Fitzgerald not talking about CIA leak

[sabra]

http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/national/1151AP_CIA_Leak_Congress.html

Fitzgerald not talking about CIA leak

ASSOCIATED PRESS WRITER

WASHINGTON -- Special Prosecutor Patrick Fitzgerald, who spent years investigating the 2003 leak of a CIA operative's identity, told lawmakers Wednesday that he could offer little help during congressional hearings on the leak.

Rep. Henry Waxman, D-Calif., asked Fitzgerald last week to meet with members of the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee, which will hold hearings on the Bush administration's handling of CIA operative Valerie Plame's classified employment status.

...

In a letter to Waxman, Fitzgerald did not refuse to cooperate with the congressional probe but made it clear he had little to say.

"I do not believe it would be appropriate for me to offer opinions, as your letter suggests the committee may seek, about the ultimate responsibility of senior White House officials for the disclosure of Ms. Wilson's identity," Fitzgerald wrote.

[kirby]

1. Why the heck not?

He spent years of his life absorbed in the investigation and it wouldn't be appropriate for him to offer opinions? How about offer FACTS.

[Generator]

2. Fitzgerald:worthless boy scout

Exactly what I was expecting. Thanks for the memories, it was so MUCH fun.

[madrchsod]

9. worthless boy scout ?

he convicted the number three guy in the white house. did you really expect the president or vice president to be charged in this investigation? that was never going to happen. but we did get 11 jurors to say--"where are the other guys" but those guys were being protected by libby.

but be that as it may..we are happy he`s back here in illinois where the conard black trial is starting today and a well connected republican who is sitting in prison is singing for his supper. after he`s done with them he`s still has the democratic mayor of chicago and the democratic governor.here in illinois we`ll take this worthless boy scout

[Missy Vixen]

11. He needs a SUBPOENA

His "opinions" are inappropriate for this investigation. If they want FACTS, they will have to subpoena him.

I'm not sure why this isn't being done. Hopefully, the committee will figure this one out.

In the meantime, I'm still looking for any takers on my repeated comments to those on DU who are unhappy with Patrick Fitzgerald. Please become a US Attorney. I'm sure you'll be much more effective. :sarcasm:

Julie

[TroglodyteScholar]

20. Subpoenas...

Isn't Libby appealing the verdict? If he is, that means the investigation is ongoing and Fitz, by law, can't discuss it in factual detail.

[Missy Vixen]

22. He can't discuss Libby

He needs a subpoena to appear at all, IIRC, plus he needs (again, IIRC,) approval from the DOJ to do so.

Julie

[Cessna Invesco Palin]

14. Oh cut it out.

Talk about throwing a tantrum when you don't get your way, geez.

[Wiley50]

3. My Guess is it is because he plans to pursue more indictments

and it would, therefore, be inappropriate to comment publicly at this time.

If I'm not mistaken, he still has a grand jury seated.

and even if not, he's sure to be after bigger fish now that Snarl was fingered so publicly at Scooter's trial.

and, even if not, he still has to deal with Scooter's appeal process

Lots of reasons to keep his cards close

[Amused Musings]

6. I'm not so sure about that

The article says no more charges are being filed and he is going back to his old job in Chicago

[Amused Musings]

4. Is that it?

Is that all she wrote? Looks like the investigation is done...

[sabra]

5. not even close...

[Missy Vixen]

12. He publicly said that the investigation is "inactive"

If Scooter finally opens his mouth to avoid prison, we may have additional charges. He is still obstructing the investigation.

Julie

[aquart]

7. Has he ever offered opinions about a case?

If so, in what context?

[AlCzervik]

8. not that i'm aware aside from the facts he listed at the 2 press conferences he had.

[Skink]

10. People really don't like to testify.

[bklyncowgirl]

13. Question for DU legal types. Could Fitz testimony before Congress undermind Libby case

As much as I'd like to see Fitzgerald tell what he knows, could Fitzgerald testifying before Congress give Libby's lawyers grounds to appeal or get the whole thing thrown out of court?

Also, if Scooter gets cold feet and decides to say, throw Rove or Cheney under the bus, would Fitzgerald testifying before Congress undermine any future legal actions?

[antonialee839]

21. Here's a good explanation from the fine folks at FDL

http://www.firedoglake.com/2007/03/15/looseheadthoughts-rule-6e/

[Nickster]

15. Maybe I'm reading too much into this, but Fitz said that he thought it would

be inappropriate to offer opinions about the ultimate responsiblity for the leak. He's not saying that he won't provide facts and documents that are properly requested by Congress and then Congress can investigate and make the conclusions that they need to. Fitz is just saying that he won't come to Congress and say, "Yup, Cheney obviously is the bad guy! You should nail him!". Sounds like the only thing Fitz can really do. We don't want Ken Starr again right?

[elcondor]

19. I agree that that's what he meant

I've been very impressed with Fitzgerald's work so far. It sounds like he'll give them whatever they want as far as FACTS go, but it's not his job to offer opinions, and I would agree with that. He's NOT Ken Starr, it's wonderful. Fitz has said in both of his press conferences about this case that he won't offer opinions, nor talk about people who were not indicted. (Yes he did bring up Cheney in his closing, I can't really account for exactly why he did that.) :shrug:

[PhilipShore]

16. Libby Show Trial=Fitzgerald

Fitzgerald is a puppet for the CIA.

[myrna minx]

18. That is absolutely ridiculous.

*sigh*

[Catherine Vincent]

23. Oh please!

Give it a rest.

[PhilipShore]

24. Fitzgerald in the 1993 WTC bombing case withheld evidence from the juries

FBI Informant & CIA "Assets" Plotted 1993 WTC Attack, FBI & CIA Also Followed 9-11 Hijackers
Source: Online Journal
Published: February 28, 2007 Author: Jerry Mazza

http://www.libertyforum.org/showflat.php?Cat=&Board=news_news&Number=295306250&page=3&view=collapsed&sb=5&o=21&part=all">Link


It is also most interesting that those who knew Atta in Hamburg have said that Mohamed Atta's "lessons ranged beyond the Koran to include the Muslim struggle, or jihad, in Palestine, Chechnya and Kosovo." The Kosovo Liberation Army was financed, trained, and generally organized by "the CIA, the German BND, and Albanian fundamentalists. Some are trained in Osama bin Laden’s camps." In 1999, former DEA officer Michael Levine made these observations about the KLA:


"Ten years ago we were arming and equipping the worst elements of the Mujahadeen in Afghanistan — drug traffickers, arms smugglers, anti-American terrorists. We later paid the price when the World Trade Center was bombed , and we learned that some of those responsible had been trained by us. Now we’re doing the same thing with the KLA, which is tied in with every known middle and far eastern drug cartel....."

"News leaked Salem had made tapes of more than a hundred hours of his conversations with FBI agents and handlers. Yet somehow the transcripts were not helpful to the prosecution"? The prosecutors in the 1993 WTC bombing case withheld a lot of other evidence from the juries and grand juries, such as Sudanese surveillance intelligence, which led right to the CIA's front door. The main federal prosecutors "for New York City and New Jersey in the bombing case -- were Patrick J. Fitzgerald and Michael Chertoff, respectively." Fitzgerald, with Andrew McCarthy, went on to lead the coverup of the plots to attack the US embassies in Kenya & Tanzania in 1998. UNITED STATES OF AMERICA v. ALI MOHAMED.

When Patrick Fitzgerald "immersed himself" and "took a major role" in the Global Relief Foundation and the Benevolence International Foundation investigations the outcome was predictable. The DOJ made a plea deal with BIF executive director Enaam Arnaout and dropped the terrorism charges. GRF co-founder Rabih Haddad was locked up on immigration charges in December 2001 until the Bush administration could get him out of the country. We found out from the Muntasser-Mubayyid case that Care International was basicly a front for the CIA front, that Alkifah Refugee Center. The Global Relief Foundation & Benevolence International Foundation received funds directly from Care.

[rodeodance]

17. He deals in facts -----not opinions. Makes me think he did not get any

facts that could stick to Rove, or WH.