Jane!

Heh. Fitz never said case closed.

I love the “new post” banner!!!

Hello

Fitz!

Not commenting much, but reading every word. Nice job, everyone.

Am I the only one who thinks Fitz has some copies of Turdblossom emails laying around that the White House thought they had managed to “lose”?

One can but pray it is so…

Case closed is wishful thinking.

There’s always been a question of whether this case is closed or not. Nothing really definitive about this. Quite confusing. It needs to be settled once and for all.

“Special Prosecutor Patrick Fitzgerald had no comment Monday and has said the leak investigation is closed.”

Actually this says that Fitzgerald had his usual response “No comment” yesterday. As for the statement that the case is closed, that is a remark Fitzgerald made earlier this year I believe and has no bearing on the recent event of Scooter dropping his appeal.

I’m not sure how I got this impression, but my impression is that Fitz was hoping that the Wilson’s case would root out some new info, but I’m not sure how I came to that conclusion. Is the Wilson’s case completely kaput at this point?

If we parse the statement, he said “the leak investigation” is closed. Were there other parts to the case? Perhaps further obstruction investigations?

I’m hoping you’re right, Jane, but I don’t understand why they don’t just make a statement regarding status of the investigation. Whether the leak investigation is closed but can be reopened in the event of new evidence or is permanently closed or is open for any new business that might come their way, and what all that would include, is something a lot of people want to know. Why allow or even invite rampant speculation by not openly stating the facts. Randall Samborn should issue a press release ASAP defining the status of the Office of the Special Prosecutor.

IIRC, there appealing an adverse lower court ruling, but I can’t remember the details.

Maybe what Fitz might have said is that the Libby case, in particular, was closed…He never said the leak investigation was closed, he said that because of the obstruction he couldn’t go further unless new information came to light and, that there was a dark cloud over the OVP. At least that is what I think was the gist his comments.

Something about the judge ruling that although it is an unsavory case, she couldn’t proceed because she had been part of the government.

I wonder if it’s safe to say that the Wilson case is an orphan in that no jurisdiction wants to claim it? So far, nobody seems to have ruled on whether its premise has validity in law, but the first thing that must be established is jurisdiction. It may be that the Wilsons have once again been screwed by the system they have both spent their lives protecting.

The Matt Apuzzo AP story was picked up by all MSM. Here’s how Time’s version ends:

Special Prosecutor Patrick Fitzgerald has said the leak investigation is closed.

Can all of MSM pick up the AP story without verification? As I said, this needs to be settled once and for all.

“The Wheels Of Justice Grind Slow, But They Grind Exceeding Fine.”

History’s arc is a highway littered with the wreckage of those who thought they were “above the law”.

My guess is that more people who thought they were above the law got away with it than were caught.

There are the courts and then there is village justice, never to be underestimated. Blogs are an interesting byproduct of both.

Further to my 19:

Just type “the leak investigation is closed” into Google, and you’ll see what I mean.

OT over at the HuffPo:

Bill Shocker: I Told Hillary To Dump Me

Can Arianna tone it back a little from the daytime soap format? As in do I seriously care about Hill’s and Bill’s private life? (Hint: No)

Jane, thanks for calling Samborn. That was the right move.

I was curious about that comment too.

My theory is Fitz is waiting until after Bush leaves to indict Rove to prevent a pardon. He went after Libby first just to test if a pardon would be offered. Now that it has, he is going to sit tight.

Randall Samborn has the easiest job in the world.

A tabloid blog at best. Getting trashy at worst

Hugh @ 24:

Arianna is just trying to spice things up a little, amid all the bad nesw…*g*

…all the bad news…

1,692 DAYZ AND THE KILLIN’ GOEZ ON AND ON AND..

Citizen Hamsher and the Firepup Freedom Fighters:

Since the Plame leak and the Libby trial are the reason that this site is here, I would like to hear from looseheadprop and some a the other legal Beagles like Marcy and Jeralyn to do a series a posts on the issue of the outing of Valery Wilson and where the office of special counsel could go if the stars align jest right and the investigation gemstones into other acts of conspiracy emanating from this case. It seems to me that the outing of Wilson and the exposure of Brewster Jennings are a portal through which a wronged society can pursue those forces that have attacked the very foundation of our social and political order. Everything that continues to threaten our country is wound into the fabric of the conspiracy to out Wilson and expand the war for empire in the Middle East, so how about a special series with those brave and incredible women aforementioned?

KEEP THE FAITH AND PASS THE AMMUNITION…WE’LL FIGHT ‘EM WITH STICKS AND STONES IF WE HAVE TO!!

I think Samborn gave his usual “no comment” answer, and then the AP reporter tacked on an inartful and incorrect version of Fitz’s old statement about “no further indictments unless more information comes to light” by saying “the case is closed.”

The phrasing “has said . . .” indicates to me that the “it’s closed” line was not part of the same conversation with the spokesman, but was drawn from earlier statements.

Please note:

The Office of Special Counsel Jane talks about in the post is not

this US Office of Special Counsel, which is a permanent independent federal investigative and prosecutorial agency.

Am I the only one who thinks Fitz has some copies of Turdblossom emails laying around that the White House thought they had managed to “lose”?

It wouldn’t surprise me. Maybe he can turn those over to Henry Waxman.
As far as I am concerned this case is not closed until Rove is being frogmarched to federal prison. And Chimpy and Cheney are in Brussels.

Fitz never issued a Sherman statement..and so far, neither has Gore.

Biodun,

Yes, AP and the traditional media (and conservative blogs if Google is any indication) are spinning that the case is “closed.”

But if you go back to the actual words that were spoken by Fitzgerald last March (source: that liberal WSJ http://blogs.wsj.com/washwire/…..-closed-2/ )

“I do not expect to file any additional charges,” special prosecutor Patrick Fitzgerald declared at a news conference after a jury convicted I. Lewis “Scooter” Libby. “We’re all going back to our day jobs.”

Also from that article:
“… Fitzgerald said that if new information materializes “we will take action,…”

So, no, he never said (those specific words) that the case is closed. In fact, he left open that new information could create future actions.

But the conservatives and their media helpers want to spin that its closed. And off we go into the echo chamber.

If I remember correctly, the actual word used was “inactive”.

IMHO, YMMV,
-S

Reminds me of an old Clinton joke.

Bill and Hillary are riding around Hillary’s home town and pull into a gas station. The station attendant recognizes Hillary, and reminds her they once dated in High School. When they leave, Bill turns to Hillary and says, if she had married that guy she wouldn’t be the First Lady today. To which Hillary replies, oh yes she would.

I wonder how the changeover will take place if a Dem is elected President? Will the Dem ask for all current USAs to tender their resignations as soon as they clean up their current workload, or immediately, or just within the two years following inauguration of the new President? Is it your theory that a Democratic President will keep Fitz on and let all the other USAs go? At some point, Fitz term in that office will expire; it’s just a matter of time.

Indeed. There are days when the place is irritatingly tabloid-like.

The Matt Apuzzo AP story was picked up by all MSM. Here’s how Time’s version ends:

Special Prosecutor Patrick Fitzgerald has said the leak investigation is closed.

Can all of MSM pick up the AP story without verification? As I said, this needs to be settled once and for all.

Funny that they have this as a DIRECT Quote from Fitzgerald and yet his spokesman has “No Comment”?
Fitz seems to be sort that any time he has something important to say he issues a carefully worded press release. I don’t think that he would make public remarks without informing his Press Secretary, either.

The MSM has constantly announced stuff like this. For example, after the first Libby Grand Jury date expired they thought that he wouldn’t be indicted. He was! That following Friday. Then they thought that no further evidence would be entertained. Fitz called a second Grand Jury.

Bush Administration continues to block progress on global warming at Bali conference.

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/12…..ref=slogin

Officials from the United Nations, backed by the European Union and many developing countries, have offered a draft “road map” for talks over the next two years that includes a commitment by industrialized countries to cut such emissions 25 percent to 40 percent by 2020.

snip

The Bush administration opposes including hard targets at this stage in the talks.

snip

In the meantime, the Bush administration, in an approach irksome to environmentalists and some European negotiators, is continuing to move ahead with parallel talks over new “aspirational” goals for limiting climate dangers. Representatives from the world’s largest countries, in economic terms, have agreed to meet in Hawaii in late January under that separate process. Mr. Bush has said he plans to forge agreement among these countries on long-term and short-term — but nonbinding — goals for limiting greenhouse gases before leaving office.

Waterboarding is such a pretty name…doesn’t seem so harmful..maybe we can dunk suspected terrorist in large tanks of water to simulate drowning and pull them out just in the nick of time so that there is no debate if it is torture…..
excuse me? oh you mean we can’t do that as a civilized country …a country that portrays itself as one that upholds certain standards.
I must of not gotten that memo…sorry, never mind.

Bullseye.

Fitz on 7 March 2007

“[…]Mr Bush was in the Oval Office when he was informed the jury had reached a verdict and watched the decision being read on television, White House spokeswoman Dana Perino says.

“He said that he respected the jury’s verdict. He said he was saddened for Scooter Libby and his family,” Ms Perino said, declining to comment further and refusing to speculate on the possibility of a presidential pardon.

Prosecutor Patrick Fitzgerald says the CIA leak investigation was now inactive.

“I do not expect to file any additional charges,” he said.

“We’re all going back to our day jobs.” […]

Yeah, sounds like snowboarding.

Per my 10:09, I screwed up the italics.

Clusterf*ck’s the shrub’s commutation of Scooter’s sentence was a big F*ck You to Fitzgerald, Walton, the DOJ, and the Judiciary.

Am I right that a sherman statement is
I will not run for office/reelection, as per:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/S….._statement

Or what?

Anyone, nice to be with the pups on the topic that brought me to the lake in the first place.

OT–

Quote of the Day:

“It will be interesting to know what the true facts are.” — The president of the United States on the CIA’s decision — apparently with the input of lawyers from the Justice Department and the White House — to destroy tapes of detainee interrogations.

When a new Administration takes office, all the US Attorneys are expected to tender their resignations. They aren’t being fired, just replaced.

We have an available special prosecutor and an available scandal.

PERFECT SYMBIOSIS

Pass the popcorn

1,692 DAYZ AND THE KILLIN’ GOEZ ON AND ON AND..

“…so how about a special series with those brave and incredible women aforementioned?”

Guess that idea went over like a pay toilet in a diarrhea ward.

KEEP THE FAITH AND WATCH WHERE YA STEP…FASCISTS HAVE BEEN EVERYWHERE!!

link

I guess I have to go back to link school. Sorry for my blank comment above.

Norske,

[laughing at your analogy] I could argue that FDL *is* a special series about these brave people. Who else has been more on top of this case?

1,692 DAYZ AND THE KILLIN’ GOEZ ON AND ON AND..

Citizen egregious and the Firepup Freedom Fighters:

I meant to ask for a series on the whole affair: where we are, where the investigation could go, what access the Congress has to evidence and testimony taken by Fitz but not used at trial. I don’t articulate so good sometimes but I keep tryin’.

KEEP THE FAITH AND PASS THE AMMUNITION ALL THEY GOT IS OUR MONEY!!

it’s crystal clear. the corporate wing of both parties are colluding, the rest are being threatened and or blackmailed. our so called democrats have done nothing to stop this train. so thank god for karma because the neocons just keep imploding on themselves. it’s the only reason we know as much as we do. the solution is not easy but doable. they are all comprimised and must be replaced. all of them.

where is hardin smith?

Vacation for two weeks during the remodel.

I love all your optimism, fellow pups, but I can’t share it. They got away with it, Scooter’s friends paid his fine, Fitzgerald did go back to his day job, and the show is over.

If Fitz was determined to nail this bunch, he wouldn’t have given the benefit of the doubt (again and again) to Rove. He’d have indicted him and seen what the pressure of a trial produced. I can’t imagine that he’ll indict Rove in 2009.

DING DING DING.

“I do not expect to file any additional charges,” special prosecutor Patrick Fitzgerald declared at a news conference after a jury convicted I. Lewis “Scooter” Libby. “We’re all going back to our day jobs.”

Also from that article:
“… Fitzgerald said that if new information materializes “we will take action,…”

So, no, he never said (those specific words) that the case is closed. In fact, he left open that new information could create future actions.

On the other side, it’s not clear any new information has materialized.

thank you

Blue Texan’s upstairs…

He’s not really after Rove.

You’re very welcome.

1,692 DAYZ AND THE KILLIN’ GOEZ ON AND ON AND..

Firepup Freedom Fighters:

With all the confusion and speculation and emotional angst goin’ on over this issue…how about a series of posts with specific topical parameters about what the status of Fitz’s operation is right now, where it could go and what it would take to get it there and what Fitz has from the investigation to this moment that Congress could access for its own damned purposes. Let’s have Marcy and Jerrilyn and looseheadprop and a few others of the legalese contributors here put the series tagether.

I have never been completely trustful of Fitz as to how deep his committment is to gettin’ the truth out to the people and I think that a blog like this can keep the conversation goin’ and provide ideas for people to get the subject into the election campaign debate.

KEEP THE FAITH AND DON’T BELIEVE A WORD THE BASTARDS TELL YA!!

Thanks Neil.

If Fitz was determined to nail this bunch, he wouldn’t have given the benefit of the doubt (again and again) to Rove. He’d have indicted him and seen what the pressure of a trial produced. I can’t imagine that he’ll indict Rove in 2009.

Veritas, of course this is IMHO, but we don’t know why Rove was not indicted. It’s doubtful we’ll ever know. Was he allowed to return multiple times to the grand jury to rehabilitate him as a witness? Was he allegedly allowed to correct his story because he was ensnaring himself further and further? We just don’t know. It’s frustrating to all of us. We’d love to see Karl Rove indicted. At the same time, was the case so weak it just couldn’t be brought, or was it considered a sideshow that would distract from the true targets, IMHO — Cheney and Bush?

There are so many here who know so much more about this case that I’m hoping they’ll speak up. At the same time, some of this stuff may not ever come out.

-S

1,692 DAYZ AND THE KILLIN’ GOEZ ON AND ON AND..

Citizen Straegerie and the Firepup Freedom Fighters:

“There are so many out there who know so much about this case, that I’m hoping they’ll speak up. All the same time, some of this stuff may never come out.”

NO,NO,NO…if some of this stuff that is known to the good guys and officers of the court does NOT come out, then the little 18th century experiment with democracy is over. That is the point of callin’ for a good in-depth series here to catapult information and the open questions back into the national debate this election year.

I can’t believe that anyone with more’n 3 brain cellz left can’t figure out that our world turns on this issue and what it represents…forget that old shibboleth of “the rule of law”, politics is the only way this whole ugly mess gets resolved!!

Let’s all face it Jane, Fitzpatrick may have come out of his obscure and boring past all that he can. To do any more or less may do damage to his current comfy MODERATE positioning -whatever the hell that position is.

Sound familiar??

We all keep getting screwed by these f***ing MODERATES! – who always manage to throw sand in everyone else’s faces by pretending they’re here to save us while stroking the public’s sense of hope -keeping the spotlight on themselves and off the real issues at hand.

It’s called the ‘Lieberman Syndrome’.

Citzen hasmaq:

Right fuckin’ on!! That’s why we need ta keep the story alive and force it (if we can) back into the national debate this election year.

Maybe it’s just me, but I’ve often wondered if Fitz, after seeing the way the LAST convicted felon in the Plame case was treated, has decided to wait until the lawless regime is gone and Bush can no longer pardon anyone, and until there are enough people who put the rule of law first in control of Congress to allow REAL investigations to proceed.

What’s the point of issuing subpoenaes when you know that they don’t have to be honored?

What’s the point of wasting time and energy unless you know the punishment for the convicted criminal will be carried out?

I hope it’s not just wishful thinking, Jane.

Hey, KBE!

Wouldn’t it be nice if the new Prez kept him on as Special Prosecutor so he could finish this business properly?

NorskeFlamethrower, I was inartful in my response, and I apologize. You wrote:

NO,NO,NO…if some of this stuff that is known to the good guys and officers of the court does NOT come out, then the little 18th century experiment with democracy is over.

What I meant by my comment was the fact that a lot of this stuff was discussed before a grand jury. If I recall what I’ve read from looseheadprop, Christy and so many others here, it can’t be discussed publicly.

IMHO, YMMV,
-S