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Breaking news from the Associated Press:
A federal judge on Thursday dismissed former CIA operative Valerie Plame’s lawsuit against members of the Bush administration in the CIA leak scandal.
Plame, the wife of former Ambassador Joseph Wilson, had accused Vice President Dick Cheney and others of conspiring to leak her identity in 2003. Plame said that violated her privacy rights and was illegal retribution for her husband’s criticism of the administration.
U.S. District Judge John D. Bates dismissed the case on jurisdictional grounds and said he would not express an opinion on the constitutional arguments. Bates dismissed the case against all defendants: Cheney, White House political adviser Karl Rove, former White House aide I. Lewis “Scooter” Libby and former Deputy Secretary of State Richard Armitage.
Plame’s attorneys had said the lawsuit would be an uphill battle. Public officials are normally immune from such lawsuits filed in connection with their jobs.
Thanks to Adam B, here’s the link to the ruling for the legal mavens among you. It says, in part:
. . . the Court finds that, under controlling Supreme Court precedent, special factors — particularly the remedial scheme established by Congress in the Privacy Act — counsel against the recognition of an implied damages remedy for plaintiffs’ constitutional claims. The Court also finds that it lacks subject-matter jurisdiction over the tort claim because plaintiffs have not exhausted their administrative remedies under the Federal Tort Claims Act, which is the proper, and exclusive, avenue for relief on such a claim.
And just for the sake in rubbing salt in everyone’s wounds, there’s this from Editor & Publisher magazine (via Cliff Schecter):
The first major Hollywood film inspired by the Plame/CIA leak case is ready to roll and, surprise, the main focus apparently will not be on a character based on Valerie or Joe Wilson, Bob Novak or even Patrick Fitzgerald — but rather on Judith Miller. And she may be played by Kate Beckinsale, who is quite a few years younger than the real thing.
Or as London’s Daily Telegraph puts it today in a headline: “Kate to play Hack.“
I looked for a version of that story on the Telegraph’s website, but no luck, unfortunately. (Update: Here it is. Thanks to nonplussed in the comments!)
Edie Falco, fresh from “The Sopranos,” is targeted to play the Bill Keller role as the editor of the jailed female reporter. Matt Damon would be the prosecutor [actually, "Variety" said it would be Matt Dillon -- S.], and up-and-comer Vera Farmiga would play the dashing CIA agent.
News has emerged that Rod Lurie, known for his fine Capitol Hill drama “The Contender,” will direct the film, titled “Nothing But the Truth.” . . .Shooting may begin in October. If it happens, this would beat to the screen a planned fact-based film based on the memoir being written by Plame.
So that makes two pieces of bad news in one day. Check out Cliff Schecter’s post for a picture of the actress signed to play the role based on Valerie Plame Wilson.
P.S. Yes, the Wilsons “anticipate filing an appeal” of the ruling dismissing their suit.
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SWOPA!
IMPEACH
hi
So much for justice today…. =^{
Madness.
Was it dismissed with or without prejudice?
Anyone?
How bad does this s*ck? Let me count the ways . . . . .
Further proof that our gov’t has grown beyond the control of its people.
OK, IANAL. WTF is that supposed to mean, they haven’t exhausted all of their Administrative remedies?
I listened to Judy Miller on the Brian Lehrer Show on wnyc (www.wnyc.org) yesterday, and yes, Judy Miller IS a Hack.
And Joe Wilson for Senate (D-New Mexico)!
“U.S. District Judge John D. Bates dismissed the case on jurisdictional grounds and said he would not express an opinion on the constitutional arguments. “
How do you spell the sound of chicken shit??!
Bawk, bawk, bawk, splat!!
Impeach Bates!
The cover-up is almost complete… but
not in our hearts.
John D. Bates of Whitewater fame, no less.
There is no justice in this country right now, so why should any of us adhere to any laws?
Judge Bates is a part of bushco ( http://www.dcd.uscourts.gov/bates-bio.htmlk ) of course. But that should be no surprise to anyone.
It would seem that the neocons have done their coup work well.
From wiki:
LOL707!!!
Here’s what I say to the dishonorable Judge Bates:
‹^› ‹(•¿•)› ‹^›
One day this judge, who also played interference for Darth Cheney and his energy trolls will be outed for being an activist criminal judge.
Another day another criminal act the Bushies get away with entirely!
nomolos @ 15
For now. Only for now. All this shit will come back to bite them hard if the Dems, when they are the majority party in the legislative and executive branches in ‘09 don’t take their eye off the ball and continue to hunt down and kill (metaphorically speaking) this band of murderous thugs.
Franco @ 18
Why have we not heard the “activiet judge” refrain lately?
Judith Miller used books on Amazon.com – 50 cents
Judith Miller botox injections – $10,000
KATE TO PLAY HACK – priceless!
Back to work for me.
I will be popping in and out so I can see what our resident legal eagles can parse from the chicken bones and tea leaves .
((( valerie and joe )))
We are like Wile E. Coyote. They are like the Roadrunner.
I am beyond disgusted. As a longtime reader who rarely comments here, I share my pain with all y’all who have been fighting the good fight, day-in and day-out.
This sux.
Bustednuckles @ 22
I am divining chicken-livers right now.
Lemme know what you divine.
*g*
“Beauty” playing the “Beast”
nomolos @ 15
Yep, you can just hear the wingnut crowing and chest-beating. “Time to move on, Leftie losers…”
BTW- I opened a copy of Novakula’s “Prince of Darkness” POS book at an airport bookstore while on my trip to Florida and back last weekend. He starts right in on Joe Wilson at the very outset, calling him an “arrogant asshole.” So, it is clear that he delighted in outing Valerie, for the most transparently personal reasons.
Fucking traitor.
Bustednuckles @ 26
A whole lotta chicken-shit. And chicken-hawks (I hope everyone has seen Syd Blumenthal’s latest–the guy is brilliant!).
Fact-based versions are so 20th Century.
Woodhall Hollow @ 29
Sorry–I meant Max. The apple does not fall far…
Dang! I like Ms. Beckinsale. I liked “Serendipity” and those vampire movies she did were a nice bit of fluff. It is too bad that she would choose such an equally fluffy quasi-professional like Judy Miller to attempt a real life portrayal.
Wilsons!! Save your money and run for office!!!
LS @ 12
The judge may be a Bush crony, but he most likely followed the law (I haven’t read the entire opinion). That is that a federal court should abstain from unnecessarily deciding a constitutional issue if the court can dispose of the case on non-constitutional grounds.
OT…but Harriet Meirs indicated thru her lawyer she has NO FEAR of being held in contempt of Congress…..PLEASE, PLEASE inherent contempt…NOW ….don’t even wait another minute Mr Conyers!!!
Anyone know anything about the director? The falacious 9/11 trash fictohistory film has been nominated for a bunch of awards. Reminds me that the right wing nuts, not satisfied with spewing phoney lawyers, diplomats, and journalists to press their cause also have sought to infiltrate the entertainment world. Total mind-job on a platter!
siasl @ 24
This is one of the best analogies I’ve ever seen. Seriously.
What is the story with Prosecutor Bates?
So much for Justice, Libby off the Judicial hook, Meirs continues to give the constitution the finger, Valerie Plame Wilson case dismissed by a federal judge, not one person has been held accountable for the false pre-war intelligence.
Who is making the film about Miller? Talk about connected at the roots.
Judy Miller surfaced during the last week didn’t she. Just in time for this ruling. Coinkydink?
Joe Wilson speaking at the House Judiciary Committee. During rethug days.
boxer @ 33
You are supposed to be studying!!!! Oh, yeah, it looks like you have been!! ;>
Margaret Hamilton wasn’t available to play Judith Miller?
-GSD
From page 2 of MEMORANDUM OPINION:
I am going to be sick.
Hollywood has always been an establishment propaganda machine. What would interest me is:
1. Who is producing…and to whom are they connected, which, if followed carefully enough will connect them back to…..uh, I’ll bet I know.
2. You’re gonna find that the script portrays Miller Shooter, and the rest of the criminal crew as heros….and Plame and Wilson as traitors.
It is not just capitalizing on a news hook anymore. It is part of the whole plot to overthrow the Constitution. Go back to Sleep America, it’s all ok. The movie says so.
Don’t believe me? Watch
Dang it, I’m having a ‘Senatorial Moment’.
I can’t remember where I set down my work gloves.
johnSwifty @ 31
Ah, I remember her at college, before she dropped out to waste her life making high-budget Hollywood films.
But who’da thunk that Judge Whitewater von Knickersniffer Jr. would have a problem with this?
Wilson as senator. Hmmm, something tells me he wouldn’t be part of the “it’s time for healing” caucus.
By the way. Saudi Arabia is exporting jihadis into Lebanon these days.
It is suspected that a Saudi national was the suicide bomber in the assassination of Rafiq Hariri.
Bush and Saudi Arabia the love that dare not speak it’s name.
-GSD
I see an undercurrent fomenting.
First, an inveterate shill like Tweety nearly breaks himself kow-towing to her Milleryness. Second, a particularly becoming actress is engaged to play the particularly unbecoming, said Milleryness. Third, the director of the piece is determined to be a right wing propaganda specialist. Can anyone smell history being rewritten?
Melanie Sloan, atty for Joe and Valerie, has issued a statement noting their disappointment but saying they have always expected the case to be decided by a higher court.
Here the Telegraph webpage. Judy must have needed some $. Showed up just in time to maximize her earning power.
Kate to Play Hack?
GSD @ 41
7070707! Nice!
GSD @ 48
And get this! The Syrians are busy arresting Saudis who are trying to enter Iraq via Syria. There is a bit of an outcry about this in the heavily censored Saudi press (see arabnews.com).
Harriet Harris (Bebe Glazer on Frasier) was born to play Judy!
http://images.usatoday.com/lif…..ewives.jpg
I’d like to know why it took so fucking long
to issue his ruling? He KNEW on day one that
he would fling it in the hopper…
Delay, delay, delay… just going thru the motions… despicable
Woodhall Hollow @18: “For now. Only for now. All this shit will come back to bite them hard if the Dems, when they are the majority party in the legislative and executive branches in ‘09 don’t take their eye off the ball and continue to hunt down and kill (metaphorically speaking) this band of murderous thugs.”
“the arc of the moral universe is long, but it bends towards justice…” MLK
if not the Dems, then surely the Lords of Karma will.
fdl reader @ 49
Wasn’t she the wicked witch in the Wizard of Oz?
Why is Judy Miller suddenly making the rounds on talk shows?
I hope the producers of this movie know that Edie Falco is a woman.
The E&P article had this say about the movie’s director:
Joe Wilson sez:
Marc Frydman will produce and the Yari Film Group will finance. Rod Lurie is directing. The link is to the Variety blurb.
Nothing But the Truth
Link to story in Arab News about Saudis arrested in Syria.
I really recommend keeping an eye on this site. Most of it is bullshit, but there are some gems that come to light now and again.
hackworth @ 57
Yep.
I’ll get you Dorothy . . . . and your little dog too!”
fdl reader @ 51
Here’s Kate Beckinsale as Judith Miller…..go to image #287
Ed*ard Teller @ 63
OMG! Spew warning, please!
Jane Hamsher @ 59
What can you say. There are so few heroes on the world stage today. So few to look at and hold up as an example to our children and say, “Look, here is a man worth emulating; be like him.”
Joe Wilson is one of the few I feel capable of holding up to my sons as an example I would have them emulate. He is a true hero in an otherwise dearth.
Our beloved Marcy has already written (in a white heat, I imagine) to Congress.
I’m fascinated that a woman reporter, sometimes accused of craftily using her feminine wiles with men who source for or supervise her, will have her editor — Bill Keller — played by a woman, Edie Falco. Is this an attempt to play down the Mata Hari aspect of Judy Miller’s story?
Removing the potential m/f sexual tension between Miller and her male editor is an odd choice.
Just skimmed through the decision. What a bag job. Particularly bogus is the scope of employment analysis starting at about page 36.
Look forward to the further analysis by sharper minds than I.
“Kate to play Hack.“
..hear hear, to the British press…
Just figured out a no-brainer…
WHOEVER is willing to seek and print the truth IS the 4th Estate. It has moved around, always finding a place to reside, ever since the pamphleteers of colonial America first took up the mantle.
“The Blogs” just happen to be the latest title holder.
nonplussed @ 59
If Bloody Judy makes money off of her crimes and if Hollywood spins Judy out to be a hero…the media is as tied up and in lock down as many of us fear
Ed*ard Teller @ 63
I’m not saying a word!
Lawsuits are too slow, and there usually are a lot of lawyers in Courtrooms involved (scary). I have another suggestion. The Wilsons should…Start…A…Blog. Be activists, help expose the massive abuse of “national security”, giving us 4 dead Americans a day. Provide a safe haven for whistleblowers. Maybe do a internet TV show. Even Vinnie in the basement, knows there are plenty more evil secrets that need exposure.
But I am grateful to Joe and Valerie (even if they support Hillary).
johnSwifty @ 64
Joe Wilson is a noble soul.
nonplussed @ 50
BOYCOTT THIS FILM BOYCOTT THIS FILM. If the courts will not hold Judy Miller accountable for her journalistic crimes then we must.
BOYCOTT THIS FILM!
Ed*ard Teller @ 63
Funny, that looks like one Dracula’s three “Wives” from the Hugh Jackman vehicle that Kate also starred in; but an entirely different actress. Regardless, that look is still too becoming for an accurate portrayal of Judy Miller.
nonplussed @ 51
This says the prosecutor will be played by Matt Dillon (who is not Matt Damon).
ET’s picture site crashed.
:(
TeddySanFran @ 68
It is just flat out stupid and disingenuous.
Kathleen @ 73
Ecactly! I won’t be seeing it and I will make sure to tell everyone I meet not to see it.
FEDERAL TORT CLAIMS ACT – The FTCA provides a limited waiver of the federal government’s sovereign immunity when its employees are negligent within the scope of their employment. Under the FTCA, the government can only be sued ‘under circumstances where the United States, if a private person, would be liable to the claimant in accordance with the law of the place where the act or omission occurred.’ 28 U.S.C. S 1346(b). Thus, the FTCA does not apply to conduct that is uniquely governmental, that is, incapable of performance by a private individual.
Thus, the judge has ruled that the betrayal of a CIA agent is within the scope of employment for a federal official in the Bush administration.
That’s always where the case was going, and somebody had to say it in order that the case be dismissed, but it’s still a bit shocking.
gotta run, bbl.
Woodhall Hollow @ 66
What’s Congress going to do about it? Well, as we all know the only thing TO do is IMPEACH (see my #2) the motherfuckers.
Helen @ 36 – thx, but I wish it wasn’t true.
Jane @ 58 – I hope they are successful, but I wonder if we’re just going to have to accept the idea that these people are really simply going to get away with it all. They hold too many cards.
I’m not saying give up, but perhaps we should focus on the longer term objectives. Joe or Valerie Wilson as elected officials, I must say I like that idea.
Even longer term, I for one am pledging to myself to never forget what can happen if we become too blase in our views on politics. Quite a few people correctly predicted W would be a terrible president, but I don’t know anyone who thought we would be arguing over the legitimacy of habeus corpus, torture and outing of CIA agents.
Never Again should be our motto. Never. Again.
“If it happens, this would beat to the screen a planned fact-based film based on the memoir being written by Plame.”
BOYCOTT ANY FILM ABOUT BLOODY JUDY MILLER OR ANY BOOK SHE WRITES.
If our Justice system will not hold liars and fabricators like Bloody Judy accountable for lying about WMD’s then we must.
“Few will have the greatness to bend history itself, but each of us can work to change a small portion of events, and in the total of all those acts will be written the history of this generation” Robert Fitzgerald Kennedy
From a memorial in front of Brooklyn Supreme Ct
I think it still means us.
Happy Blogosphere Day to all at FDL
Bustednuckles @ 9
Because of the doctrne of Sovereign Immunity you cannot sue the government unless it consents to be sued.
The US government consents to be sued in only the Court of Federal Claims, which has different deadlines and proceedure than regular US District Court
The wingutosphere has entered it’s final solution phase in their demonization of Muslims. World Nut Daily has a vulgar piece about Muslims cooking and eating children…..How far off is a Protocols of the Elders of Mecca?
Paving the way to nuke the dehumanized enemy.
-GSD
Kathleen @ 73
Exactly! I won’t be seeing it and I will make sure to tell everyone I meet not to see it.
Woodhall Hollow @ 75
According to Robert Novak he’s an “arrogant asshole” whose wife, consequently, deserved to be outed to assuage Novak’s personal antipathy.
Right there in the opening pages of his book.
Here is something on Lurie. Has anyone seen his film Deterrence? It is about Iraq a US invasion and nuclear war. Hmmm!(http://www.rossanthony.com/interviews/lurie.shtml
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Deterrence_(film)
mc @ 80
That is right — and for anyone who still does not understand what is at stake, watch this!
We need to redouble our efforts for impeachment. It’s our last best hope.
Hmmm, Ok LHP.
thanks.
bluejeansntshirt @ 84
Francis
OT It’s almost 5PM EST and there’s no Froomkin up yet. Why do I get so anxious when he’s late? He didn’t mention being away.
Guess I always worry that the business side of WaPo will find him too much of a truth teller.
BobbyG @ 87
Robert Novak is projecting. Big time. Sorry to rely on such an obvious point, but sometimes it doesn’t hurt to point out the obvious.
Novakula is slime and a PUTZ…..
BobbyG @ 88
Did I fail to mention that I’m in the business of raising arrogant assholes? The apple doesn’t fall far from the tree ;-)
If this film tries to spin Judy into a hero instead of the purposely irresponsible and immoral journalist that she is, People should stand outside of theatres that show this film with pictures of dead Iraqi people and American soldiers who are the result of Bloody Judy’s reporting.
“The alleged means by which defendants chose to rebut Mr. Wilson’s comments and attack his credibility may have been highly unsavory, ” Bates wrote. “But there can be no serious dispute that the act of rebutting public criticism, such as that levied by Mr. Wilson against the Bush administration’s handling of prewar foreign intelligence, by speaking with members of the press is within the scope of defendants’ duties as high-level Executive Branch officials.”
I wonder what sort of actions taken to punish critics would not be “within the scope of the defendant’s duties as high-level Exectuve Brance officials.” I guess the judge thanks they should be pleased they aren’t being held in Kamchatka.
This sounds awful. If they were going to say she couldn’t sue, why did they wait till now? Didn’t everything start a week or two ago?
Thank you Joe and Valerie Wilson/Plame. Sorry to hear about this last kick in your gut for your service to your country.
Please take it up a notch…we are right behind you.
Shorter Judge Bates, Val Wilson is fair game.
-GSD
Kathleen @ 97
Asshole movie director types just love them some innocent naive female heroine types. And that is how Judy has been spun since day one.
Yawn.
GSD @ 101
Or said differently: The Junta may not be questioned.
GSD @ 102
————————————-
EXACTLY
Congratulations George W. Now the Pentagon is acting like an arm of the RNC.
G.W. has ruined America.
Cheney Pentagon hack accuses Sen. Clinton of aiding the enemy.
-GSD
Part of Marcy’s letter to congress
” It’s time to step up, Congress. That crappy hearing last week did much to polarize the two parties. But did little to address the evidence before us, pertaining directly to Bush’s potential move to declassify a CIA spy’s identity for political retaliation. Two judges who have reviewed the facts agree the actions were wrong. What is Congress going to do about it?”
Completely OT but a good nod to Blogosphere Day -go here and follow the link to vote for Juan Melli … http://www.bluejersey.com/show…..aryId=5261
BobbyG @ 89
And we are to believe what Boob NoFacts says?
When, oh when, will someone in our Legislative Branch of government start standing up with Valerie and Joe Wilson to help share the burden of defending the honest and unbiased analysis of intelligence for our ‘common defense,’ and of upholding and demanding minimal standards of ethical conduct of those entrusted with high public office in our Executive Branch?
The commutation of Libby’s prison term resonates across this country – that event was covered by the “mainstream media” and printed on the front page of most newspapers in this country, and the underlying motive of Bush’s sudden move was obvious and clear even to those who didn’t follow the case or trial.
It is past time for the House Judiciary Committee to commence an Impeachment Inquiry into the Republican Executive Branch’s exposure of our CIA WMD covert spy Valerie Plame. Most of the work has already been meticulously done for them by Special Counsel Fitzgerald and his team of investigators, and Congress knows it can access all of that grand jury material upon approval of a judge, under the FRofCP Rule 6(e) impeachment proceeding exception to the otherwise-enforced general rule of grand jury secrecy.
http://www.usdoj.gov/olc/gjag.htm
Could the Wilsons sue right wing hacks and their publishers for libel (for their various allegations — not a covert op, a traitor, a perjurer etc)?
looseheadprop @ 85
Right. I know it won’t make most people here feel any better, but, the judge didn’t say the Wilson’s claims lacked merit, and/or, that they shouldn’t be heard. His ruling was that they shouldn’t be heard in Federal Dist. Crt. at this time.
Jane (nyc) @ 95
I posted a link a couple of threads down on Christy’s thread about what the blogs are saying. sometimes they don’t post him on the front page so you have to go to the “editorial/blogs” pick list and scroll down to the very bottom to find him, click on the White House Watch Dan Froomkin and it takes you to his stuff
TeddySanFran @ 75
Variety says Matt Dillon, too. I’ll have to look into changing the picture. (Unless Jane wants me to keep Matt Damon there for the sake of boosting site traffic.)
boxer @ 112
So what court would they go to? A state? Washington isn’t in one.
Blub @ 110
In most other civilized country, they could. But libel laws are almost impossible to litigate in this country, as the burden of proof is put upon the litigant (to prove that a knowing lie was told–let’s call it the Judy Miller rationale) rather than the writer or speaker, to prove what what was said or written was true.
GSD @ 106
he… Under the shrub’s new royal edict on asset seizures, doesn’t this mean shrubco can seize her assets? ..only being half facetious here…
Setting aside the ruling by the judge which was obviously anticipated by the Wilsons…
Forgive me if I am dense, but why does everyone automatically think the film will be pro Judy Judy Judy, and anti Joe and Valerie Wilson?
That said, I really want to know who will play Joe Wilson. *g*
Blub @ 117
My exact first thoughts. Just like Kyle Sampson said about the provision to appoint USA’s unfettered, why have it if you don’t use it?
-GSD
dakine01 @ 111
You can believe from what he wrote that his primary intent all along was to fuck with the Wilsons, so yes, in that context we can believe what he wrote. He didn’t like Joe, so he made it a point to out Valerie.
Sixty Something @ 118
Joe Wilson will be played by Danny Devito.
-GSD
That horrible biatch Babs Comstock is on the phone representing Romney on Hardball…..talking about the Romney-Obama flap on sex-ed
YUCK
GSD @ 102
Franco @ 121
Gawd. The woman must be really hungry. Talk about bottom-feeding.
I assume the Wilsons will be dining on Chilean Sea Bass in the film following a holiday aboard a Japanese whaling ship which Kate Beckingsdale attempts to board with the 101st Fighting Keyboarders.
That’s about right for historical accuracy, eh?
GSD @ 121
…and no doubt rethug central casting will cast Rosie O’Donnell as Ms Plame
I do like the idea of Ambassador or Ms. Wilson running for New Mexico Senator in 2008. It would replace a Neanderthal with an honorable and courageous person.
GSD @ 121
Get your point, but Danny boy seems like a better fit for Cheney to me. Just give him some platform shoes.
you will not believe how Comstock is spinning..
She is so sick!
dakine01 @ 113
Found Froomkin! Thanks so much. For some reason, there’s no link from the top tray which is how I usually locate the column.
Much appreciate your heads up!
Kathleen @ 73
FWIW, E&P says of the director:
Especially given the title (”Nothing But the Truth”), it’s possible that the film will explore Miller’s, shall we say, complicated moral position.
GSD @ 121
Do we have a game of bizarro-world casting going on? If so, Andy Dick plays Fitzgerald and Jon Lovitz (as Libby) beats the crap out of him.
We need to develop a way to influence the production of this stupid film. Unfortunately, the more noise we create the more exposure the stupid film is given.
It makes me so sick when reality and movie myth are combined to reinforce government/corporate propaganda.
this is at Crooks and liars
UPDATE: TP reports that Judge Bates is the same judge that dismissed the suit over Cheney’s energy task force meetings. “Activist judge”, anyone?
marymccurnin @ 133
Well, hasn’t it always has been that way?
When we get supermajorities in both houses of Congress in ‘09, can we please please please carry out a long list of judicial impeachments?
Clinton I for lame-assed Fisher King.
The elephant in the White House sitting room is that no matter how you spin it, the decision to invade Iraq was disastrous. There never was a “good” possible outcome.
And now we and the unfortunate people of Iraq are stuck with the consequences.
Woodhall Hollow @ 95
In terms of giving example to our children, Bob Novak is equally impressive as a completely negative example. My old Romper Room training comes into play, “Do be a DooBee, Don’t be a a DontBee; and kids, sure as hell don’t be like Robert Novak!!!!”
Maybe they could just edit this scene into the movie…(warning: lots of swearing): (Deconstructing Harry)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZxD0012FwsU
Kathleen @ 134
———————————–
I just wrote my congresspeople and said they should be repeating over and over …
“Conservative ACTIVIST Judges”
over and over
BobbyG @ 120
Oh I have no doubt that Nofacts was out to f*ck with the wilsons. And I can believe the called Joe Wilson an arrogant a**. But I am old enough to know that when Boob Nofacts makes a claim about someone, it is usually wise to believe the exact opposite. Saves time as he really is nothing but a hack.
Franco @ 128
Do tell!
johnSwifty @ 137
707!
Jane (nyc) @ 130
My pleasure. I know what it’s like to miss him some days. Like tomorrow fer instance…
BobbyG @ 120
Novak outing Wilson/Plame and Miller’s outrageously inaccurate WMD lying are reasons for an OFFICIAL SECRETS ACT.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Official_Secrets_Act They should both be in jail for their crimes.
retirin’ in five @ 135
Certainly has but it still makes my stomach hurt.
SnarKassandra @ 115
There is a court of Federal Claims attached to each circuit. So, since the torts happened in DC, they would file i the C of FC for the DC Circuit. It’s not that complicated. The Court of Federal Claims has it’s own sepeate appeals court, too.
Kathleen @ 145
are you kidding? Under a shrubco-written Official Secrets Act, WE’d all be in jail. Or worse…
Blub @ 117
Robert Mugabe would be proud…
looseheadprop @ 147
Thank you for answering.
So will the Plames go there next? Are the judges there Bushies too?
What?
Shouldn’t that be Beckinsale to play Hackforsale?
The entire Libby/Plame/Cheney/Novak incident was “off the map” for most Americans. Given that; what impact is this silly film going to have on same.
This reminds me of a recent Onion headline: “Latest Titanic film to tell story from iceberg’s point of view.”
She tried to inject that Obama said that Kindergartners should be taught about…
Partial birth abortion
homosexuality
She was called on it when she tried to conflate what Obama actually said with what he talked about in the rest of his speech…She repeated 7 times ‘That LIBRUL organization, Planned Parenthood”
Mike Barnacle in for Tweety called her on it, but didn’t do a good job at it!
mr libby was so nice to kate beckingsdale. did you see how mean fitzgerald was when she didn’t want to go to jail overrun with lesbian gangs?
(future meaningful discussions)
Kathleen @ 145
The last thing we need is an “Official Secrets Act”. That’s pretty much what the chimpenfuhrer is trying to implement by decree with all his Executive Privilege claims and you see where that is getting us.
looseheadprop @ 146
Sorry LHP, but you have lost me with this explanation! (ianal)
Ed*ard Teller @ 149
Cheney would no doubt propose to seize Hill’s campaign funds, launder them through Dubai, and then contribute them to the Fred T’s campaign… I mean, now that the rethugs can’t seem to get their regular contributors to cough up more than a pittance
Franco @ 152
I was right. The woman is desperate.
What a crock! Valerie Plame must not give up the fight against the merciless, illegal, thugs who call themselves our leaders. Surely, she must find justice someday. And see if I go to see a movie that features the saga of Judith Miller over Valerie Plame!
Gilda Werner Reed, Ph.D., Candidate for US House, LA 1st District.
Yeah, I hear ya. And it will be heavily marketed by the corporations as the definitive story of the Plame incident — both in publicizing the movie and on the MSM as tease. And an entire generation will grow up thinking that Lee Harvey Oswald acted alone (Oliver Stone notwithstanding, although decades too late.) Not to mention the John Wayne WWII movies where death was painless and unbloody, clean, and neat and how it affected my generation around the time of Vietnam. Sorry for the rant, tinfoil hat time, I suppose.
Woodhall Hollow @ 156
The federal Court of claims is a subject matter specific court (Like Landlord/tenant court, or traffic court) in tat it only hears one kind of case—cases involving monetary calims against the United States. There is a FC of C courthouse in every Federal Judicial Circuit (there may even be one for each Federal Judicial District, but I would have to look that up). Anyway, the Wilsons claim arose in DC which has it’s own federal COurt of Claims court, so they would file there
Sixty Something @ 127
Can’t resist:
“I stepped upon the platform,
the man gave me the news,
he said you must be joking son,
Where did you get those shoes?”
Gonzo isnt sorry
gildareed @ 158
Yay Gilda! Congress in ‘O8 & Senate (replacing the odious hypocrite Vitter) in 2010.
I can’t imagine anything more absurd than Novak calling anyone an arrogant as*hole.
The movie casting looks unfair. If it’s entitled The Passion of Scooter Libby, we can sort of guess which way it will go.
isnt’ Beckinsale a progressive?
Ugh.
Triple Ugh.
ugh,
~ ugh.
(now i shall go read the comments of our firedogs and hope for relief.)
Kate has a lot of panache, I’m sure, but how is her “tropism toward powerful men?”
snowbird42 @ 163
What! He remembered it?
PMA @ 167
Sequel to an earlier production.
snowbird42 @ 163
… or embarrassed. disgusting.
snowbird42 @ 162
Good soldiersparty hacks never regret following orders. See Hannah Arendt on the banality of evil.This whole Plame/Wilson business is going to take more time to play out than any of us dreamed or feared. It will be our Dreyfuss case, and that took a decade and a half to sort out, and never really resolved anything for Dreyfuss, though honour was eventually saved.
I got kicked again in the gut today. What else is new with this loathesome administration and its judicial appointees?
Dismissed. What a f*****g shock. Bastards!
Knut Wicksell @ 171
That is right.
I am Valerie Wilson!
Treasury explanation of the Exec. Order:
http://www.tpmmuckraker.com/ar…..3.php#more
I can’t stand people “spinning gold out of human misery”. If BLOODY JUDY makes money off of her crimes against humanity or this film or any other film makes her out to be a journalistic hero I as well as many others will do our best to start a BOYCOTT of the film.
looseheadprop,
assume you’ve been very busy recently. Once you get a chance to get back to facebook, I bet you have a whole bunch of friend requests to wade through. :})
Hoo boy. KO will have another Special Comment tonight! ; )
gildareed @ 159
Have you given yet? Spread this around
The Wilsons Legal support Trust
http://www.wilsonsupport.org/
Christy upstairs
Christy upstairs.
Regarding the upcoming movie – if they put at least one scene featuring full-frontal nudity by Kate B. in it I’ll buy it! But I’ll turn the volume off while I watch it.
thank you valarie plame for your service to this country. i am sorry that the current government would not protect us and our rights and would betray anyone who stands up for america.
helen kenney
The beautiful Beckinsale was great as a conniving bitch in “The Last Days of Disco”.
Ed Rogers is despicable.
This is not a knock on the actress I think should play Judith Miller. In fact, I think she’s too attractive but her acting skills could be very compelling in the role and she’s played Washington intrigue before.
Allison Janney.
What, Lily Tomlin wasn’t available for the Miller role?
Might as well have Aaron Sorkin write it as well if you’re going to do it justice.
Somebody call Kate’s agent. She’s making a big mistake. I’ll never see another movie she makes. No really.
Bush wins everything! Except his war,of course. If he would have put even half the time on the war planning than he spent planning getting all his buddies off in the Plame case, we wouldn’tbe where we are today.
I will not see this movie.
Personally I don’t believe BushCO has any plans of leaving the White House ever… Say hello to new King George folks. The 2000 SCOTUS ruling was a coup.
http://www.whitehouse.gov/news…..717-3.html
just my $.10
1,582 DAYZ AND THE KILLIN GOEZ ON AND ON AND..
Citizen Swopa and the Firepup Patriots:
Now, I hope all you folks out there who have been riddin’ on the Chiffon elephant of our egalitarian justice system and the rule of law didn’t get hurt too bad when ya fell offa that phony pachyderm.
Some of us out here have been shoutin’ warnings ’til we’re blue in the face that to sit back and wait for the justice system to expose the fascist takeover we have been livin’ for the last 6 years is like waitin for Godot. The only way we pump some life into the idea of democracy and save what is left of the shell of democratic institutions is to organize and hit the streets all across the nation and have a permanent presence out side the offices of every elected Democrat in Congress.
The reality of our justice system as a vehicle for social control and consolidation of capital is sittin on our laps…we have lost everything by playin’ this game on the fascists’ field so it’s time ta leave the benches and storm the field and kick the fuckin’ goalposts down.
Please, all you extraordinary people out there with your incredible intellectual gifts, don’t waste anymore of that power engagin’ in intellectual faggot-hassles. Use your creative intelligence to organize us folks out here in the street. The legal system is a ponzi scheme, the oligarchy is laughin at every one of us for placin’ our faith and hopes in reason and the law.
The only cure for the disease our democracy is sufferin’ right now is MORE DEMOCRACY!! And the healin’power of democracy can only come from the people…they have corrupted the courts and stolen the election system and bankrupted the treasury. The only way we get our country back is to take it back, don’t ask nicely!
KEEP THE FAITH AND PASS THE AMMUNITION…NO MORE MISTER NICE GUY!!
Siun @ 50
Melanie Sloan has been appearing frequently on Hardball. It’s embarrassing to listen to her.
Vato @ 193
If this does not fit the description of “High Crimes and Misdemeanors” I don’t know what does.
Oh great! Can’t wait to see Kate fucking Ahmed Chalabi!
eddiejoe @ 197
I just lost a mouthful of chips!
This is between laughing and crying. Sounds like sleaze. I’ll never watch another Kate Beckinsale movie again.
I agree that the Wilsons should both run for congress/senate (pref Senate), and help resore our abused and battered nation.
I wonder if any of the alleged movie participants have actually read Anatomy of Deceit or The Best War Ever.
I heard about the decision while listening to Hardball. The Wilson’s need someone better than Melanie Sloan to be handling their case — she let Ed Rogers walk all over her.
I’ve read the decision. I am not suprised by the bottom line, but I am quite troubled by the way the judge got there. It’s apparently been a long time since I did any reading on Bivens suits, because that whole special factors analysis was news to me. That’s a signficant limitation on the Bivens line of cases, and the special factors analysis is based on pretty circular reasoning — the whole rationale for Bivens suits was that there weren’t other available means of redress, but now the absence of remedies becomes a factor weighing AGAINST permitting a Bivens suit to go forward as long as you can persuade a judge that the absence of a remedy was not “inadvertent.” The Privacy Act analysis seemed pretty result-oriented to me, but I may be wrong about that — I’m just not familiar enough with the statute, or the “special factor” cases. I’ll have to go back and read the underlying cases when I have time, which is not now, alas.
On the Federal Tort Claim Act claim, I’m not surprised at all. Yes, under the FTCA a federal employee can act illegally and still be acting within the scope of his employment. There are tons of cases that say that. I assume that is why the Wilson’s didn’t explicitly rely on the FTCA in their complaint, and instead asserted a common law tort for invasion of privacy. That part of the judge’s decision is, I’m afraid, on pretty solid ground. The one thing I am puzzled by, however, is the failure to exhaust administrative remedies ruling. What administrative remedies could Ms. Wilson have, and against what “agency”?
The court did not reach the question of whether the Wilson’s constitutional claims were “clearly established” at the time of Ms. Wilson’s outing, and recited as fact that Wilson was a covered operative within the meaning of the IIPA, although the wingnut noise machine will ignore that. The court also said it was a reasonable inference that Karl Rove learned of Ms. Wilson’s identity from Cheney, Libby or Armitage. The wingnuts will ignore that too.
I’m sorry for the Wilsons, and they should appeal, but they need a TV spokesperson other than Melanie Sloan. I sure hope she’s a better briefwriter than she is a public spokesperson.
Fozzetti @ 200
Joe Wilson is brilliant. He is not only a real orator (in the Roman sense–stealing the metaphor from bodiun) but he is also incredibly courageous. We need people like him in Washington, in the house and in the Senate.
litigatormom @ 202
Are you up for the job? If I were the Wilsons I would hire you in a New York minute….
litigatormom @ 202
I agree about Melanie Sloan. My heart sank when I first saw her speak a couple of weeks ago. I felt like I was better prepared with arguments than she was, and ianal. She was so easily bullied and thrown back on the defensive. That is just not how the game is played.
And good to see you here litigatormom. I love your Wilson comments!
The lovely Ms. Hamsher is upstairs.
Fresh thread
I’m a retired lawyer who used to write opinions for publication for a high level appeals court, I just finished reading the entire opinion using the above link, and I have to say that this opinion has all the look and feel of one which tortures and twists the law like a pretzel to reach a conclusion which was decided upon in advance. Not really a surprise, since Bates is a well-known Bushco crony, who was recently moved to the FISA court by Roberts.
Comment # 15 above is right on target about this. Even a layman can see it. Just read pages 33 and 38, and see where the absurdity leaps right out at you.
Impeachment is the only option.
Matt Dillon (pictured) or Matt Damon (mentioned)?
Impeachment is appropriate. So is a civil lawsuit. Wasn’t John Dean one of the first to bring up civil suit as a parallel to a similar very effective suit in Watergate?
Doesn’t Judge Bates also own a Motel?
Or maybe I’m just confusing him with some Psycho relative of his?
Which may explain why Judge Bates is covering for the Republican Psychos in the White House, Republican Psychos who didn’t think twice about disclosing the top-secret covert identity of a career CIA officer, who was responsible for protecting our nation, and our nation’s children, from the threat of other Psychos getting their hands on nukes or other WMD.
Yep, Psycho-loving Judge Bates has done a great, great service for the criminal Psychos in the Bush administration, but has done a grave, grave disservice to our nation.
Nooorrrmmaann!!!! Get that nice judge, cousin Bates, to come up here and change my bedpan.
Wow. I just caught Melanie Sloan on the late edition of Hardball. She has been a poor spokesperson for the Wilsons in the past. This time she was even worse.
Ed Rogers characterized the case, in contradiction to what Sloan had just said, in terms of a judge throwing it out of court on its merits. She should have restated that the ruling was a narrow legal one.
When asked on what grounds she would appeal, she could not come up with an answer and instead complained again how her clients were wronged, sounding very much like the partisan hack attorney Rogers just accused her of being.
FOLLOW THE MONEY !
Who is playing for the Judy Miller bio pic ? Money like that is hard to come by – someone is paying for it, someone who probably never expects to see that money again. Someone is funding this in the shadows, and I bet the blogosphere can bring them out into the open, where they do not want to be.