LAT: Standing on Shoulders of Perjury Law(Fitz doesn't like being lied to)

[DeepModem Mom]

Standing on the Shoulders of Perjury Law
By Richard B. Schmitt, Times Staff Writer


....(U.S. Atty. Patrick J.) Fitzgerald, 44, has a history of invoking perjury laws and related statutes to buttress his investigations.

So it may not be surprising that he is considering perjury charges in his current assignment — as a special prosecutor investigating whether anyone in the Bush administration illegally leaked the name of CIA operative Valerie Plame to journalists.

Plame's identity was first disclosed by syndicated newspaper columnist Robert Novak in what was widely seen as an attempt to discredit her husband, former diplomat Joseph C. Wilson IV, for criticizing President Bush's rationale for attacking Iraq.

Fitzgerald's 20-month-long investigation initially focused on whether administration officials had broken a federal law that made it a felony to knowingly disclose the identity of covert agents. But more recently, the inquiry is believed to have shifted to the question of whether officials — including White House Deputy Chief of Staff Karl Rove — who discussed Plame with journalists may have misled Fitzgerald and his investigators.

Fitzgerald's tendency to invoke the laws against lying comes from two things, colleagues say: the particular way he uses grand jury testimony when he conducts an investigation, and his deep-seated aversion to being lied to....


http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/nation/la-na-fitzgerald15aug15,0,5024788.story?coll=la-home-nation

[zbdent]

1. When libs say Clinton was impeached on a BJ, the repukes backpedal

and claim "no, it was perjury". At least, that's what they say to their non-religious base.

So, perjury is punishable - unless you're a Repuke. Then the "witch hunt has begun" . . .

[ixion]

2. "deep-seated aversion to being lied to...."

can't blame him for that. It pisses me off, too. :grr:

[PurityOfEssence]

11. Boy, he must be steamed right about now...

He's been talking with some of the most pathological liars to ever sully the White House, and that's saying something.

[Demeter]

3. Perjury Is A Bagatelle--Go for the Gusto!

Let's not take care of the hangnail when the patient is suffering from a burst appendix. Go for the treason and the fraud.

[punpirate]

4. The charges aren't...

... mutually exclusive, y'know. :)

[Demeter]

5. True, But We Don't Want To Reward Underachievement, Either

[rodeodance]

6. feds do not being lied to either-witness Martha S.

[Kralizec]

9. The purjury charge will inevitably lead to more charges, just because of

the nature of the charges. They would have lied as part of the cover up, so perjury would just be the first charge among many, I'm sure, that he will drop on some of the Administration. If they don't "suicide" him first.

[lateo]

7. "he lied under oath!!! !!1111!!!one!...!!eleven!!111"

How many times did we hear that about Clinton? And now you see why the Republicans DO NOT WANT to get comments under oath. Because the BS they get away with in the media and on the American public becomes criminal when under oath.

[napi21]

8. REMEMBER, even Al Capone was finally convicted on

tax fraud and not murder, even though everyone knew he was guilty of the more serious charge and much more. Sometimes, charges simply cannot be proven in court, so you take what you can get!

sure, I'm hoping Fitz will be able to get a lot of this admin for many different offenses, but if all he can get a conviction on is purgery, I'll still be happy!

[bearfan454]

10. I wish he would hurry up and start the legal proceedings

These fuckers need to squirm.

[0007]

12. Should come down in October when the Grand Jury is out.

[shraby]

13. Actually, charges can be handed down

anytime between now and then.

[nookiemonster]

18. Have popcorn.

:popcorn:

:evilgrin:

[barb162]

14. Well, I wish he'd call monkeyboy and then lock him up

Give him a cell next to Judith Miller. Better yet, put him in the same cell and they can then talk about all the WMD there is in Iraq.

[skip fox]

15. Multiple charges very possible, including perjury but much more . . .

I think, in fact, that Rove may receive at least 2 indictments and believe others will receive at least one apiece. The numbers of leakers (original sources) and officials needed for confirmation of the story MILITATES planning. We know that there were 6 reported contacts or original sources (John Dean says 6; we know of three: Rove, Libby, and Miller's source who will not specifically release her from her confidentiality agreement) and multiple (3-4) confirming sources, it becomes apparent what occurred. One administrative official discovered the Plame-Wilson-Niger relationship, took it to the White House Iraq Group, turned it over to Rove, who on the spot assigned tasks to different primary leakers/sources assuring no source called another source's contact (so as not to appear too eager), that no source's "pitch" was exactly the same but that their information was all given in an "off hand" manner (e.g., "Don't go too far out on this Wilson thing, I don't want you burnt").

To have 6 calls from 3 leakers is an indication of a coordinated endeavor. If there were the 6 leakers as Dean claims would make the case even more damning. But also consider the planning necessary to have enough confirming sources. Unsure of who the reporters may call to confirm, someone would have to make sure at least 2 other officials were ready and willing to confirm if called.

Therefore a master-mind would have been necessary to coordinate all these calls and confirmations (as many as 11 as was storied last week).

[DoYouEverWonder]

16. This wasn't just a slip of the tongue

on the part of a staffer.

This was a decision made on AF 1 to purposely out a CIA covert op and her front company. There were only a handful of key people on that trip with Bush in the middle running the show. These folks are so brazen they never worry about plausible deniability. Perjury charges will be just the beginning of a strong case for obstruction of justice, abuse of power and even treason.

Fitzgerald knows exactly what he is dealing with. I am sure he is planning his actions very carefully.

[Rebellious Republican]

17. Is anyone aware that Fitzgerald has a new boss? .....

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=132&topic_id=2009524&mesg_id=2009524

Could be bad for the home team.

:shrug: