Leak Investigation: An Oversight Issue?

[cal04]

The departure this week of Deputy Attorney General James Comey, who has accepted the post of general counsel at Lockheed Martin, leaves a question mark in the probe into who leaked the identity of CIA operative Valerie Plame. Comey was the only official overseeing special counsel Patrick Fitzgerald's leak investigation. With Attorney General Alberto Gonzales recused, department officials say they are still trying to resolve whom Fitzgerald will now report to.

Associate Attorney General Robert McCallum is "likely" to be named as acting deputy A.G., a DOJ official who asked not to be identified because of the sensitivity of the matter tells NEWSWEEK. But McCallum may be seen as having his own conflicts: he is an old friend of President Bush's and a member of his Skull and Bones class at Yale. One question: how much authority Comey's successor will have over Fitzgerald. When Comey appointed Fitzgerald in 2003, the deputy granted him extraordinary powers to act however he saw fit—but noted he still had the right to revoke Fitzgerald's authority.

The questions are pertinent because law-yers close to the case believe the probe is in its final stages. Fitzgerald recently called White House aide Karl Rove's secretary and his former top aide to testify before the grand jury. They were asked why there was no record of a phone call from Time reporter Matt Cooper, with whom Rove discussed the CIA agent, says a source close to Rove who requested anonymity because the FBI asked participants not to comment. The source says the call went through the White House switchboard, not directly to Rove

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/8853002/site/newsweek/

[JDPriestly]

1. How could they be certain it went through the switchboard?

This sounds like another Rove leak. I have read that the call would not have been recorded if it went through he switchboard. Why would this be an issue. Did Matt Cooper state that he testified that he called Rove? If so, the prosecutor would know that Matt Cooper called. Why would he ask Rove's aides about the call? If not, is there a possibility that Rove initiated the call to Matt Cooper? Have I simply not followed this story carefully enough? I'm really asking these questions. Does anyone know facts that I do not know?

[Carolab]

2. If Rove initiated the call, then Cooper would be lying.

Right? I think maybe it might be that the call didn't go through the switchboard or if it did the records were somehow scrubbed?

[meg]

4. A theory about the WH logs

They were asked why there was no record of a phone call from Time reporter Matt Cooper, with whom Rove discussed the CIA agent, says a source close to Rove who requested anonymity because the FBI asked participants not to comment. The source says the call went through the White House switchboard, not directly to Rove

The above is clearly from a Rovian - says a source close to Rove- so you know that the information is self-serving in some way. Here is how I think this Rove-speak is meant to help Rove:

1. Frame the issue of the missing log entry first
2. Get the information out now around Friday and later claim that this information is old news

Essentially, this tactic is the limited-hang-out strategy that Nixon used during the Watergate investigation.

Here's what I think happened:

1. Cooper called the White House and went through the WH switchboard
2. Cooper's call was logged
3. Gonzales gave the cover needed to scrub the call logs either with the 12hour/67day delay or after the fact when all of the material was reviewed by Gonzales before it was turned over to the leak investigators
4. Fitzgerald reconstructed the complete log (in Cooper's case anyway)
5. Fitzgerald found out what the WH procedures are for logging calls
6. Fitzgerald called Rove's aides and asked them how come the log entry is missing
7. The Rovian quoted in the story above makes up an excuse - the WH switchboard ate my homework

[Vickers]

7. "the WH switchboard ate my homework"

:rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl:

Excellent analysis, by the way. :thumbsup:

[meg]

18. Thanks!

[FreakinDJ]

22. More then just 1 call was scrubbed

There was also the call when the CIA phoned the attorney General's office to report a crime had been committed. The white house was not told to not destroy documents until 12 hrs later

During that period of time obviously calls were made

[Karmakaze]

3. I don't get it? The Whitehosue switchboard doesnt keep records of calls?

That doesn't make sense, and I find it very hard to believe.

[Rebellious Republican]

5. This stinks of foul play, why would Comey leave, at this crucial

point, in probably the most important case of his life? This is big history in the making, and you think he doesn't know it.

It just does not make any sense what so ever, some one in his position will always have good job offers.

This is bullshit, we have just lost folks, its over, Bush won again, these fuckers have just proved that they own America, lock, stock and barrel.

If you can't call off the bulldog, take out the bulldogs handler!

I think he was told to move on ( via bribe or threat) so someone else, a little more friendly to bushco, can take over.

Guaranteed, this is not a good sign for our side.

:nuke:

[alfredo]

13. That what I was thinking. I guess they need a 2005 version of Bork

to do the firing.

[JDPriestly]

19. His move to a new job covers up a payoff.

He gets a job for a big defense contractor. It pays well and offers a large severance bonus. He stays in his new job a while, does very little, fades out of the public picture and later either loses or quits his job and takes the large severance bonus. The money is transferred from the taxpayers to the public treasury to the defense contractor to Comey -- the perfect payoff. Yet another example of the corruption that permeates the Bush administration. Just my theory, but very possible.

[Just Me]

25. That's precisely how it works when war-profiteers are ruling this nation.

Which is why we should demand that NO ONE connected with the military complex be allowed to run for office. The temptation for abuse is simply too great and potentially ruinous to our nation.

[Moderator]

6. kick

[Rebellious Republican]

8. Way to important to let drop off the first page......... N/T

:kick:

[Theduckno2]

9. General Counsel at Lockheed Martin? I got a queezy feeling!

I took the liberty of looking up Comey's bio at the DOJ.

http://www.usdoj.gov/dag/jamescomeybio.html

His record of experience is quite impressive, but is his time in the private sector (just 3+ years by my count) enough to warrant being general counsel for Lockheed-Martin? How many general counsels would a company like Lockheed-Martin have? And why now?

As Dana Carvey's character "The Church Lady" would say; 'Isn't that conveeenient!

[JDPriestly]

20. See my post above.

It's a payoff.

[Supersedeas]

29. when Big Defense Kor's comes a-calling--Right Wingers snap to

[October]

10. kick

[kevsand]

11. It could just as easily be auspicious,

rather than suspicious. Comey and Fitz are old friends; that's one reason Comey was comfortable giving the post to Fitz. I don't think he would leave his old friend unprotected after putting him there to begin with. It may just mean that the hammer's ready to fall no matter what anyone tries to do to prevent it.

It's already too late for the crooks in the west wing. Even if they tried to put the genie back in the bottle at this point, do you honestly think that Fitz or members of the grand jury will go quiet into that good night? It's over, all right, but not for us. One way or another, the bad guys are gonna take a fall on this one.

[Theduckno2]

12. I feel better reading your post.

I didn't realize they were friends and it may be that there is no turning back on indictments from the grand jury. Here's hoping! :toast:

edit:spelling

[Theduckno2]

14. Just another thought.

Maybe the offer of the post of general counsel (as well as the timing) by Lockheed Martin was a way of letting the Bush Administration know what side corporate America (especially defense contractors) is on in the leak case.
If the Bush Administration was harboring any ideas of retaliation, this may indicate that Fitzgerald's back is covered.
Darn if this isn't a good show! :popcorn:

[Theduckno2]

17. This may help explain Bush's month long vacation.

Especially in the face of plenty of pointed criticism. He may be preparing for the defense of his Administration and his Crawford estate may provide him a measure of secrecy versus being at the White House (recorded calls and the possibility of leaks).

Either that or Texas is overrun with brush that needs cutting!

I'm feeling much better now and if you see someone walking around with a hopeful smile, it just might be me. Thanks kevsand.

[sunnystarr]

15. I've worked many places over my lifespan

and when someone has a secretary the calls coming from a main switchboard are recorded and screened by the secretary to give the boss the opportunity to take or not take that call. It's ludicrous to believe that someone can call the switchboard and get through to Rove directly. We can all try to call him that way to see if we can speak to Rove lol.

Every call answered by the Secretary (for Rove's type of position) gets recorded as required by policy & procedure requirements. Yet the recording of Cooper's call isn't there.

Seems to me Fitz is looking for obstruction of justice.

[slaveplanet]

16. Treasongate -related backgrounder

The controlling Law part 2- http://citizenspook.blogspot.com /

[sattahipdeep]

21. Who does Fitzgerald report to? and Why?

In the past three years, I have been threatened; I have been gagged several times;
I have continuously been prevented from pursuing my due process; all reports and
investigations looking into my case have been classified; and every governmental
or investigative authority dealing with my case has been shut up. According to legal
experts familiar with my case, the level of secrecy and classification in my court case
and the attitudes and handling of the court system in dealing with my case is
unprecedented in the entire U.S. court history. According to other experts I am one of
the most, if not the most, gagged woman anybody knows of or has heard of. Why?

http://www.justacitizen.com/articles_documents/May14-05-Gagged%20but%20not%20Dead.htm

Why did Asscrack appoint him to that position 10 days before 9/11?

Patrick J. Fitzgerald began serving as the United States Attorney for the
Northern District of Illinois on September 1, 2001. Mr. Fitzgerald was initially
appointed on an interim basis by Attorney General John Ashcroft before being
nominated by President George W. Bush. The United States Senate confirmed his
nomination by unanimous consent on October 23, 2001, and President Bush signed
his commission on October 29, 2001.

Mr. Fitzgerald served on the Attorney General's Advisory Committee
from 2001-2005, and he remains Chair of that Committee's sub-committee on terrorism.
He is also a member of the President's Corporate Fraud Task Force.
In December 2003, he was named Special Counsel to investigate the alleged disclosure
of the identity of a purported employee of the Central Intelligence Agency.

http://www.usdoj.gov/usao/iln/aboutus/patrickjfizgerald.html

[progressive_realist]

23. Concerning the routing of Rove's calls,

See this story:

http://rawstory.com/news/2005/ROVE_AIDE_CALLED_TO_TESTIFY_TOOK_HIS_MESS_0802.html

Which, incidentally, connects with this story from today:

http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/politics/la-na-...

I confess I'm still pretty new here, so I don't know how to link together separate DU threads. There are separate threads running for each of these stories. These stories together form a nice little trifecta of corruption.

[AndyTiedye]

24. Saturday Night Massacre Coming Soon

They'll just fire Fitzgerald and shut the whole investigation down.
The news media will resume their lapdog role once they have to fear Rove again.
Congress will do nothing, because the Rethugs are in control.
They've got nothing to fear from the voters, thanks to the media and Diebold.

The only thing they do have to fear is a bunch of extremely pissed-off ex-CIA agents.

[wishlist]

26. It's a wonder the investigation has gotten this far along

I am surprised that the WH did not shut down the investigation already, before all these damning news stories starting coming out about the confidential State Dept memo and the contradictions between Rove and Libby's vs the reporters' testimony, suggesting perjury. Maybe WH assumed that most of the reporters would never testify, so no charges could be proven. Some of the recent leaks to the press may involve people wanting to make sure the seriousness of WH actions gets exposed so the WH can't get away with quietly ending the investigation.

But the WH has succeeded in stalling the investigation with little public outcry about Bush's failure to clear up the matter and all of the Repubs have bought into their PR campaign to trash Wilson and trivialize the leak. No prominent Repubs have said anything disparaging about the WH involvement in the leak so I don't expect any dismay or pressure on WH to come clean by Repubs if the investigation is stopped.

I just hope there are still enough independent minded people still left in our government with enough power and influence for the investigation to continue. But it seems like Bush & Co are determined to purge the entire government including the FBI, CIA , the judiciary and the Congress to get rid of everyone who is not a committed kool- aid drinking RW idealogue.

[goforit]

28. Certainly they knew this would be attempted.

If they didn't figure this out.....
I'm sure all is most definitely lost with a total disgust
over all involved behind the scenes.

But I do have hope that there is a ray of light that
there will be justice.

[NoSunWithoutShadow]

30. All may not be lost, yet

PROCEDURE - RUNAWAY JURIES (from citizenspook)

http://citizenspook.blogspot.com/
(a third of the way down)

Furthermore, the grand jury can return indictments or true bills of their own initiation. They are not constrained by the indictments or information presented to them by Patrick Fitzgerald. The grand jurors are allowed to ask their own questions and create their own indictments. Grand juries that take the reins like this are sometimes referred to as "runaway grand juries":
...

I suggest you read Matthew Cooper's comments about his experience with Patrick Fitzgerald's unique grand jurors:

" 'Grand juries are in the business of handing out indictments, and their docility is infamous,' Cooper writes. A grand jury, the old maxim goes, will indict a ham sandwich if a prosecutor asks it of them. 'But I didn't get that sense from this group of grand jurors. They somewhat reflected the demographics of the District of Columbia,' he wrote. 'The majority were African-American and were disproportionately women... These grand jurors did not seem the types to passively indict a ham sandwich. I would say one-third of my 2-1/2 hours of testimony was spent answering their questions, not the prosecutor's.' "

[AndyTiedye]

31. "We Have Not Issued These Indictments"

Interesting wording indeed.

Is that "We have not issued THESE indictments" or

"WE have not issued these indictments"

?

[lovuian]

27. Bush is making sure the FBI has all HIS people in TOP Positions

a little to late!!!

[Mnemosyne]

32. .

:kick: