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Title: MELTDOWN: What's Next For Libby? - "What happens next could be quite a spectacle"
Source:
ABC NEWS
URL Source: http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/CIALeak/story?id=1259619
Published: Oct 28, 2005
Author: Mark Halperin
Post Date: 2005-10-28 17:05:03 by Uncle Bill
Keywords: spectacle", MELTDOWN:, happens
Views: 189
Comments: 28
ABC News Vice President Dick Cheney's top aide, I. Lewis "Scooter" Libby, has been indicted on charges of obstruction of justice, making false statements and perjury in the CIA leak investigation. What happens next could be quite a spectacle. Following the charges related to the disclosure of covert CIA operative Valerie Plame's name, Libby submitted his letter of resignation earlier today and it was accepted, White House Press Secretary Scott McClellan said. The letter was delivered to Chief of Staff Andy Card, who informed President Bush. Unless Libby gets the charges thrown out or reaches a plea agreement — which, given the charges, would almost certainly mean jail time — there will be a trial. Conviction of obstruction of justice carries a fine and maximum 10 years in prison, and the false statements and perjury charges carry a fine and maximum sentence of 5 years in prison. The special counsel's press release stated "the maximum penalty for conviction on all counts is 30 years in prison and a $1.25 million fine." It is probable, however, that any sentence would run concurrently in this case, not consecutively. A trial would involve many prominent figures — it appears that journalists Tim Russert of NBC News, Judith Miller of The New York Times and Matt Cooper of Time Magazine would be witnesses. Libby's lawyers would likely attempt to challenge their credibility. In addition, it is also clear that the roles, if any, of Cheney and others in the vice president's office in the matter will be examined. Even if Libby does plead to something, he might still have to talk more about Cheney's role. In addition, the original source of journalist Bob Novak's column — which prompted the investigation — was not indicted today. Presidential aide Karl Rove, who has been under investigation by the grand jury, so far faces no charges. Although Rove's testimony as reported differed from Cooper's, it appears that the differences weren't as material in the prosecutor's views as those involving Libby. What They've Said Miller went to jail for 85 days for refusing to cooperate with Special Prosecutor Patrick Fitzgerald by revealing the source of conversations she had had about former diplomat Joseph Wilson's wife. Miller never wrote a story about Wilson or his wife and only agreed to testify before a grand jury after she said her source — who turned out to be Libby — waived her pledge of confidentiality. Miller said she had three conversations with Libby and that he suggested a tie to Wilson's wife but didn't reveal her name. However, notes she turned over to investigators contained Plame's name, though it was misspelled. Miller told prosecutors she couldn't recall who disclosed the name. Her journalistic ethics have come under scrutiny. Time's Cooper has testified before a grand jury once and talked about conversations he had with Libby and Rove. Cooper said Rove indicated that Wilson's wife worked with the CIA but did not disclose her name and did not say her work was covert. Libby, he said, confirmed Wilson's wife's connection to the CIA but also did not reveal her name or mention her status as a covert operative. Cooper testified after Time surrendered his notes and e-mail detailing a conversation he had with Rove. Novak identified Plame by name as a covert CIA operative and sparked the opening of the investigation. He is said to be cooperating with prosecutors but neither he nor his attorney have commented on his dealings with the CIA leak probe. Novak has said that the information about Plame first came from a non-partisan official as an "offhand revelation." Libby has reportedly told a grand jury that he first heard of the CIA connection to Plame from Russert. But the host of NBC's "Meet the Press" has told authorities he did not know about Plame until her identity was published and could not have been Libby's source. Another reporter, Walter Pincus of the Washington Post, also has answered Fitzgerald's questions regarding a conversation about Plame with an unidentified administration official. Under the arrangements for his testimony, Pincus did not identify his source to the investigators, who already knew the official's identity. Some of the case against Libby relies on the accounts of Russert, Miller and Cooper. But the transcript of parts of the grand jury and Libby's FBI statements make it clear that Libby's own accounts of those conversations have him allegedly claiming false things about how he knew about Plame. Political Impact Politically at least, the indictment doesn't seem like an overreach by Fitzgerald, or an easily-branded "criminalization of politics" by White House defenders. There is a reference to a conversation Libby had "in the office of the vice president." It doesn't make it clear if Cheney was involved in that conversation or not, which could be key. But the indictment does suggest Cheney's direct involvement. The theme of Libby's and Cheney's displeasure with the CIA — a frequent complaint among neo-conservatives — is mentioned. This is going to be a very important theme going forward. The indictment does not delve into Libby's motivation for learning so much about Wilson, though he allegedly was dogged in pursuing information about Wilson. There are likely a lot of politically damaging things that go along with the actions alleged in the indictment — even if there is never any conviction. It is Libby's motive for his interest in Wilson and the alleged attempts to cover up his actions, if he did them, that could lead to a wider search for answers in the press or among Democrats that could lead to a more general discussion of how the administration took the country to war in Iraq. Bush Knew About Leak of CIA Operative's Name PLAMEGATE: FBI HAS NEVER EVEN INTERVIEWED ROCCO MARTIN A White House 'Hip-Deep' in Plame Scandal and Cover Up 
What's Next For Libby?
By Mark Halperin
October 28, 2005
Mr. Fitzgerald, Karl and George made me do it. Besides, 30 years is a long time.
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#2. To: Uncle Bill (#0)
The theme of Libby's and Cheney's displeasure with the CIA — a frequent complaint among neo-conservatives — is mentioned. This is going to be a very important theme going forward. And don't forget Porter "car bomb" Goss purging the CIA of any "disloyal" career employees.
Libby indictment sheds little light on Cheney's activities By BILL STRAUB WASHINGTON - I. Lewis "Scooter" Libby's indictment on charges stemming from the leaking of an undercover CIA operative's identity is once again shifting focus to the hardball tactics employed by the office of Vice President Dick Cheney in defense of the war in Iraq. Cheney, who served as secretary of defense under the elder President Bush during Operation Desert Storm in 1991, was an early and enthusiastic supporter of war with Iraq, aligning himself with neo-conservatives in the Pentagon. As recently as Oct. 5, Cheney was spearheading the defense of the administration's military action, telling the Association of the United States Army meeting in Washington that "by staying in this fight, we honor both the ideals and the security interests of the United States." Cheney's aggressiveness sometimes put him at odds with former CIA Director George Tenet and former Secretary of State Colin Powell, who often counseled a more measured response. But he found a soul mate in Libby, his chief of staff, who was aligned so closely to the vice president that he often was described as "Cheney's Cheney." "Scooter Libby is one of the most capable and talented individuals I have ever known," Cheney said in a statement. "He has given many years of his life to public service and has served our nation tirelessly and with great distinction." It was Cheney, ironically, who set events in motion leading to the CIA leak investigation. Sometime in early 2002, the vice president and other administration officials learned that British intelligence had gained information indicating Iraqi officials visited Niger in 1999 for the purpose of acquiring yellowcake - processed uranium - leading to speculation that the government of Saddam Hussein was developing nuclear weapons. The claim, if proven true, could have gone a long way toward validating President Bush's claim that war in Iraq was necessary. Cheney sought confirmation and contacted the Central Intelligence Agency, which in turn contacted Joseph Wilson, a veteran diplomat. Wilson was dispatched to Niger to check out the story so, Wilson said, "they could provide a response to the vice president's office." After an eight-day visit, Wilson reported back that "it was highly doubtful that any such transaction had ever taken place." Still, over the next year, Bush referred to the incident obliquely, telling an audience in Cincinnati on Oct. 7, 2002, that Iraq "possesses and produces chemical and biological weapons. It is seeking nuclear weapons." It was in his State of the Union address, on Jan. 28, 2003, that Bush finally uttered what has come to be known as the famous 16 words: "The British government has learned that Saddam Hussein recently sought significant quantities of uranium from Africa." Questions about the claim were raised almost immediately. On May 6, 2003, Nicholas Kristof of the New York Times published a column debunking the 16 words, citing comments from an unidentified former ambassador who was dispatched to Niger in 2002 to investigate the allegations. The ambassador, obviously, was Wilson. That, according to the Libby indictment, kicked off a lot of activity in the vice president's office. On May 29, 2003, Libby contacted an undersecretary of state, who directed the State Department's Bureau of Intelligence and Research to prepare a report about the ambassador and his trip. In late May and early June, Libby was advised that Wilson was the ambassador in question. On June 11, 2003, according to the indictment, Libby first learned that Wilson was married to Valerie Plame Wilson, a CIA employee who may have been responsible for sending him to Niger. On June 12, 2003, Cheney personally advised Libby that Valerie Wilson worked at the CIA in the Counterproliferation Division. Libby understood that Cheney had received the word from the CIA. Cheney, apparently, didn't want to reveal how much he knew. On Sept. 14, 2003 - three months after imparting his knowledge to Libby - Cheney said on NBC's "Meet the Press" that he didn't know anything about who sent Wilson to Niger. Wilson ultimately, on July 6, 2003, revealed his role in the Niger affair in an article appearing in the New York Times, again asserting a yellowcake sale likely never took place. Over the next few days, the administration sought to debunk Wilson's claims, telling several reporters, including Tim Russert of NBC, Matt Cooper of Time and Judith Miller of The New York Times, that he was a lightweight who benefited from nepotism - that his wife employed by the CIA was partly responsible. Libby denied to the FBI and the federal grand jury that he told reporters about Wilson's CIA ties, leading to the indictment. "Mr. Libby's story that he was at the tail end of a chain of phone calls, passing on from one reporter what he heard from another, was not true. It was false," said special prosecutor Patrick Fitzgerald. "He was at the beginning of the chain of the phone calls, the first official to disclose this information outside the government to a reporter. And he lied about it afterward, under oath, repeatedly." The indictment sheds little light on Cheney's activities, other than the fact that he imparted information about Wilson to Libby. "The full facts of the case, including the role of Vice President Cheney, will come out at Libby's trial," said Rep. Jame Harmon, D-Calif., ranking Democrat on the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence." "But one thing is beyond dispute - senior officials at the White House set out to discredit Ambassador Wilson, who contradicted the administration's claim that Iraq was acquiring nuclear material. They did this in an insidious way, by exposing the identity of his wife, who served courageously overseas and took enormous risks for the security of the United States."
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Top • Page Up • Full Thread • Page Down • Bottom/LatestThere is a reference to a conversation Libby had "in the office of the vice president." It doesn't make it clear if Cheney was involved in that conversation or not, which could be key. But the indictment does suggest Cheney's direct involvement.
#5. To: robin (#2)
Scripps Howard News Service
October 28, 2005
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