CIA Leak Investigator Warns Against Document Release

[Halliburton]

<snip>
The Justice Department, in a letter dated September 14, said special counsel Patrick Fitzgerald had advised that producing documents and holding hearings would interfere with his investigation. The letter was sent to the House Intelligence Committee's Republican chairman, Rep. Peter Hoekstra (news, bio, voting record) of Michigan.
<snip>

<snip>
Lawyers close to the Plame investigation say there are signs that the 20-month-long inquiry could be wrapped up within weeks. The outcome could have major political implications for Bush, whose current approval ratings are the lowest of his presidency.
<snip>

http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20050916/pl_nm/bush_leak_dc

[charlyvi]

1. Dare I hope?

Dare I dream that this bozo administration's greed, graft and incompetence has finally reached critical mass? If there is a God, please make it so!

[babsbunny]

4. Don't worry! God is working!

Just think about how much info/scandal has come to light since they stole the last election! I have been praying and praying just for the truth to be reveeled! It is happening! It just doesn't seem to be doing much good, but look at the poll #'s! America is waking up!

[AuntiBush]

47. I'm Dreaming with you, charlyvi! Let's all Dream & Pray together.

Nice and easy; darkest before the dawn, right?

Hope, charlyvi. Let's all just hope.

[The Backlash Cometh]

68. I want this more than Christmas.

[jsamuel]

2. Thanks Fitz! Let us know what we should and shouldn't do!

:hi:

[sabra]

3. seems hopeful!

crossing finger...

[amber dog democrat]

5. oh please please please

let him be impeached..

[Trillo]

6. Why would producing documents "interfere" with an investigation? nt

[AlCzervik]

7. in case someone passed them to Rove so he then could fabricate some excuse

or alibi?

[hang a left]

44. Do you really think something that the WH has provided to the prosecutor

via subpoena hasn't been seem by KKKarl?

[mountainvue]

8. I don't know if this is good or bad. n/t

[lancdem]

14. It's good

If Fitz weren't going to indict anyone, he wouldn't care if hearings were held.

[Uncle Roy]

24. I agree. Prosecutors need to worry about winning their cases in court.

Too much "pre-trial publicity" can make jury-selection very difficult.

And a congressional committee can offer someone immunity to force him to testify at their hearings, and that can really complicate a prosecutor's job in court when he's trying to convict that same guy for doing the very things he said he did when he testified before congress under immunity.

[kestrel91316]

28. Exactamundo, Uncle Roy. You get the gold star tonight.

[calimary]

37. Welcome to DU! Not a legal expert here, but that certainly makes sense

to me. I would suspect he wouldn't want to tip his hand in ANY event.

I'm praying...

INDICTMENTS NOW!!!!!!!

And then IMPEACHMENT!!!!

[bobbieinok]

56. Iran-Contra hearings with immunity ruined some of the prosecutions

[whalerider55]

66. but...

wouldn't you then think that the admin, which has the majority, wouldn't want to set up some sham hearings, commit a little perjury, and then get all theses folks immunized to bury the case?

whalerider

[Lochloosa]

67. Oliver North

remember him...

[Zan_of_Texas]

76. Okay, call me a dreamer. I want indictments BEFORE Rbts is confirmed.

That is all!

[hang a left]

45. If you read the article it goes on to say

that the repukes voted on a party line to not request documents from the WH. The Dems are the one pushing the issue. It is interesting to me that if the repubs thought that could damage Fitz's case they would be all gung ho about the idea. In fact they would have brought it up.

Actually this revelation has me concerned. Not another cover-up...please no! This is the one I have waited for over 2 years for.

[skids]

49. Here's the deal.

This is contorted Washington politics so it's easy to lose track.

The Dems really just wanted to Repugs to go on record as not supporting any investigation. The Repugs voted down the initiatives because A) they were Dem sponsored initiatives and B) because the terms of the proposals doubtless were not the recipe for a whitewash Repugs would prefer, not because of any letter from Fitz. The Repugs could easily do an about-face and start their own initiative for an investigation, that would be bad. But if they do so, they will look pretty hypocritical now that they have voted against an investigation.

The Dems do this often nowadays. They know that they are being completely shut out of the process by a uber-unified Repug voting majority and asshole fascist committee chairs. So they submit stuff for votes that they probably would not strategically sponsor (though they support it in principal) if they thought it had any chance of getting passed. I'd say it was a good play by the dems, but I'm not sure that "getting them on the record" even matters. I mean, they are Republicans... these days the rules don't apply to them and their popular base is loyal no matter what they do. They could all train up and gang-rape a NOLA corpse and they'd suffer no political or legal consequences.

As far as Fitz, though, he was just being protective. If there is anything disturbing, it's that he was not poltically savvy enough to see the ploy -- that is assuming that his letter was sent seriously, though, and not just as a CYA or procedural measure. Fitz in this case is one of three things: slightly out of touch with D.C. politics, just following standard procedure, or so incredibly adroit that he injected the letter as a trap, to see if any Congresscritters would accidentally latch onto it in floor speaches or post-mortem comments about the Dem proposals. Because if they did so they would have an even harder time sponsoring a Repug whitewash committee.

[hang a left]

53. Hey skids...thanks for the translation.

I hope he is adroit, and it is a trap.

Do you think Miller is negotiating a deal? I am sure she knows they intend to charge her with criminal contempt at the end of this confinement. She will do time after conviction or a guilty plea. At least a couple of years. Do you think they would give her immunity? If I were her I would do the couple of years and live out the rest of my life as opposed to having someone commit suicide to me.

[skids]

59. Don't know about Miller.

Everything I've read about Fitz suggests that he's at least adroit enough to get the lead out before the GJ retires. He may not be a limber DC politico, but he's for sure aware that he should not rely on a re-appointment. I have no worries that he sincerely wants to take down anyone he found did anything illegal, and take them down hard.

So if he's waiting on Miller, it's just to add more charges. He'll come forward with whatever he thinks is solid soon (sound of wood being knocked on.)

[mod mom]

69. Maybe Miller remains in jail for protection reasons. It was suggested

a while back.

[dooner]

55. interesting. n/t

[dooner]

54. I'm puzzled by that point also. n.t

[lancdem]

12. Fitz doesn't want to tip off any potential indictees

[MidwestTransplant]

15. I don't know but it's a hopeful sign that something is brewing

He probably wouldn't be too worried about it if his investigation were going to end with no indictments.

[ItsTheMediaStupid]

22. Ollie North Skated because of a Congressional investigation

He was granted immunity by Congress.

Fitzgerald doesn't want this and doesn't want Congress to publish anything that might tip his hand as a prosecutor.

I don't see this as bad at all.

[truebrit71]

23. Because then congress would quickly hold hearings and offer IMMUNITY...

...to the leakers....

I think this is a good sign...some big names are gonna get nicked..

[jsamuel]

43. ding ding ding - WINNER - just like Iran Contra

[loudsue]

9. LOL! Now watch the republicans start pushing congressional hearings

They'll do ANYTHING to cover their asses....treason, fraud, obstruction of justice, voter disenfranchisement...whatever it takes. This statement by Fitzgerald is like waving a red flag in front of a bull.

:kick:

[Miss Chybil]

11. You may be on to something. Let's see which way the dominoes

fall now. "Major political implications for Bush," I'm sure doesn't mean the investigation results are going to make his poll numbers go up.

[lancdem]

13. It also means Fitz means business

[redacted]

20. Sue what do you mean?

what kinds of hearings? Don't understand.

[progressoid]

25. Repugs have been hinting at hearings about the Plame outing

As Fitzgerald is implying, this would destroy his investigation. The has been talk that they could also try some pre-emptive legal move to put closure on this before the results of the real investigation are revealed.

[seemslikeadream]

10. The outcome could have major political implications for Bush

[Jersey Ginny]

16. Oedipal Conflict

So *'s father is president. Then * becomes president. Now, it is difficult to outdo ones father when he was the president. *, who has disdain for his father, thinks that will be a cakewalk. He'll outdo the father in every way. So he invades Iraq and get Saddam and shows he is tougher than his father. Then he gets reelected, again far superior to his father. The funny thing about the Oedipal conflict is that ultimately, the father wins and the son must be "put in his place" in order to become his own person. Anyway, people who win oedipal conflicts are conflicted themselves. The will actually screw things up (unconsciously, of course) to fix the oedipal inbalance. I believe that is what we are seeing here. * will continue to screw things up for himself. Lets just hope he doesn't blow us all up in the process.

[goforit]

19. Interesting Freudian view.

[Tiggeroshii]

63. Like kafka's the judgement...

Thats a much less mindnumbing way to see things, rather than trying to interpret it outta kafka and freud's stuff. My english teacher's really into this crap, so he's shoving our faces into really get it. Even with the metamorphosis -trying to interpret the oedipal conflict is really disturbing. It's cool to s see a real life situation of it. Thank you.

[Name removed]

17. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[redacted]

29. This isn't the first time I've heard this story

When I read other writers' accounts I thought they had made it up. The story above is almost identical, however, to those stories. How credible is Greg Szymanski? Anybody know anything about this fellow?

[kevsand]

33. This has been discussed in numerous threads here at DU.

The consensus is that he makes a lot of stuff up. The major tell is that the Plame grand jury is in DC, not Chicago.

[redacted]

36. Thank you kevsand

[mirandapriestly]

40. His stories usually turn out not to be true, but they are juicy nt

[redacted]

41. Miranda, can you think of an example story that turned out to be false?

[SlowDownFast]

57. Here's a link for you

with some his nuttier stuff concerning aliens and such:

http://proliberty.com/observer/20050416.htm

[redacted]

77. Thanks utopiansecretagent. This topic hardly enhances his credibility! But

to be fair, nowhere in the piece does he say he agrees with these strange folks. In his conclusion, he points out that "doubts. . .come from lack of corroboration, lack of physical evidence and Hall’s inability to provide the names of those persons who may also have first hand knowledge." To me, it seems like an entertainment piece, not reporting.

I also know from experience with the computer press that freelancers often have to take terrible assignments, such as reviewing junk software, just to survive. It's almost impossible to survive as a freelance writer these days because pay is generally so poor.

Late last night I also read portions of his work on Cindy Sheehan from Camp Casey, and I couldn't find an example of an objectively verifiable fact that wasn't also corroborated by other reporters in the corporate media.

Maybe it makes sense to be very, very careful about his credibility, but consider the possibility that he could be presenting some facts as part of his work.

[Me.]

51. I Think Rove & Judy

made a deal and neither will be indicted. Nor Mary Matalin as I don't think she was at the "work up" meeting. Nor B*** as I believe he'd have to be impeached first. I'm laying bets that the blame goes to Cheney's office and could hit any of the neo-con lovelies both within his office and the osp. Also there is a schism between the WH & veeps office and I betcha Rove pointed his finger in that direction. As for Cheney, I think he'll have "plausible deni ability" and slip the noose. But this is just a guess on my part. And with all that's going on in Congress, I don't know that they'll have time or opportunity to get a committee going. I am also wondering if Ari F. is also on the spot. All this, mho. But it's tick, tick tick time and we'll know soon enough.

[redacted]

78. So Congress has to impeach * before Fitzgerald indicts him?

You sure about that? Things worked that way in the Nixon case?

Speaking of Nixon, his poll numbers were in the high 20's just before he resigned. At 36 percent, Shrub right now doesn't have much altitude above that. I'm not sure these folks realize the severity of the trouble they're in.

[goforit]

18. Please, oh please.........

Humanity is on its edge.

[usregimechange]

21. producing documents and holding hearings about what?

Is Congress considering doing this of the CIA leak investigation?

[DLnyc]

26. Hmmm. IIRC, Congress managed to get a lot of contra-gate figures let

go, by holding hearings in which said figures were given immunity from prosecution. I think the deal was nothing in their testimony could be used in future prosecutions. But this made it impossible in practice, if I recall correctly, to convict Ollie North.

[reprobate]

31. North was convicted. It was overturned on appeal because.....

...congress had given him immuniity and this conflicted with his conviction.

[progressoid]

34. Ding Ding Ding

DLnyc wins the microwave oven in the "dirty tricks" category.

[fooj]

27. We've been waiting for a break for a long, long time!

Peace.

[DLnyc]

30. Anybody remember the picture on the old Morton's Salt containers?

It had a girl with and umbrella and under that it said:

"When It Rains, It Pours"

I love that image.

[Samantha]

32. Here is the plan we have in place

Cheney resigns first. Bush* must select Al Gore to be Vice President. Congress approves. Then Bush* resigns and Gore takes the Office of the Presidency and selects a vice president, which Congress approves. They complete the second term and run for election in 2008.

[NoBushSpokenHere]

35. Hey, You stole my dream :) n/t

[Trevelyan]

38. On Rep. Conyers' Blog, he wrote that he is going to push for immediate

investigations by the Congress. Is Conyers trying to force Fitzgerald to make a decision quickly since even Cynthia McKinney talks about the Concentration Camps that the Katrina evacuees are being forced into to steal their land and is mentionin the I word.

With Blackwell thugs protecting Bush, I hope the Federal Marshalls Fitzgerald sends are sharp shooters.

~~~~~~
This is from http://www.conyers.us/


Listen In as Congressional Republicans are Forced to Address Rove's Plame Leak

Cross-posted at DailyKos

Starting tomorrow and stretching through next week, 4 House Committees are expected to vote on resolutions addressing the Valerie Plame leak. Specifically, these resolutions demand information from the Bush Administration on the outing of Valerie Plame in apparent retaliation for Ambassador Wilson's truth telling concerning weapons of mass destruction. The Bush Administration refuses to police itself in the midst of criminal and ethical misconduct and it is time for Congress to exercise its duty to oversee the Executive Branch. Many of these markups will be broadcast live on the Internet. The following are links to the Committee webcasts:

September 14, 10:00 AM, House Judiciary Committee
http://judiciary.house.gov/

September 14, 10:30 AM, House International Relations Committee
http://wwwc.house.gov/international_relations/

September 20, Time TBA, House Armed Services Committee
http://www.house.gov/hasc/schedules/

September 15, 1:00 PM, House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence
Closed to the Public

This resolution is necessary because the Bush administration refuses to police itself in the midst of criminal and ethical misconduct. In July 2003, over two years ago, a Bush administration official committed one of the most serious breaches of national security in recent history by disclosing to the press the identity of an undercover CIA operative. Even worse, it likely was done for political reasons, to retaliate against the operative's husband for successfully challenging the President's claim that Iraq had sought nuclear materials in Africa.

The purpose of this resolution is to get to the bottom of what happened and why the Justice Department slow-walked the investigation at the beginning. We know that, despite urgent pleas from the CIA for a criminal investigation into the leaker, the Justice Department and White House dragged their feet. Then-Attorney General Ashcroft insisted on private briefings on the status despite his long-standing ties to Karl Rove, a person involved in the investigation. It is time for Congress to exercise its duty to oversee the Executive Branch.

We have no illusions that the Republicans in Congress are suddenly going to reverse course and start demanding accountability on this, or any other matter, that involves Bush Administration misconduct that is damaging to the nation. However, starting tommorrow, they will have to go on record and explain their votes defending criminal activity on the part of high ranking officials. That is the beginning of congressional accountability.

[Name removed]

39. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[slay]

42. I LOVE that plan!

Gore 2005! :)

[dchill]

48. I thought this plan...

was supposed to be a SECRET!

[jwirr]

46. He could be right. Ollie North got off free because

of information used before the trial.

[txindy]

50. Sounds like Patrick Fitzgerald has all of the bases covered

This doesn't surprise me. Thrills me, yes. Surprises me, no. That is one seriously gifted and tenacious prosecutor.
:applause: :applause: :applause:

[hvn_nbr_2]

52. "Wrapped up in a matter of weeks" sounds very bad to me

The article says that lawyers close to the investigation say it could be wrapped up in a matter of weeks. The only way I can see that happening is if they don't indict anyone. Indictment is only the first step; certainly a trial won't happen within a matter of weeks, so the only way it could be wrapped up in weeks is if they say no one did anything wrong.

[JanusAscending]

58. What are you talkiing about?!!!

The Prosecuter has been working on this case for 20 months now!! I think he's got his ducks all in a row, and is almost ready to indict!! He just doesn't want the pols to screw it up for him!! THIS IS A GOOD SIGN !! Try not to be so pessimistic!!:eyes: :toast:

[IthinkThereforeIAM]

64. Nah...

... the grand jury is over in October, and "wraps up" by handing down the indictments.

[hvn_nbr_2]

65. "wraps up" = hands down indictments

If that's what they mean by "wraps up," then it's good news. The story says the "inquiry" wraps up. Depends on what they mean by "inquiry." I took inquiry to mean the whole investigation, not just the grand jury. Imprecise language leaves lingering doubts.

I hope you're right and I'm wrong. Based on his reputation, the way he's apparently conducted the investigation so far, pressing hard enough to imprison a journalist, and (from all accounts) worry in the White House, your interpretation certainly seems valid. Wanting Congress not to mess up the investigation and potentially give the miscreants the same out as Ollie North got would be a good sign then, too.

One other thing I've been wondering about--he's a special prosecutor. Does that mean he depends on specially appropriated funds? Would that mean the Puke Congress could just cut off his funding and kill the investigation if they wanted?

[cascadiance]

60. I wonder if he' waiting for Sibel Edmond's appeal to be resolved...

and to see if he can get past the gag order on hers and other whistleblower cases to get further testimony before the Grand Jury. If he doesn't get this go ahead, perhaps he also has some alternative strategy in terms of getting testimony. Saying that this would potentially get wrapped up within a few weeks might be about the right timing. If she's not heard, then it probably wouldn't be too much longer after that that he concludes his investigation, figuring that it will be HIS indictments that has to be the next step, whereas if she can get a court decision in her favor that might drag it out a bit more to get additional info from her, Indiria Singh, and many others.

[Up2Late]

61. I REALLY don't think this is such a good thing.

Now that he's told congress that what they are doing will Fuck up his investigation, guess what? Most likely, the RW Congress will push it forward with "all deliberate speed" so that they DO fuck it up.

[tblue37]

62. Don't forget that Ollie North

was actually convicted--but he got off on a technicality. His testimony at Senate hearings was given under a promise of immunity, and that prevented it from being admissable as evidence in his criminal case.

If the Repubs hold hearings, they will spread immunity far and wide, and thus all the bastards will ge off, just as North did.

[myrna minx]

70. Please please please. n/t

[The Stranger]

71. Could his poll numbers collapse coincide with a wave of indictments of his

criminal administration? Would it be the knock-out blow at just the right time needed to send him reeling to eventual collapse from power?

I've seen people get hopeful on these boards. I remember the last presidential election and the exit poll crescendo extravaganza here. Then the fallout the next day.

I'm sitting out this one.

[Tom Joad]

72. He won't be able to throw govt. money at this problem

[papau]

73. CIA leak investigator warns against document release (to Congress)

If it really is against the law in some cases to knowingly reveal the identity of an undercover CIA officer, or under the earlier more easily proved law on classified information to do same, then fire Rove or revoke his access to classified information.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20050916/pl_nm/bush_leak_dc;_ylt=Ar1juzQ9_NqPncwUsjeHGWtZ.3QA;_ylu=X3oDMTBiMW04NW9mBHNlYwMlJVRPUCUl

CIA leak investigator warns against document release Thu Sep 15, 8:14 PM ET

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The Justice Department and the special counsel investigating the leak of a CIA operative's identity pressed Congress to block legislation that would compel the administration to turn over documents related to the case, the department said in a letter released on Thursday.

The Justice Department, in a letter dated September 14, said special counsel Patrick Fitzgerald had advised that producing documents and holding hearings would interfere with his investigation. The letter was sent to the House Intelligence Committee's Republican chairman, Rep. Peter Hoekstra (news, bio, voting record) of Michigan.

Congressional Democrats have so far failed in their attempts to pass legislation that would force President George W. Bush and the departments of state, justice and defense to provide Congress with documents relating to CIA operative Valerie Plame.

Republicans on the House Intelligence Committee on Thursday rejected the legislation on a party-line vote. Republicans on the House Judiciary Committee and International Relations Committee rejected similar resolutions on Wednesday.<snip>

[Moderator]

74. duplicate

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=102&topic_id=1784392

[MadisonProgressive]

75. Bush Indicted!

However, sources close to the federal grade jury probe also allegedly told Heneghen a host of administration figures under Bush were indicted, including Vice President Richard Cheney, Chief of Staff Andrew Card, Cheney Chief of Staff I. Lewis “Scooter” Libby, Attorney General Alberto Gonzalez, former Attorney General John Ashcroft, imprisoned New York Times reporter Judith Miller and former Cheney advisor Mary Matalin. Heneghen, unavailable for comment, also allegedly told sources White House advisor Karl Rove was indicted for perjury in a major document shredding operation cover-up.

=====================================================================
I can dream, can't I?