John Dean's take on Bush Lawyering Up

[Walt Starr]

Published on Friday, June 4, 2004 by FindLaw
The Serious Implications Of President Bush's Hiring A Personal Outside Counsel For The Valerie Plame Investigation
by John W. Dean

Recently, the White House acknowledged that President Bush is talking with, and considering hiring, a non-government attorney, James E. Sharp. Sharp is being consulted, and may be retained, regarding the current grand jury investigation of the leak revealing the identity of Valerie Plame as a CIA covert operative.

(Plame is the wife of Bush critic and former ambassador Joe Wilson; I discussed the leak itself in a prior column, and then discussed further developments in the investigation in a follow-up column.)

This action by Bush is a rather stunning and extraordinary development. The President of the United States is potentially hiring a private criminal defense lawyer. Unsurprisingly, the White House is doing all it can to bury the story, providing precious little detail or context for the President's action.

According to the Los Angeles Times, Bush explained his action by saying, "This is a criminal matter. It's a serious matter," but he gave no further specifics. White House officials, too, would not say exactly what prompted Bush to seek the outside advice, or whether he had been asked to appear before the grand jury.



<snip>

http://www.commondreams.org/views04/0604-09.htm

[kaitykaity]

1. From one who knows.

:evilgrin:

[robbedvoter]

2. My favorite part - poetic justice

Ironically, it was the fair-haired Republican stalwart Independent Counsel Kenneth Starr who decimated the attorney-client privilege for government lawyers and their clients - which, to paraphrase the authority Wigmore, applies when legal advice of any kind is sought by a client from a professional legal adviser, where the advice is sought in confidence.

[ElementaryPenguin]

3. Whoa! Cheney has hired a lawyer now too!!

Sounds like the evil twins are scared shitless!! No wonder we're getting all the terror warnings! If this were Clinton, THERE WOULD BE NO OTHER NEWS ON THE AIR!!! Sounds like Fitzgerald is the real deal and kicking major ass!

:evilgrin:
:bounce:

[napi21]

7. Probably not scared, but CYA very well!

I don't know if they are really scared. I think they are both way too arrogant for that kind of feeling.

I heard yesterday that the SCOTUS made a decision during the Clinton admin. that Gov't attorneys could not claim priviledge because they were employees of the people. Obviously, that means that Shrub or his sidekick talked to any of the WH attorneys, there would be no secrecy.

You are supposed to tell your lawyer the truth ya know!

I do think this story indicates both W & Chenney think they have reason to be concerned with the truth!

[Jacobin]

4. My favorite quote from Smirk on all this:

"We are willing to cooperate".

Which, of course means he HAS NOT cooperated, but says he is "willing" to. Sorry, Dingbat. Grand Juries are not something that you are "willing" to do , as if you have a fricking choice. You WILL cooperate you overgrown frat goon monkey fart.

Query: Can a president pardon himself?

[ElementaryPenguin]

10. "We are willing to cooperate." Chimpy is such a transparent liar!

He must be as horrible a poker player as he is a pResident!

:evilgrin:

[Nlighten1]

5. The talking heads on NPR today...

said this is a very bad thing. The mentioned Nixon, Clinton and others as examples.

[DoYouEverWonder]

9. At least with Nixon and Clinton

we knew exactly why they were retaining private council.

If W and Dickie are retaining lawyers because of a criminal matter, the country has the right to know WTF is going on. How do we know whether or not these criminal matters are serious enough to warrant their removal from office? In this case, the national security of the country is much more important than protecting their individual interests.

[sundancekid]

6. ... and an attorney retained by cheney too ... VERY interesting

could America actually catch a break here??? ANY truth from this "copresidency" would be a start ... maybe we'll see a whole new version of "fantsy pants down" LOL

[bluedog]

8. didn't limbaugh say this??

"When the President of the United States retains legal counsel outside of the White House, he MUST have something to hide."

Of course, he was talking about President Clinton.

anyone got a link for this??

[ElementaryPenguin]

11. kick! This may be what takes Bushler down!

:kick:

[Walt Starr]

12. Yup, he's hiding something

and Gonzales has troubles of his own, too!

[buycitgo]

13. Majority Report talking about this right now.....using Dean's story

obviously

just about point by point reference to it

reaming Mickey Kaus now for being RW DINO, along w/Camille Paglia

[Hamlette]

14. why did they tell anyone?

in this top secret administration I was surprised that they just came right out and said "Bush lawyered up". Surely they could have kept that secret.

Anyone know?

[madrchsod]

15. i knew Fitzgerald was the man...

i like that line about he`s a Chicago kind`a guy..well he is from nyc..interesting the terrorist the white house shipped back to Syria was on Fitz`s hit list..fizt was doing everything he could to nail this guy then- poof -the guys on a jet to Syria-the story made the front page of my newspaper.. Fitz will do everything he possibly can to get to the truth and the white house knows it....