions about how public she and Joe were after she was outed and about the rightwing smear that ordered Joe to go before Cheney even asked — which Marcy has debunked — but what do facts matter. It will be more efforts at character assassination. She must know it’s coming. This takes a lot of courage. Anita Hill.
*xyz @ 135
Exactly, it’s Fitzmas, he’s the reason we have the holiday, but Waxman might end up being the Santa figure that brings us all the goodies!
portia.vz @ 142
I guess if she ends up looking like Sharon Stone, talking like Laura Bush and sounding like Anna Nicole Smith, they could possibly diminish her.
Do any of us see that happening?
Ummm, no.
Try was the operative phrase!
AZ Matt @ 144
Hell, I can pull that kind of speculation out of my ass. I expect better actual reporting from Mr. Froomkin. He’s made the mistake of setting his bar higher, lately.
editorial from the Capital Times in Madison, Wisconsin interviewing my congressman – maurice hinchey D-NY (not in its entirety – link at the bottom)
Hold Cheney To Account
The conviction of Vice President Dick Cheney’s former chief of staff on charges of obstruction of justice, perjury and lying to the FBI confirms the suspicions that millions of Americans have had for years about the lawlessness of this administration.
The Libby trial revealed stunning details about Cheney’s direct and aggressive involvement in the attack on Wilson. During the trial, it was revealed by Catherine J. Martin, who served as the vice president’s top press aide in 2003, that Cheney dictated detailed “talking points” for Libby and others on how they could impugn Wilson’s credibility.
The vice president ordered aides to closely track press coverage of Wilson and ordered Libby to begin making behind-the-scenes contacts with reporters. So engaged with the “get Wilson” initiative was Cheney that, while he and Libby were traveling on Air Force Two, the vice president personally prepared materials to be slipped to a Time magazine reporter who was on the story.
That level of involvement by the vice president in an effort to discredit a former U.S. ambassador who was participating legally and appropriately in a national debate about how the war in Iraq began begs the question: Will Cheney be held to account?
“This case doesn’t end with Mr. Libby’s conviction,” says Congressman Maurice Hinchey, D-N.Y., the House’s most consistent and aggressive critic of Cheney. “Testimony in the Libby trial made it even more clear that Vice President Cheney played a major role in the outing of Mrs. Wilson’s identity. It is time to remove the cloud hanging over Vice President Cheney and the White House that Special Counsel (Patrick) Fitzgerald so aptly described in his closing remarks and expose all of the lies that led to the outing of Mrs. Wilson’s identity.”
Hinchey says, “The question which has always needed to be addressed is why Mrs. Wilson’s CIA position was revealed to the press. The answer is that the administration was attempting to undermine and weaken the credibility of her husband, Ambassador Joe Wilson, who publicly disclosed his findings that Iraq never sought uranium from Niger for a nuclear weapon. Ambassador Wilson publicly proved that the administration’s case for war – that Iraq had an active weapons of mass destruction program – was false. He demonstrated that multiple senior administration officials, including President Bush himself, deliberately made false and misleading statements to win congressional approval and public support for an invasion of Iraq.”
Hinchey’s right. Fitzgerald should pursue the matter of Cheney’s wrongdoing. But so should Congress. At issue is the most fundamental of all questions in a republic: Can a member of the executive branch, perhaps the dominant member, deliberately deceive the legislative branch, then set out to punish Americans who expose those lies, and get away with it?
That is not just a legal question for prosecutor Fitzgerald, it is a constitutional question for Congress.
Published: March 7, 2007
http://www.madison.com/tct/opinion/editorial/
index.php?ntid=121903&ntpid=2
I just have to quote that again
man, I have to tell you something
this is BETTER then the libby conviction, this is BETTER then sex, this is ALMOST as good as the democrats winning both houses
I am betting the TRAITORS are shitting in their pants right now
Please, guys, let’s get into the groove…..
Valerie Plame was not ‘outed’, she was EXPOSED and BETRAYED, which might well be treasonous.
We must be disciplined like wingnuts….. let us set the table.
just able to dash by on occasion today.
Driving me NUTS!
Suffering serious trial w/drawal symptoms.
Help! Pach!
Oh. WONDERFUL news about Waxman. Yahoo!
That helps my mood considerably.
Go DAWGS! So proud!
YES. Let’s get Marcy & whomever else we can as expert witnesses. That’d make me watch the telly again.
oops. time to go bye again. shoot! back later… ;->
perris @ 153
This is almost like beating Lieberman.
Yay Swopa! (Hey, is that your hand in the picture? Naw, it looks more like Libby’s grubby paws).
Waxman’s hearings are great news!
looseheadprop @ 122
I like this idea. All afternoon, I’ve been thinking about what we could do… sending the books is good (and it helps Marcy as well as helping more of the truth get out!) I really like the idea of different FDLers “adopting a Congressperson” and sending them a book along with a letter. It makes it more personal if it is sent by a constituent along with their own words.
I also think it would be great if we could do something more “noteworthy” to get the media’s attention. I remember reading all the leadup to the rubber stamp event, and then seeing the boxes of rubber stamps opened on TV – it was terrific theater. Unfortunately, all I thought of was that we could send them boxes of Yellow Cake mix, but then I remembered it’s probably not wise to send boxes of powdered substances to congress, even if it is made by Betty Crocker. ;)
What about sending MAGNIFYING glasses along with a copy of Fitzgerald’s final statement, asking them to look for the truth?
maunga @ 154
excellant point, I HATE the term “outed”, one of our assets was EXPOSED, life out at peril, and her effectiveness guarding our national securiy WAS LAID TO WASTE.
none of this “outed” trivial terminology
Oh to be a fly on the wall when Waxman and Fitz talk.
What will Conyers do in the Judiciary Committee?
I assume that there will be some sort of coordination with Henry. (Congressman Waxman, may I call you Henry? I suddenly think of you as a candidate for “best friend forever.”)
How will they split the task up?
brendan @ 123
Nope, not really. I end it with Dick in the crosshairs. That’s where we still are.
Called Waxman’s office with a hearty thank you. Told his aide that he’d have LOTS of support if he ran for Pres.! Got a laugh.
Also called CSpan with the request for airing it.
Time for a live blogging party at my house!
LandOfTheFree @ 157
I love it! Dibs on Keith Ellison.
Gonzales may not be around for long.
Spector’s pissed.
I’m not sure I can take this much justice in one week. Oh, wait, yes I can. :)
TheOtherWA @ 164
Specter likes to make noises of being outraged. Then he crawls back in with the snakes. Don’t take him too seriously. He always disappoints.
Question: I see that Valerie Plame is going to testify in the hearings. Since Plame is filing (or has she already filed?) a civil suit against Libby and possibly others, is it likely she’ll fully testify? Can others like Libby, Cheney, Armitage, and cabal buddies call the 5th amendment because of the civil case?
Or, has the civil case not been filed yet, so they can’t really use the 5th amendment because there are no ongoing proceedings (other than Libby’s appeal)?
PRESIDENT PELOSI.
Who all is on Waxman’s committee? Anyone have a quick list handy?
I’m also thinking we should say prayers, light candles, meditate, whatever it is each one of us does best when we are desperate for help –
y’all don’t think the administration would want to put their naval destroyers in the Persian Gulf to use right before the hearing, do you?
Gosh, I hate having that thought.
OT-SENATE DEMOCRATS ANNOUNCE JOINT RESOLUTION TO TRANSITION THE MISSION IN IRAQ
Emphasis mine.
It contains binding language to direct the President to transition the mission for U.S. forces in Iraq and begin their phased redeployment within one-hundred twenty days with a goal of redeploying all combat forces by March 31, 2008.
http://democrats.senate.gov/ne…..70337&
Leg @ 167
A San Francisco Liberal, oh my!
Dee @ 115
Prosecutors, especially straight-arrow types like Fitz, don’t want to indict unless they think they’ve got the evidence necessary to win a conviction, i.e., beyond a reasonable doubt. The “evidence” against Cheney is “soft” at this point, in large measure due to Libby’s perjury and obstruction. We don’t “know” that Cheney told Libby to leak, we don’t “know” that Cheney told Libby to lie to Fitz — in short, there’s a lot of stuff we don’t “know.” We suspect it, and we’ve got very good reason to do so. But you can’t ask a jury to convict based on extrapolation and supposition, no matter how reasonable. You can’t even ask a jury to convict based on a preponderance of the evidence.
I don’t think Fitz went easy on the WH. I think that he believes, in a politically charged case, that he should only prosecute the crimes he knows he can prove. I’m sure he wished that he could prove more. Perhaps Waxman’s hearings will help him.
emptywheel — I thought there are six words missing from your book, though they are implied:
Guilty, Guilty, Not Guilty, Guilty, Guilty
TheOtherWA @ 164
go DAMN it
my friggin smile muscles are KILLING me
please, no more today
errr
nevermind
TheOtherWA @ 164
Hattrick baby! Somebody toss the octopus!
Since these guys never really served in Armed Forces, I think they are more DIFM rather than DIY.
WOO HOO! Go Waxman, my man!
‘Madness, madness, madness,’ and in the merry month of March. Made two calls to the nice folks in the govn. and was well received. Plame House hopefully rawks in the weeks to come.
Have a great evening everyone… off to work for me. Wish me luck. I’ll be back for my beer-thirty (i.e. wine at about 11pm ET).
looseheadprop — um, about that 12-step program…
FYI, Senate Judiciary tabled the question of subpoenaing more DOJ, at least that’s what Judiciary Committee staffer said. (Cornyn?)
However TPM now says Judiciary has a meeting scheduled with Abu G. about this (no mention about the tabling, though).
Gah. Already whined to EW I felt like I was spinning my wheels today.
Kool I have Vonage unlimited long distance phone
called Waxman’s office and thanked them
and then called CSPAN
Here’s my unashamed self-link to my diary about this on DKos – I’ve tried to get as much info as possible in one place.
Feel free to email with any additional links and I’ll update – Cheers!
Dkos
RevDeb @ 165
whew, I needed a reality check, thanx for bringing me back to planet earth
Scarecrow @ 173
Hmm. GOod point. How cheaply do you think we can do a third edition that has only 6 words different?
Cycloptichorn @ 182
Good diary – I hope they front page it!
Leg @ 167
Just 2 impeahments away
wow. Henry is gonna need a big hearing room. Wonder if RFK stadium is available. Might be kinda cold. Maybe the Verizon Center?
RevDeb @ 165
Especially since it was HIS staff — supposedly without his knowledge, yeah, right — that “snuck” the provision permitting the “interim” appointments of replacement US Attorneys without confirmation.
Specter’s professed surprise at learning that his staff had put the provision in sounds like — dare I say it — Scooter Libby’s surprise at learning that Joe Wilson’s wife worked for the CIA from Tim Russert, “as if for the first time.”
Mrs. K8 @ 169
I will get another goat.
Wil @ 200
i’m running out the door to drop off a copy of “anatomy” to henry waxman’s l.a. office, so the local office is covered.
Hmm, March Madness, indeed.
Mr. Waxman, if you’re reading, thanks!
litigatormom @ 189
Yes – please do. The last one worked out well for us.
Would this be the subcommittee?
They were the ones who went to Walter Reed and did an excellent job, at least the dems did.
LandOfTheFree @ 166
5th ammendment only applies to answeres that will INCRIMINATE you. Not answers that will cause you to lose a civil suit
Specter’s professed surprise at learning that his staff had put the provision in sounds like — dare I say it — Scooter Libby’s surprise at learning that Joe Wilson’s wife worked for the CIA from Tim Russert, “as if for the first time.”
Or Claude Rains being “shocked, shocked” that gambling was going on at Rick’s Cafe (while collecting his winnings).
Would the hearing be an appropriate time for Scooter to flip?
“Mr. Waxman, if you’re reading, thanks! “
You go, Henry! (With all due respect, Sir.)
Wil @ 186
I smell Hillary’s hair burning from the future!
perris @ 190
do we have to do them at the same time to avoid an appointment? I can’t figure it out from reading the “fucking piece of paper”
Here’s the list of cmte members– this hearing is before the whole cmte.
http://oversight.house.gov/about/members.asp
this is vewy, vewy important. Cheney first!
emptywheel @ 184
You could do a cover wrap, but I was thinking readers can probably get the missing information from Fred Hiatt. It’s the only thing he got right.
litigatormom –
I’d like to see you get Cheney’s goat.
Wil @ 186
It’s a nice thought, but they wouldn’t go simultaneously. Bush will try to protect himself by getting Cheney to resign, shifting all the blame to him, and then installing Jeb as VP.
True, Spector may be riding the wave of anger, but that doesn’t mean he’ll actually DO anything about it. And frankly, it is all his fault that bs was snuck into the revised Patriot Act in the first place.
Rayne @ 180
Send the letter. It cannot hurt and may tip some scales
Scarecrow @ 203
He’s never got a think right!
litigatormom @ 189
THAT’s what did it! The goat!
RE: Specter.
Yawn.
Please. If he wasn’t willing to stand up for habeas corpus, he’s sure as hell not going to stand up to Gonzo and Bush. Specter’s got more bark and less bite than a toothless Dachshund.
RevDeb @ 194
I thought Waxman’s Committee was Government Oversight?
Prayers needed for Gilliard too. Lots of them.
LHP it is. There are several subcommittees of Govt. Oversight. That’s why I asked if this was the one.
RevDeb –
Thanks for the reminder about Steve!
Frank Probst @ 210
that was before the democrat majority proved to him he BETTER stand up for this country
perhaps he can read the writing on the wall and is now willing to DO HIS JOB
Kerry vs. Lieberman, Sam Fox. My left nutmeg. This stuff is *unreal*. Kerry grilling swift boat contributor up for a job. Lieberman praising swiftie.
RevDeb @ 194
Waxman has Oversight and Gov’t Affairs.
This is the committee
Rep. Tom Lantos, California
Rep. Edolphus Towns, New York
Rep. Paul E. Kanjorski, Pennsylvania
Rep. Carolyn B. Maloney, New York
Rep. Elijah E. Cummings, Maryland
Rep. Dennis J. Kucinich, Ohio
Rep. Danny K. Davis, Illinois
Rep. John F. Tierney, Massachusetts
Rep. Wm. Lacy Clay, Missouri
Rep. Diane E. Watson, California
Rep. Stephen F. Lynch, Massachusetts
Rep. Brian Higgins, New York
Rep. John A. Yarmuth, Kentucky
Rep. Bruce L. Braley, Iowa
Rep. Eleanor Holmes Norton, District of Columbia
Rep. Betty McCollum, Minnesota
Rep. Jim Cooper, Tennessee
Rep. Chris Van Hollen, Maryland
Rep. Paul W. Hodes, New Hampshire
Rep. Christopher S. Murphy, Connecticut
Rep. John P. Sarbanes, Maryland
Rep. Peter Welch, Vermont
Republicans
Rep. Tom Davis, Virginia, Ranking Minority Member
Rep. Dan Burton, Indiana
Rep. Christopher Shays, Connecticut
Rep. John M. McHugh, New York
Rep. John L. Mica, Florida
Rep. Mark E. Souder, Indiana
Rep. Todd Russell Platts, Pennsylvania
Rep. Chris Cannon, Utah
Rep. John J. Duncan, Jr., Tennessee
Rep. Michael Turner, Ohio
Rep. Darrell E. Issa, California
Rep. Kenny Marchant, Texas
Rep. Lynn A. Westmoreland, Georgia
Rep. Patrick T. McHenry, North Carolina
Rep. Virginia Foxx, North Carolina
Rep. Brian Bilbray, California
Rep. Bill Sali, Idaho
Vacancy
looseheadprop @
211
Chris Van Hollen, isn’t he the guy who is taking over Rahm Emanuel’s job on the DCCC?
looseheadprop @ 209
A good friend of mine who lives in the country has these cute little ‘fainting’ goats that get really stiff legs and fall over every time they get scared, which is frequently (obviously domesticated animals — that trait wouldn’t last long in a Darwinian evolutionary scheme). But wouldn’t they be apropos of the BushCo running scared meme?
perris @ 215
I wouldn’t count on it. I have no, repeat no faith in the man having any scruples whatsoever.
RevDeb @ 162
that sounds great! if i don’t go to DC for the hearing (and maybe the saturday protest)…. please sign me up for the party!
(i have a call into my congressman’s office about getting passes – i’d love to take my oldest nephew to DC for the hearing and a visit to the spy museum!)
looseheadprop @ 211
Committee on Oversight and Government Reform
new thread up top… damn blue dogs keep yappin away.
perris @ 215
Like Leiberman’s doing?
portia @ 219
Yes, he is.
looseheadprop @ 195
If their testimony could only subject them to civil liability, then they couldn’t plead the Fifth. But all of these bozos could conceivably be charged with “the underlying crime” of violating the IIPA. You can claim the Fifth in any proceeding, criminal or civil, based on a good faith belief that your truthful testimony could subject you to prosecution. The fact that it would also protect them from subjecting themselves to potential civil liability is an unhappy by-product of such an assertion of the Fifth.
Unless they get either immunity or pardons for everything arising out of the Plame leak, they can indeed plead the Fifth before Waxman.
Cheney won’t want to do that, though. He will simply claim Unitary Executive Privilege.
RevDeb @ 168
Membership
Henry A. Waxman, California, Chairman
Rep. Tom Lantos, California
Rep. Edolphus Towns, New York
Rep. Paul E. Kanjorski, Pennsylvania
Rep. Carolyn B. Maloney, New York
Rep. Elijah E. Cummings, Maryland
Rep. Dennis J. Kucinich, Ohio
Rep. Danny K. Davis, Illinois
Rep. John F. Tierney, Massachusetts
Rep. Wm. Lacy Clay, Missouri
Rep. Diane E. Watson, California
Rep. Stephen F. Lynch, Massachusetts
Rep. Brian Higgins, New York
Rep. John A. Yarmuth, Kentucky
Rep. Bruce L. Braley, Iowa
Rep. Eleanor Holmes Norton, District of Columbia
Rep. Betty McCollum, Minnesota
Rep. Jim Cooper, Tennessee
Rep. Chris Van Hollen, Maryland
Rep. Paul W. Hodes, New Hampshire
Rep. Christopher S. Murphy, Connecticut
Rep. John P. Sarbanes, Maryland
Rep. Peter Welch, Vermont
Republicans
Rep. Tom Davis, Virginia, Ranking Minority Member
Rep. Dan Burton, Indiana
Rep. Christopher Shays, Connecticut
Rep. John M. McHugh, New York
Rep. John L. Mica, Florida
Rep. Mark E. Souder, Indiana
Rep. Todd Russell Platts, Pennsylvania
Rep. Chris Cannon, Utah
Rep. John J. Duncan, Jr., Tennessee
Rep. Michael Turner, Ohio
Rep. Darrell E. Issa, California
Rep. Kenny Marchant, Texas
Rep. Lynn A. Westmoreland, Georgia
Rep. Patrick T. McHenry, North Carolina
Rep. Virginia Foxx, North Carolina
Rep. Brian Bilbray, California
Rep. Bill Sali, Idaho
This is the Committee. I, too, wrote Waxman a thank-you note.
Members of the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform
Democrats
Henry A. Waxman, California, Chairman
Rep. Tom Lantos, California
Rep. Edolphus Towns, New York
Rep. Paul E. Kanjorski, Pennsylvania
Rep. Carolyn B. Maloney, New York
Rep. Elijah E. Cummings, Maryland
Rep. Dennis J. Kucinich, Ohio
Rep. Danny K. Davis, Illinois
Rep. John F. Tierney, Massachusetts
Rep. Wm. Lacy Clay, Missouri
Rep. Diane E. Watson, California
Rep. Stephen F. Lynch, Massachusetts
Rep. Brian Higgins, New York
Rep. John A. Yarmuth, Kentucky
Rep. Bruce L. Braley, Iowa
Rep. Eleanor Holmes Norton, District of Columbia
Rep. Betty McCollum, Minnesota
Rep. Jim Cooper, Tennessee
Rep. Chris Van Hollen, Maryland
Rep. Paul W. Hodes, New Hampshire
Rep. Christopher S. Murphy, Connecticut
Rep. John P. Sarbanes, Maryland
Rep. Peter Welch, Vermont
Republicans
Rep. Tom Davis, Virginia, Ranking Minority Member
Rep. Dan Burton, Indiana
Rep. Christopher Shays, Connecticut
Rep. John M. McHugh, New York
Rep. John L. Mica, Florida
Rep. Mark E. Souder, Indiana
Rep. Todd Russell Platts, Pennsylvania
Rep. Chris Cannon, Utah
Rep. John J. Duncan, Jr., Tennessee
Rep. Michael Turner, Ohio
Rep. Darrell E. Issa, California
Rep. Kenny Marchant, Texas
Rep. Lynn A. Westmoreland, Georgia
Rep. Patrick T. McHenry, North Carolina
Rep. Virginia Foxx, North Carolina
Rep. Brian Bilbray, California
Rep. Bill Sali, Idaho
Vacancy
litigatormom @ 227
And that, in and of itself, will be very revealing. Seeing them plead the 5th on teevee will be a sight to behold. And seeing Darth stonewall with smoke coming out of his ears—if he shows up at all, will be worth the price of admission.
lhp @ 131
what exactly is greymail?
I read that Fitz lost a big case having to do with disclosing classified info, so my gut feel is that it is very difficult to prove Libby, Armitage (especially..) knew she was classified. However, Cathie Martin seemed to suspect it….
litigatormom @ 227
Wouldn’t be the worst thing in the world to debunk that load of crap in any arena. A public hearing with the Veep claiming executive privileges to hide his criminal activity might be absolutely perfect. I say bring it on!
from Froomkin’s column:
Sidney Blumenthal writes in Salon about the latest meeting of Bush’s book club, where the guest was “Andrew Roberts, an English conservative historian and columnist and the author of ‘The Churchillians’ and, most recently, ‘A History of the English-Speaking People Since 1900.”
“The subject of Winston Churchill inspired Bush’s self-reflection. The president confided to Roberts that he believes he has an advantage over Churchill, a reliable source with access to the conversation told me. He has faith in God, Bush explained, but Churchill, an agnostic, did not. Because he believes in God, it is easier for him to make decisions and stick to them than it was for Churchill. Bush said he doesn’t worry, or feel alone, or care if he is unpopular. He has God.”
——-
Shrub obviously doesn’t know atheist from agnostic, and probably can’t tell where his ’support’ is coming from. Hint: God gives you doubts and questions.
Darth will get a convenient umpteenth heart attack, no?
Maybe this time it’ll be a heart attack in his knees.
Chee knee.
this has to stop, this is getting to be too much, it’s like a dream…someone pinch me
from raw story
P J Evans @ 233
Not to mention what scripture says about who the Father of Lies is.
AP has new story: “Round Two Set to Begin in CIA Leak Saga”
I. L. “Colluder” Fibby @ 237
ooh ooh ooh
cut and paste please
Interesting little tidbit from, of all people, Bob Novak: ( http://www.washingtonpost.com/…..02045.html )
“Armitage had turned himself in to the Justice Department three months before Fitzgerald entered the case, without notifying the White House or releasing me from my requirement of confidentiality.”
Now isn’t that interesting? Armitage told one of his co-workers (Grossman? I can’t remember.) that he was the leaker, not to mention his boss (Powell). But he didn’t tell “the White House” (i.e. Rove). He was supposedly willing to resign over it. Why wouldn’t this information make it back to the White House? My guess: Armitage thought that he’d been set up. And that, ladies and gentlemen, would pretty much explain how we got here. Armitage tells the FBI he thinks he was set up to leak the information. The FBI realize that Libby and Rove are lying to them. They suspect a conspiracy, but they can’t get to the bottom of it. Hence, their request for Fitz. And why doesn’t Fitz just say, “You’ve got the leaker, so we’re all done here.”? Because the reason they asked for him in the first place is that the FBI thought there was quite a bit more to it than that. And the fact that Armitage kept the White House out of the loop speaks volumes.
Mrs. K8 @
83
Yes, I’d already thought of that, even before the announcement, since I knew Waxman’s been waiting in the wings for the Libby trial to be over. I’m not sure I’d call it a fantasy, though; seems to me if Waxman needs an expert at his side and can’t have Fitz on retainer thoughout this process he’d better start bargaining for Marcy’s services.
If he has any doubts about her ability to clearly explain all the ins and outs of the case, all he needs to do is pick up a copy of “Anatomy of Deceit”. It’s an easy read, lucidly reasoned, and there’s lots of goodies in the endnotes. (Semi O/T: I took it along to read while my daughter was in dance class one day. The previous Saturday, I’d been re-reading a Harry Potter book, and she thought I was still reading Harry Potter, a series she’s too young for but one of the older girls she sees in the changing room is quite fond of. She said to the older girl, “Look, look what my mom is reading!” and I had to tell her that it wasn’t Harry Potter, “This book is about a real Voldemort.” Maybe with Congressional investigations we can get all the Voldemorts…)
Just a quick note for people from Illinois.
Senator Durbin is doing an online petition to tell Bush not to pardon Libby.
perris @ 235
Think this woulda’ happened with a Repug Congress?
11/7 changed everything. Go Blue America and Howard Dean!
Brisingamen @ 54
ZIP 4 is a very powerful tool. It will do much more than you could possibly imagine ( unless you work for the USPS ).
ZIP 4 guarantees that the area is no larger than a city block. When it first came out, where I was living I was the only one with the full ZIP. Where I now live, I share the ZIP 4 with only three nearby neighbors.
Using tools such as MapQuest e.g. you can enter the ZIP 4 without a street address, city, or state – and get the map. By way of example, I entered the address of the gym where I just came from a workout and the map gave the exact location with nothing more than the ZIP 4 for the input. Moreover it appears that only the gym has that particular ZIP 4. As a test, address an envelope to yourself with only your last name and the ZIP 4, to verify the power of this tool. You might even try using just your initials and the ZIP 4. It will still get to you quickly, unless you are in an unusual ZIP 4 that has many addresses.
P.S. I am not from the USPS. I merely was curious and checked it out. Once I discovered the power of ZIP 4 I have always used it.
FWIW, I just sent this to Saint Harry.
Dear Representative Waxman:
It is with great relief and considerable hope that I greet the news that Ms. Valerie Wilson (nee Plame) will testify before your committee on March 16. Her experience should never be repeated, and I’m hopeful that your colleagues and you will find it instructive to hear from others directly involved in the incidents surrounding and including the officially sanctioned, but not necessarily lawful, exposure of Ms. Wilson’s role in this country’s intelligence-gathering community, and especially since one hears that she was intimately associated with collection of information about Iran’s nuclear research program(s). If I am correct in believing what I’ve heard about her treatment at the hands of the highest officials in the land, our national security was breached, and for the meanest of political reasons.
I look forward to the March 16 hearing.
Sincerely,
Rob Gargett
johnSwifty @ 175
Yeah, it does feel kind of like watching Capt. Steve skating with The Stanley Cup !
Frank Probst @ 143
I saw a little clip of the two of them walking out of the courthouse.
They did that little dance couples do when one is deeply angry with the other and wants nothing to do with him, but they are in public.
So its a subtle game of her not letting him touch her and him covering up that she has just rebuffed his touch.
Makes me think that the ones she wants to expletive are in the OVP and above.
Octopus on the Ice!! I’m at the Joe!!! Woohoo!!!
Mr. Fitzgerald, was the CIA job of Valerie Plame Wilson classified?
Fitz: Yes.
That information was disclosed to the public.
Do you know who disclosed that information to unqualified listeners?
Fitz: Yes.
Are you going to prosecute them?
Fitz:
Rayne @ 247
A fine Detroit tradition!
I’ve never been to the Joe, but I grew up watching my north stars get pounded by the wings. Now, I’m off to the Minnesota state tourney to see some of the best contested hockey in the world! Cheers!
Issa and Bilbray. No esta bueno…
Go Waxman!
Go Waxman!
Go Waxman!
(Some trouble I’m stiring up over at huffpo)
The attempt to spin this as a partisan hit-job is just — you know — lame.
By: GrouchoMarxist on March 07, 2007 at 11:04pm
You’ve got to be kidding. The CIA is littered with leftists who came on during previous administrations. They are part of a shadow government blah blah blah
And I know you’re not kidding. You’re uninformed. blah blah blah
Come on gang, call me names!
By: jacksnead on March 08, 2007 at 12:04am
OK, You are a hysterical conspiracy theorist, grasping at straws.
Let us examine you conspiracy timeline:
Sept 11, 2001, some guy named Osama bin Laden does something to hurt America, it cannot have been very important, seeing as we had done nothing to capture or kill him.
Six months later: Feb 02, Good VP Richard Cheney (thank you God for preserving him and his weak heart this long to so nobly serve America) gets wind of a deal between Saddam and Niger for yellow cake, and asks nice and sweet for an investigation, meanwhile:
Deep in the bowels of darkest CIA the evil Witch Plame hatches a plan. She perceives that eleven months in the future, Our God-Sent President, GWB, will cite a foreign government’s report of this deal, but it will based on claims in a bogus document. Aha! The opportunity to do evil! She’s an evil-doer!
She calls up her trusty partner in the destruction of all things good and American, her husband Joe. He packs his surfboard and goes to Niger. Between catching waves and drinking Mia-tias (The Evil Witch Plame had to stay home to care for their 2 year olds) he concludes that there is no way that Niger is going to sell yellowcake to Iraq.
Joe returns and makes his report to that center of all things evil, the CIA, which then briefs the good VP Richard Cheney (did I thank God for Richard?) Then the evil team waits patiently for the SOTU in eleven months.
End of part one.
Part two.
January, ’03, God’s Gift to America, GWB, tells the nation the fateful 16 words. The great evil-doer Wilson sees his opportunity, and begins asking around among his former colleagues if Sainted GWB meant Niger? because he wants to be sure when he springs the trap!
Evil Joe waits patiently another two months until the war starts. This puts us at March of ’03. He soon begins telling reporters on background that the president made a boo boo in the SOTU.
By July of 03 the Evil Witch Plame adjudges that the time is ripe to destroy the Good VP and God’s Gift, and writes an op-ed that she orders Joe to sign (Joe being too stupid to be able to write, having spent his whole life surfing.)
And the rest is history.
The time line again:
9/11/01 Saddam destroys the twin towers with an exploding cigar.
2/02 Plame and Wilson begin their cabal to destroy Bush.
1/03 Bush innocently reads the 16 words. He doesn’t understand the words! Cut him some slack!
3/03 The US begins the fifth Crusade, all glory to the Christian and only true God!
7/03 Wilson finally pins Bush to the table like a butterfly on a pin.
Wow! Plame and Wilson can see the 16 words coming eleven months before God’s Gift to America speaks those earth-shattering words! Eleven months and they hatch the most heinous, nefarious plot ever concocted in these United States!
Are they free to advise me on my stock portfolio?
Rockin’. I’m psyched.
Bionic @ 246
Well, she did hug Wells and Jeffress and murmur “Love you, love you” and didn’t touch Scooter, according to our livebloggers, right? She is definitely not happy with Scoots.
i’ve uploaded a very-snazzy
version of waxman’s letter to
fitz over at my blog — a blog solely
about bringing dick cheney to justice.
mui @
63
Lieberman on Fox reminds me of Clinton talking about Marc Rich. No shame in the lot.
Please oh, please oh, please let Waxman’s hearing be public and not behind closed doors!!!!!
*xyz @
156
Perris @ 153 says … “This is BETTER than sex …”
- Sorry guy (no woman would say such a stupid thing) you must be doing it the wrong way.
XYZ @ 156 adds, “This is almost like beating Lieberman.”
- Do you two KNOW each other?
The fact that Waxman got on this so quickly and is going to have hearings with VALERIE is great. Have put it in my calendar. Hmm, that thick Fitzgerald file may just find a comfy home in Waxman’s committee.
YEAH!!!!
WOW! It gets curiouser and curiouser.
Frank Probst @ 239
“vindictive?”
So, a prosecutor is “vindictive” when he or she tries to pursue indictments for perjury or obstruction of justice in every instance that they occur?
what the hell are you talking about? i’m not hating, but vindictive was a poor choice of word there.
a prosecutor’s job is to pursue indictments for any and every legal transgression. to believe that a prosecutor is “vindictive” for doing so is to hold them to a lesser standard.
if Fitzgerald does not pursue further indictments, his Libby success be damned. in the event of the absence of further charges against cheney, rove, and armitage, he should have charges of prosecutorial malfeasance leveled against him.
that might just get his ass REALLY moving.
and question, what the hell is valerie plame going to be able to tell the bulldog that could be of any use against BushCo?
From 148:
the rightwing smear that ordered Joe to go before Cheney even asked — which Marcy has debunked…
I am familiar with the “smear”, but does anyone have a date or site for the debunking (seeing as how she posts at three places)?
I’m sort of in a “trust but verify” mode.
And on a point made in this post:
I just scanned the comments but I didn’t notice any reaction. Good point, bad point, what?
angie @ 201
This has the potential to make big-time stars out of those members who put some real effort into the hearings.
I hope they take it seriously regardless of their motivations.
For now –
GO WAXMAN!!!!
This is excellent news.
I haven’t had time to read the past few threads, so forgive me if this has already ben answered?
I am praying for somebody to carry the ball forward but: What power does Waxman’s commitee really have?
I saw how Valerie will answer questions. And how Fitz was “invited” but how can he progress past that?
I am afraid that if Fitz couldn’t get past the obstruction then it seems to me Waxman can’t either, unless he’s taking a diferent approach and has powers to pursue that approach.. Does he have those?
emptywheel @
62
She should bring the twins in to see Democracy in ACTION!
Frank Probst @
72
She can then describe the impacts that leaks such as occurred would have in general on the lives of covert agents, their sources, and their operations…in the THIRD PERSON.
She can make recommendations on how to revise the law so that US Intelligence agents can feel assured that their lives would not be in danger by Administration officials misusing their security clearances and neing cravenly negligent about Classified documents and materials.
P J Evans @
233
Bush would have left the ANZAC’s to rot of the beaches of Gallipoli. Churchill admitted it was his worst mistake of hubris EVER…and one that justifiably cost him 15 years on his political career.
Of course, Bush has no further political career. But many in his party do…something that Bush seems to forget.
Bush may be the singlemost reason that the Republican Party may go the way of the Whigs…something that even Richard Nixon couldn’t achieve!
Frank Probst @ 143
She may very much want him to go down in history as a John Dean, rather than a John Ehrlichman.
go to
http://www.democraticmajority.com/nopardon
and sign the petition.
In an ideal world, we would go about our daily business, secure in the notion that our government, formed to protect our individual Rights, and to look out for the General Welfare of all of us, is at the very least, not causing harm to the above stated duties.
Alas. We are now in the grips of a “reverse universe” government. As if we were tuned in to Leave it to Beaver, and Wally takes a sniper rifle to the roof of his school, and starts offing “Beatniks”. Ah, Geez.
However, I would suggest to all that we do have an alternative option we can utilize right now: Ignore all the idiotic, soon-to-be-forgotten “news” items regarding candidates for the elections to be held late Next year. As insightful and useful as who is bedding whom on soup operas. Commercials? Turn them off. Change the channel. Let the station know you will start changing the channel if they start broadcasting political ads more than 3 months before the election date.
Concentrate on what we expect from those voted into power in Last Year’s election, and how they are, or are not, carrying out our wishes and desires. Let the emails and letters fly if not satisfied, they’ll hear you, I promise. Do it often.
Then next year, take a moment to figure out how you are going to write in Feingold and Waxman as Prez and Veep, and how you are going to ask they appoint Kucinich as Secretary of State. Take particular enjoyment in knowing Clinton, McCain, Obama, Guiliani and Edwards just blew a billion or more on a campaign you could give two shits about AND you also get REAL Public Servants, doing YOUR bidding.
Amazin’, ain’t it?
Save yourself a bunch of needless visualizing and audio earfuls of worthless rhetoric, filtered through the msm lens of the msm appointed candidates. Like Clinton, Obama, McCain, Guiliani…….
Enjoy the look of horror at the msm propagandists when they realize all of us aren’t ignorant slut Fox News viewers…….the shock on Hillary’s face when she realizes we aren’t fooled. Her Rupert Murdoch alliance, all for nothing….Guiliani, perhaps we can ask how he knew the Towers were coming down? Ask that question when a poller asks you “how you feel” about the candidates.
Enjoy!
Can’t quite decipher why Fitz felt compelled to state the investigation was concluded. I have my “feelings” on why, but those are mine.
However, if Mr. Waxman can find a way to have Ms. Plame testify in a hearing (my info is that she intercepted a shipment of WMD’s going INTO Iraq, to be planted to justify the invasion, led no doubt by the very same person that ordered the fake Yellow Cake documents, hence the fury against her, my opinion), perhaps he can find a way to have Sibel Edmonds also testify. You know, the FBI translator that found evidence for “top politicians” taking bribes from Turkey, found malfeasance of other translators regarding the attacks of 9/11/01? Proof of government trading of weapons and drugs prior to 9/11/01/? Does “top politician” rhythm with Dennis Hastert?
The mere fact she has been placed under a gag order by the Justice Department at the White House’s instructions is all a sane person needs to know.
But Fitz, why? You KNOW someone ordered those Yellow Cake docs. You KNOW they were faked. You KNOW who it is.
Ordered to make it stop here, Fitz?
Too late, can’t shove the lead perp of 9/11/01 back into the sack, Fitz. Too late.
Following up on 263 before this thread dies its natural death – No thoughts on the ‘Miller was coached, justice was obstructed’ theory?
I was wondering if folks had any suggestions as to how that case might have been built – should Fitz have subpoenaed every reporter with a bylined story and grilled them for their sources?
Or subpoenaed Libby’s lawyers, friends, and anyone else who might have been familiar with his GJ testimony?
Any ideas?
P.S. – I really would love to see the “debunking” of the “smear” that Joe was on his way before Cheney got involved. Any luck on that?
farang @
272
In a court of law, it’s not what you KNOW, it’s what you can PROVE. Libby’s lies hid the proof & prevented the truth from being revealed, which is what he was charged with and found guilty of.
The people & jurors who are calling for his pardon are confusing the two – the crime & the cover up. He may be innocent of the crime but he willingly participated in the cover up.
What Fitz did was uncover enough evidence for Congress to hold hearings and prosecute those guilty of the crime.
Please tell me that Marcy & the others, who I wll refer to as the “A Team” of the press, will live blog the hearings.