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As Libby trial grinds on..a few of Cheney's notes become the topic of the day.
Jason Leopold has followed PlameGate since its inception. He has gotten burned a couple of times with leading stories that were discounted..but in a trial, the info is out there and its part of the court record..today we get this writeup from him:
But Cheney's notes, which were introduced into evidence Tuesday during Libby's perjury and obstruction-of-justice trial, call into question the truthfulness of President Bush's vehement denials about his prior knowledge of the attacks against Wilson. The revelation that Bush may have known all along that there was an effort by members of his office to discredit the former ambassador begs the question: Was the president also aware that senior members of his administration compromised Valerie Plame's undercover role with the CIA? Further, the highly explicit nature of Cheney's comments not only hints at a rift between Cheney and Bush over what Cheney felt was the scapegoating of Libby, but also raises serious questions about potentially criminal actions by Bush. If Bush did indeed play an active role in encouraging Libby to take the fall to protect Karl Rove, as Libby's lawyers articulated in their opening statements, then that could be viewed as criminal involvement by Bush. Last week, Libby's attorney Theodore Wells made a stunning pronouncement during opening statements of Libby's trial. He claimed that the White House had made Libby a scapegoat for the leak to protect Karl Rove - Bush's political adviser and "right-hand man." "Mr. Libby, you will learn, went to the vice president of the United States and met with the vice president in private. Mr. Libby said to the vice president, 'I think the White House ... is trying to set me up. People in the White House want me to be a scapegoat,'" said Wells. Libby's attorneys are not going to let Libby go down without a fight. Their case is centered on higher-ups that they say were just as involved and directed the "smear Joe Wilson" campaign from the onset.
Its a good read..if your following this trial at all..check it out.
30 comments from 7 users
1
posted by
ProgressivePete2
on Jan 31, 2007 at 01:04 PM
I'd be more surprised if Bush didn't know anything about this than if he did.
posted by
randomfactor
on Jan 31, 2007 at 01:05 PM
I've kept the champagne chilling. When Libby's convicted, will drink it and replace the bottle--more to come.
posted by
mattloch
on Jan 31, 2007 at 01:24 PM
Wasn't one of their claims that if the President or Vice-President told someone, that was like an automatic de-classification? Hopefully this will turn into a huge clusterf--k where nobody wins, and everybody incriminates everyone else. Like the end of a movie where the cops surround the badguys, and they all point at each other and say "they did it" and talk as fast as they can to make everyone else look guilty as hell. Even if they can't charge the President or Veep, they can at least shoot their credibility so we don't get dragged into Iran.
posted by
AudreyB
on Jan 31, 2007 at 01:39 PM
After analyzing Cheney's handwriting, I've come to the conclusion he's an arrogant jerk.
posted by
randomfactor
on Jan 31, 2007 at 01:48 PM
For purposes of the Libby trial, it doesn't matter whether he was authorized to speak or not. You don't lie to the cops about it afterwards. . But in this case the political fallout is more important. The Veep lied about Wilson lying. And Timmeh really hates Tweety. But then, we all do. I understand there's an interesting column coming out tomorrow about how mean old Fitz is ruining all the fun for the media--who are *NOT* coming out looking good on this one.
posted by
steveeswenson
on Jan 31, 2007 at 02:22 PM
Dusty,Thanks for posting this. I've been looking at this trial every day because I am fascinated by the journalism issues involved, as well as the games played in the White House on how to take care of critics and then take care of each other. I'm thinking Libby, Cheney and Rove should all be on trial for something. And the unholy game of confidential sources that they play in Washington is a detriment to us all. There are times when you have to protect sources but not when they use the press to wage an unholy agenda. That's a story, not a source to protect. posted by
randomfactor
on Jan 31, 2007 at 02:29 PM
That's, the shame of the journalists' involvement for me, Steve. (and I used to be one...) The way *I* was taught, you protect your sources until the point where they burn you--try to use you to, say, out a spy in revenge for her husband's actions. Then you stop protecting them and expose *THEM*. . This will set the cause of a national Shield Law back a few years. Novak wasn't protecting a source, he was covering for a co-conspirator. posted by
ProgressivePete2
on Jan 31, 2007 at 02:44 PM
This does have pretty major implications for journalism as far as protecting sources. I think what bothers me most about the whole thing is how the traditional media stopped doing their homework and just simply passed along all of the bogus stories until the public took them as fact. No, actually what bothers me the most is that nobody is in jail (or in front of a firing squad) for exposing the identity of a covert agent trying to find out how many (if any) WMDs Iran and Iraq had. Just like the blog I linked to earlier said, this sets the table for the impending attack on Iran. All they had to do is get rid of the unit that was the only one that could say they were lying without question. It's treason no matter how you look at it (through liberal glasses, of course).
posted by
mattloch
on Jan 31, 2007 at 02:58 PM
Speaking of journalism issues: next week will mark the longest a journalist has been imprisoned by the government in a grand jury case. Why this kid is getting so much jail time and Novak the Human Ass is still walking free is beyond me. I just hope the kid comes out ripped and tatted up like Mike Tyson.
posted by
dusty1215
on Jan 31, 2007 at 03:10 PM
I remember when he went into jail Mattloch. The argument goes this way:He is covering for someone that broke the law, he doesn't get to protect his sources from that. OR They aren't asking him to name names..they just want his footage, how is that protecting any source? I think the kid's arguement that he will look like a government spy if he releases his tapes is very thin. I respect him for going to the mat with his principles, but its not like they want him to name names. In any case, this doesn't get much interest by the MSM...or any media for that matter, except San Fran media. posted by
mattloch
on Jan 31, 2007 at 03:28 PM
They want him to do their job for them. Can the government compell you to testify against someone? What happens if he erases the footage? End of grand jury, he gets a possible "obstruction of justice"; with time served he goes home. This is the government forcing someone to provide evidence against their will. The next step is them doing the same with someone that knows something. Then they start locking up people because they may know something. Where does it end?
posted by
dusty1215
on Jan 31, 2007 at 03:32 PM
I merely explained the argument that many people use when it comes to Josh Wolf's case. I do not have a stock opinion on this. I am liberal enough to feel that he is a good soldier fighting against the tyranny of this government, but I am realistic enough to think he isn't going to sit there naming names, so where is the harm in giving them the footage? If we extrapolate his case all the way up to the Libby trail, should Novak and all the other journalists been jailed when that mess started? posted by
randomfactor
on Jan 31, 2007 at 03:36 PM
Mattloch, the difference is that Novak spilled his guts rather than go to jail. Erase the footage and you're destroying evidence. Yes, they can compel you before a Grand Jury, and if you don't talk (or assert Fifth Amendment rights properly) they can jail you--which is where Wolf is. The trials I have been involved in (one civil, one criminal) I was subpoena'ed to testify at (although I was a volunteer witness for the prosecution in the criminal one.) You've got even less say in a civil trial, I believe, but they've got to get the judge to agree your testimony is relevant. . The *CIVIL* trial against Cheney, Bush and Rove will be the interesting one... . The reason Wolf's in jail and Novak is walking free is that Wolf has integrity. posted by
mattloch
on Jan 31, 2007 at 03:43 PM
I'm just not getting how "spilling your guts" negates treason. The footage supposedly shows who did it. The government doesn't know. My point is that the government can't prove that he's witholding evidence, they only suspect it. If this stands, then they can do the same if they suspect you know about a terrorist plot to blow up the Fox Theater. They wouldn't even have to prove that there is a plot, just that you're not telling them about it.
posted by
dusty1215
on Jan 31, 2007 at 03:49 PM
I think as far as your hypothesis goes..the judge would demand some kind of evidence that a plot exists Mattloch. Otherwise, many of us would be in jail for plotting the overthrow of the current administration.
posted by
randomfactor
on Jan 31, 2007 at 03:54 PM
Mattloch, the law prohibiting the release of covert operatives' identities specifically exempts journalists as well as whatever people like Novak are. Now, he might be prosecuted on conspiracy charges, but maybe Fitz is keeping that one in his back pocket for later use. Treason is a hard one to prove. I have a hard time believing they could prove it of Novak, but no trouble thinking it would be an appropriate charge for the present POTUS.
posted by
dusty1215
on Jan 31, 2007 at 03:56 PM
Novak was given immunity if I recall correctly random. So doesn't that mean he won't be tried for anything?
posted by
randomfactor
on Jan 31, 2007 at 03:56 PM
It's too bad the Aqua Teen Hunger Force campaign wasn't two weeks ago, or Bush would have had *FIVE* successes to tout in the SOTU. Did you guys see Olbermann's dissection of that last nite?
posted by
dusty1215
on Jan 31, 2007 at 03:58 PM
Yep, I did wake from my stupor long enough to catch his Special Comment. It was very good. Tearing apart each of his points on his warmongering and security.
posted by
mattloch
on Jan 31, 2007 at 04:09 PM
Don't forget all of the packages of sprinkler parts in (and around) airports, Random. Oh and the occasional lambo door kit.....
posted by
anonymous
on Jan 31, 2007 at 07:42 PM
And to think the Bakersfield Californian still claims to be a balanced newspaper, while their reporters post to left leaning blogs while on company time.. posted by
mattloch
on Feb 2, 2007 at 10:28 AM
I think reporters should start pushing Bush on his claim that "anybody involved in outing Valerie Plame will not be working in the White House anymore" and get him to boot out Cheney and Rove. Or if he doesn't, use it to destroy what little credibility he has left (if only to prevent a war with Iran). It would certainly be cheaper than impeachment.....
posted by
randomfactor
on Feb 2, 2007 at 10:32 AM
He'll just put Cheney in a separate office somewhere. The Scientologists have a term for it--"acceptable truth." You don't *QUITE* lie, you just say something that, well, technically is true..."from a certain point of view." . I'm still holding out for Impeachment in January '09. Followed by an AF investigation to determine just how many more days the AWOL Bush has in his unfulfilled TANG commitment, and his deployment to Iraq for the remainder of that conflict... posted by
ProgressivePete2
on Feb 2, 2007 at 10:34 AM
Anny, what exactly did steve post that was "left leaning" in your opinion? Tell me it wasn't the unholy agenda part, because if that's the case, then you're saying you approve of what the people in administration did, right? You think it's OK to out a CIA agent for political purposes?
posted by
ProgressivePete2
on Feb 2, 2007 at 10:40 AM
Kind of like how Rumsfeld is now a "consultant" I never thought of forcing him to re-inlist to fulfill his requirements. Brilliant! Just as long as he doesn't get to fly planes. Nobody wants that. posted by
randomfactor
on Feb 2, 2007 at 10:46 AM
There's a certain poetry involved, Pete. . Bush gets to fulfill his military obligations, and get treated (tour extensions, lack of body armor) the way he treated the troops. Cheney/Rumsfeld get "extraordinary rendition" to be dealt with by the Iraqis. Abu Gonzales gets waterboarded until he thinks it's "quaint." (if this were a novel and all loose ends got tied up properly...) posted by
mattloch
on Feb 2, 2007 at 11:02 AM
Or a montage of those things while the credits roll over them, if this was a movie Random. "Bush had his tour extended three times before he got sent home with a Purple Heart for being wounded in action. ...By being shot fifteen times. ...In the back. ...While filling out a requisition report at his home base." "Cheney and Rumsfeld escaped from the prison they were being held in due to shoddy construction by Haliburton/KBR. They were later arrested by the UN for trying to sell Lybia a nuclear bomb consisting of a shoddy casing filled with used pinball machine parts." "Gonzales underwent waterboarding for a record two straight years, then went on to get 10 gold medals at the 2016 Summer Olympic Games by winning every swimming event offered."
posted by
randomfactor
on Feb 2, 2007 at 12:00 PM
Priceless...
posted by
ProgressivePete2
on Feb 2, 2007 at 01:06 PM
Which one of them contacts the drug resistant infection at the VA hospital?
posted by
mattloch
on Feb 2, 2007 at 01:08 PM
Trick question, Pete. None of them do, because none of them served.....
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