Rove, Novak, the WHIGers and others got some really bad news today

[understandinglife]

Paul McNulty, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, announced that Lawrence Anthony Franklin, age 58, of Kearneysville, WV; Steven J. Rosen, age 63, of Silver Spring, MD; and Keith Weissman, age 53, of Bethesda, MD, were indicted today by a federal grand jury sitting in Alexandria with Conspiracy to Communicate National Defense Information to Persons Not Entitled to Receive It.

http://www.usdoj.gov/usao/vae/ArchivePress/AugustPDFArchive/05/20050804franklinrosenweissmannr.pdf

Counts 1 - 4, as filed against defendent Lawrence Allen Franklin, on May 26, 2005, in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia include:

Conspiracy to communicate national defense information to persons not entitled to receive it, 18 U.S.C. § 793(d) & (g);

and,

Communication of national defense information to persons not entitled to receive it, 18 U.S.C. § 793(d).

The link to the .pdf from the Clerk's office At the U.S. District Court, CRIMINAL NO. 1-05CR225 is:

http://www.usdoj.gov/usao/vae/ArchivePress/JunePDFArchive/05/20050613franklinI.pdf

Background on 18 U.S.C. § 793 can be found here:

http://straylight.law.cornell.edu/uscode/html/uscode18/usc_sec_18_00000793----000-.html

Steven J Rosen and Keith Weissman are indicted as co-conspirators, neither of whom were US Government employees. Additionally, they did not possess security clearances and were not authorized to receive classified information from the defendant, Lawrence Anthony Franklin.

Franklin, as would be the case for Rove, all the other members of the WHIG (White House Iraq Group), and anyone accessing the Top Secret document on AF1 during Bush's Africa trip (July 6 - 13, 2003), either had signed SF-312 - Classified Information Non-Disclosure Agreement or would be in violation of the law by virtue of having unauthorized access to it and any of the information it contained.

Congressman Waxman has focused on SF-312 and rightly so. See this DU thread in which I attempted to pull various resources together on this aspect:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=104&topic_id=4130407

Ms Plame's identity was marked explicitly Top Secret and carried the additional caveat that it not be shared with other governments irrespective of their status as allies.

Novak, Miller, Cooper and any other person in receipt of the classified information from Rove or/and anyone else who signed an SF-312 are candidates for co-conspiracy status, just as Rosen and Weissman have now been indicted as co-conspirators in the Franklin case.

Murray Waas discussion with Ambassador Wilson today on Democracy Now is as explicit a linkage of Rove, WHIG, Miller, WMD and Plame as I've seen:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=104&topic_id=4261522&mesg_id=4261522

18 U.S.C. § 793 is also known as the "Espionage Act."

Based on the events in the events at the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia today, I think the pucker-factor for Rove, Novak, and many others is likely to have tightened a notch or two. Would be interesting if someone were flashing (or whispering) the news to Novak during the CNN broadcast today that he might well find himself a co-conspirator under 18 U.S.C. § 793.

In any event, we no longer need to speculate whether those who have signed SF-312 are subject to indictment under 18 U.S.C. § 793 -- it happened, today.

David, at Blue Mass. Group
has been commenting on the relevance of 18 U.S.C. § 793 since June, 2005
http://bluemassgroup.typepad.com/blue_mass_group/2005/07/rove_plame_and_.html

WATCH IT; SPREAD IT http://www.bushflash.com/right.html

Peace.

www.missionnotaccomplished.us - How ever long it takes, the day must come when tens of millions of caring individuals peacefully but persistently defy the dictator, deny the corporatists their cash flow, and halt the evil being done in Iraq and in all the other places the Bu$h neoconster regime is destroying civilization and the environment in the name of "America."

[brettdale]

1. kick

kick

[medeak]

2. good job!

thanks!

[BrklynLiberal]

3. ..

:bounce: :bounce: :bounce: :bounce: :bounce: :bounce: :bounce: :bounce:

[EVDebs]

4. Good post, understandinglife ! Lotsa good info. You and H2Oman

lately have put some great stuff out there for us...while MSM is sitting on their collective buttocks.

[evermind]

5. Right! I'd been wondering why all the focus was on the

specific law covering blowing agents' cover, and had been thinking there must be some other law which makes divulging classified information a crime (here in the UK, that would be the official secrets act, but I don't know about the States).. So this is that law, then?

[rateyes]

15. See links in post 12.

Anyone who wants to read any law can go to US Code Main page and look it up.

That link is:

http://www.gpoaccess.gov/uscode/

The Espionage act would be found by typing in the search field of that page 18USC793, and a related law 18USC792, and others.

[Imagevision]

109. Maybe Novak will have legal problems outing Plame afterall?!!!

[electropop]

97. I've had the briefing...

as have a lot of govt employees. When you get the clearance, they make it very clear that divulging classified information can be prosecuted as a felony.

[BuyingThyme]

6. This is on the neo-con side.

Larry Franklin is an Israeli spy.

Richard Perle and Paul Wolfowitz should be worried, but how does this hit Novak and Rove?

[evermind]

11. I think UL is saying that they can get Rove (or other leaker)

under the same law that they are getting these people under, instead of the fiddly one about naming undercover agents.

[BuyingThyme]

18. I see. Thank you.

I guess espionage is espionage, whether you're working for Israel, or for the Bushes.

Larry Franklin is likely eligible for the death penalty. I wonder what Novak and Rove will get (besides pardons).

[rateyes]

21. The maximum penalty for espionage act violation

is 10 years. Of course, a case could also be made, because of the harm it caused the US, and the help it gave our enemies, and it was US citizens who committed the crime...for treason. That can get you the death penalty.

[BuyingThyme]

26. What crime is Jonathan Pollard rotting over?

[rateyes]

33. Well, I know that prior to sentencing, when he thought he

had a plea deal in place for light sentencing for pleading guilty to one count of spying for an ally, with no intention to harm the U.S., Caspar Weinberger gave some report to the sentencing judge, that Pollard was not allowed to see, but, which later was said to have accused Pollard of treason. (BTW, treason is spying for an enemy during time of war--if I understand the law). The judge sentenced him to life on the count of spying for an ally.

In Pollard's case I think there must have been a violation of another law than the one the OP is citing. If you follow the links in post 12 of this thread it will take you to 18 USC 793---which shows the penalty of a fine and a maximum of 10 years.

Good question, though, about Pollard--Short answer is "I don't know."

[BuyingThyme]

36. Yes. Thanks for digging. (Look at 794.)

It looks like I've been reading the same stuff you have.

Perhaps we should be looking at 794 - TITLE 18 > PART I > CHAPTER 37 > § 794 (a):

Whoever, with intent or reason to believe that it is to be used to the injury of the United States or to the advantage of a foreign nation, communicates, delivers, or transmits, or attempts to communicate, deliver, or transmit, to any foreign government, or to any faction or party or military or naval force within a foreign country, whether recognized or unrecognized by the United States, or to any representative, officer, agent, employee, subject, or citizen thereof, either directly or indirectly, any document, writing, code book, signal book, sketch, photograph, photographic negative, blueprint, plan, map, model, note, instrument, appliance, or information relating to the national defense, shall be punished by death or by imprisonment for any term of years or for life, except that the sentence of death shall not be imposed unless the jury or, if there is no jury, the court, further finds that the offense resulted in the identification by a foreign power (as defined in section 101(a) of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act of 1978) of an individual acting as an agent of the United States and consequently in the death of that individual, or directly concerned nuclear weaponry, military spacecraft or satellites, early warning systems, or other means of defense or retaliation against large-scale attack; war plans; communications intelligence or cryptographic information; or any other major weapons system or major element of defense strategy.

Link:
http://straylight.law.cornell.edu/uscode/html/uscode18/usc_sec_18_00000794----000-.html

[rateyes]

38. Thank you...

I knew I should have listened to my college professors who said not to stop until you have read all pertinent information. In any case...Bush, Cheney, Rove, Powell, Rice, Fleischer, Libby, Novak, Cooper, Miller, etc, etc, could ALL be in very deep doodoo.


:toast:

[BuyingThyme]

39. Yes, the Bushes are swimming in doodoo, but,

as I suspected, Larry Franklin may be facing death.

[rateyes]

45. I don't think so...of course I could be wrong...

but, according to this article--it seems he is being charged with a violation of 793.

<snip>

Also indicted today was Lawrence Franklin, 58, a U.S. Defense Department analyst who was charged in June with giving classified information to unauthorized persons. Today's indictment supersedes and modifies earlier charges against him.

If convicted, the three men face five to 10 years in prison on each of five charges, McNulty said. Franklin, Rosen and Weissman, who aren't in custody, will be arraigned Aug. 16.

<snip>

http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=10000103&sid=aZsEXpFdHx9c&refer=us

[BuyingThyme]

48. I'm just readin' the law.

(See my "second thought" below.)

[rateyes]

94. Yeah, I got you now...took a while for it to sink into

my sometimes (often?) thick head. Good post.

[BuyingThyme]

47. On second thought:

Being that Rove & Co. had to know, with absolute certainty, that releasing the Plame information to the press would reveal WMD secrets to all foreign nations ("...with intent or reason to believe that it is to be used to the injury of the United States or to the advantage of a foreign nation...") :

Rove and Co. are also subject to the death penalty under 794.

[Just Me]

59. BushCo/neoCON regime was in THE position to know,...

that the consequences of their actions would be both injury to the U.S. and advantage to other foreign nations.

This is very serious shit!!! Their amoral and repugnant attitude towards our laws and our people should certainly bite them injuriously.

[BuyingThyme]

64. Yes, after I read the law,

the seriousness of their crimes became apparent.

These guys have committed capital offenses against us.

[Just Me]

71. Even more disturbing is the fact that, they simply did NOT care.

They did NOT care about the consequences to their own people. Such complete absence of any concern about the impact upon others, especially when one serves in a position that is created to advance the interests of others, indicates a malignant and sociopathic evil.

[kestrel91316]

63. I have said this all along: Treason. Death penalty. The whole lot of them.

[fearnobush]

74. Wilson on the "treasonous leak."

"The fact that Mr. Rove, who is now documented to have been a liar and to have been the source of a treasonous leak is still on the payroll and Mr. Libby is still on the payroll and Mr. Bolton is up at the United Nations really, I think, is a breach of the President's bond to the American people." JOSEPH WILSON

<http://www.democracynow.org/article.pl?sid=05/08/04/1357248>
See Quote about 2/3rds down in the text.

[jazzjunkysue]

76. That's too good for these traitors. Give em 4 years in gitmo.

[Raksha]

83. The death penalty only applies if the leak causes an agent's death.

Read the statute again:

"...shall be punished by death or by imprisonment for any term of years or for life, except that the sentence of death shall not be imposed unless the jury or, if there is no jury, the court, further finds that the offense resulted in the identification by a foreign power (as defined in section 101(a) of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act of 1978) of an individual acting as an agent of the United States and consequently in the death of that individual."

In other words, if Valerie Plame had been overseas at the time Novak outed her, and if she had been killed as a result of her CIA connection becoming known, THEN he would be subject to death penalty. He's facing a pretty stiff sentence as it is...that's probably what caused his meltdown on CNN today.

However, we've heard that there could well have been deaths of other individuals "acting as an agent of the United States." Nobody can verify this since the information is classified. What happens then? It doesn't say the agent has to be a U.S. citizen.

[BuyingThyme]

84. You redacted the most important part of the law.

And you added a period right before the "or":

"...or directly concerned nuclear weaponry, military spacecraft or satellites, early warning systems, or other means of defense or retaliation against large-scale attack; war plans; communications intelligence or cryptographic information; or any other major weapons system or major element of defense strategy."

The Plame case concerns nuclear weaponry, communications intelligence, and a major element of defense strategy.

Slam dunk.

[electropop]

99. I recall hearing that both Pollard and Aldrich Ames

narrowly escaped the death penalty. I don't recall the exact name of the charges.

[The Backlash Cometh]

7. Bubububububu...

Now I know how Goldie Hawn felt in "Overboard."

[CantGetFooledAgain]

8. Yes!!!

Good news. Thank you!

[Starone]

9. Thanks!

Great connection.

[Pathwalker]

10. BINGO! Nail meet head! WOW!

:woohoo:

[rateyes]

12. Thank you, thank you, thank you...

I have made several posts in the last month saying that what is happening here is about more than a violation of the Identity Protection Act, but rather a violation of the Espionage Act.

And, as I read the statutes:

http://frwebgate3.access.gpo.gov/cgi-bin/waisgate.cgi?WAISdocID=2039813514+0+0+0&WAISaction=retrieve

and

http://frwebgate5.access.gpo.gov/cgi-bin/waisgate.cgi?WAISdocID=20149341832+0+0+0&WAISaction=retrieve

these apply to ANYONE who has classified information (whether they are authorized or not) who shares that information with someone not authorized to have it. It matters not which direction the info. flows. Reporter to Rove, or Rove to Reporter, etc. etc. etc.

If it's classified, it's classified--and sharing it with unauthorized people is espionage according to the statute...and, anyone who knows about it, and tries to cover it up, even if they haven't seen the classified material is also guilty (see second link). That means BUSH.

Carries a penalty of 10 years imprisonment.

:yourock:

[shraby]

42. That's what I've been saying too.

It's a broader statute and certainly covers the situation.

[rateyes]

46. Yeah, there's a few of us who have been talking about this..

and, it's frustrating that even the Dems who are interviewed haven't picked up on it---it's much more serious.

[Donailin]

13. O man!

Is it too soo to start humming a tune??? "Oh when the saints, oh when the saints. . !!"

[robertpaulsen]

14. Recommended and bookmarked!

Thanks for staying on top of this!

Here's an antiwar column on the subject:

With Friends Like This…
U.S.-Israeli rift clouds
the "special relationship"
by Justin Raimondo

snip

This weapons imbroglio is what has visibly roiled the surface of U.S.-Israeli relations at the moment, but the future promises much rougher turbulence. Prosecutors pursuing the Larry Franklin-AIPAC espionage investigation have already landed one indictment <.pdf>, with at least two more in the works, and this is really only the beginning of what promises to be one of the most politically portentous spy scandals since the trials of Alger Hiss. Franklin, the Pentagon's chief Iran specialist, was handing over sensitive classified information to the Israelis for ideological reasons: he's a true believer in the neoconservative cause, just as Hiss was a communist-leaning ideologue. Like Hiss – and unlike, say, Jonathan Pollard – Franklin did it for love, not money: devotion to an ideological vision that puts the interests of a foreign nation first.

This same ideological vision animates all too many Bush administration officials, most of them centered in the upper civilian echelons of the Pentagon and clustered around Vice President Dick Cheney. The pincer movement of prosecutors homing in on this pro-Israel cabal – Paul McNulty, in the Eastern District of Virginia, investigating AIPAC-gate, and Patrick J. "Bulldog" Fitzgerald, the special prosecutor in the Plame case – has the neocons caught in a legal vise. They are doing their best to wriggle out of it, but Fitzgerald isn't called "Bulldog" for nothing – and McNulty, who is now moving to interrogate Israeli diplomats, is turning out to be no pussycat, either.

more...

http://antiwar.com/justin/

[Catherine Vincent]

16. You are awesome dude!

Thanks!

:patriot:

[jojo54]

17. Great work!!

Thx for giving us all more reason for hope.

[countingbluecars]

19. Maybe this is why Novak

was in an especially pissy mood and lost it on the air today.

[understandinglife]

70. Carville : "Bob's probably got a lot going on in his life."

James being his typical terse self:

http://www.nytimes.com/2005/08/05/politics/05novak.html?hp&ex=1123300800&en=3f3cc789911d6a2e&ei=5094&partner=homepage

It's interesting that this story joins the indictment story on the NY Times homepage, this evening:

http://www.nytimes.com/2005/08/05/politics/05novak.html?hp&ex=1123300800&en=3f3cc789911d6a2e&ei=5094&partner=homepage

Oh sweet irony ....

One historical juxtaposition NY Times senior management is probably wishing never had happened to the 'old grey lady' is a person named Judith Wilson and their index of employees.


Peace.

www.missionnotaccomplished.us

[staticstopper]

86. Carvilles wife (tin mans right hand grrrrl)

has a lot on her mind as well.

But I guess he should watch out for her, being a cool southern dude that he is.

[AuntiBush]

114. And Acting a Bit (Clearing Throad) Tipsy...

Just sayin'!

[Blaze Diem]

20. Great News...May Joe Wilson's courageous battle with the Bush

power house be finally showing some movement forward.
Wilson has been fighting endlessly and against such an extreme wall of threat and secrecy that runs throughout Bush's evil lineage of corruption.
The fact that Mr Wilson is still alive to carry on this fight says much in his honor, and may a greater and higher power watch over him 'till the truth be know to us all.

Satan lives in Our White House!

[kestrel91316]

65. Well actually (IMHO) it's the Antichrist in the WH ................

but there is no need to split hairs.:evilgrin:

[FreedomAngel82]

80. Remember what Pope John said about Bushie

[kestrel91316]

81. I have heard, but do you have any actual links? I am curious as to

exactly what the pope said.

I have always gotten VERY BAD VIBES from Bush from day one of his campaign #1.

[Supersedeas]

104. Justice takes a voice...Joe Wilson did not stand by and allow them to

propogandize the war.

Corporate Media outlets are accomplices in this crime.

[Straight Shooter]

22. Thanks, understandinglife

These little nuggets of information are gold. Pure gold.

:thumbsup:

[Quakerfriend]

23. Beautiful work!

This really gives me a lift!!

[BamaBecky]

24. Excellent!

Bama

[Miss Chybil]

25. I'll believe it when I see it. In any case, awesome job. Recommended. nt

[Metta]

27. Nice, clear job on presenting the info. Thanks.

[theHandpuppet]

28. Here are some additional news sources

Apparently certain classified information was passed on to Israeli agents.

READ THESE!!

http://web.israelinsider.com/Articles/Politics/5484.htm
http://www.wtrf.com/story.cfm?func=viewstory&storyid=3014
http://www.cicentre.com/Documents/DOC_Larry_Franklin_Case.htm
http://www.newyorker.com/printables/fact/050704fa_fact
http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Iran-Contra_II

There is much, much, more. Just do a Google search for "Lawrence Anthony Franklin"

[Mabus]

51. Franklin was Chalabi's pal

http://www.answers.com/topic/lawrence-franklin

... Last fall, Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld confirmed that Franklin was one of two Pentagon officials who met in 2001 with Manucher Ghorbanifar, the Middle Eastern arms dealer and onetime intermediary in the Iran-Contra scandal of the 1980s. Ghorbanifar, who has said he remained in contact with Franklin and the other official until last year, is seeking US support to overthrow Iran's government.

Franklin also was a key link between the Defense Department and Iraqi National Congress Leader Ahmed Chalabi, according to the officials and Chalabi aides.

[Donailin]

29. can only nominate once

so I guess I'll just :kick: !!!!

[Rosco T.]

30. Positive Waves... everyone Positive waves....

[Donailin]

31. you got it!

OmmmOmmmm please dear God, don't let the bastards get away with any more of their lies!

[DanCa]

32. You rock guy.

Please keep posting and thanks for being here.

[lonestarnot]

34. Wooo fuck'n whoo com'n down the pike! Head's up on this! Yowser

:applause:


<>

[LibertyorDeath]

35. Yes !!

Rec

[bloom]

37. Ghorbanifar- provided Ledeen w/“4,000-5,000 pages of sensitive documents”

...Along with Franklin and Rhode, another Iran-Contra player and a rabid proponent of regime change in Iraq and Iran, Michael Ledeen, was involved in the Ghorbanifar meetings. Ghorbanifar told Rozen in an interview that he had met with Ledeen some 50 times since 911, and had provided Ledeen with “4,000-5,000 pages of sensitive documents” relating to Iraq and Iran. Ledeen was a consultant to the National Security Council and the Pentagon during the Reagan administration and worked with then-National Security Council chief Robert MacFarlane, another key Iran-Contra figure, and worked closely with Ghorbanifar to arrange the arms-for-hostages deal.


(Another Ghorbanifar associate, Fereidoun Mahdavi, has roped in Pennsylvania Republican Curt Weldon, and possibly House intelligence committee chairman Peter Hoekstra of Michigan, with tales of the looming threat from Iran. The two wererecently disclosed to have been meeting secretly with Mahdavi in Paris, and Mahdavi severed as the unnamed source for Weldon’s recent book-length hysterics about Iran.)


Perhaps unrelated and almost entirely unmentioned these days is an FBI investigation into the provenance of the forged Iraq-Niger documents, and how those documents wound up in the hands of an Italian reporter who first took them to Italian intelligence officials and then, when the Italians expressed no interest, to the US embassy in Rome.


The obvious place to start in any investigation of that matter would be who benefitted from the forgeries. There are two theories: one is that someone who wanted to make the administration look like idiots for relying on obviously bogus information is responsible, and the other is that someone who had a vested interest in furthering the case against Iraq is responsible. Ledeen and Feith’s office in the Pentagon, including Franklin and Rhode, fit that latter bill, and Ghorbanifar certainly has the contacts to make the forgeries happen.

So perhaps what had been two and possibly three parallel investigations — the Plame leak, the Iraq-Niger forgeries and the Franklin case — are beginning to intersect.... <more>


http://www.btcnews.com/btcnews/1054

[Disturbed]

41. Thanks. Yeah, this is getting down to it.

Hopefully, Fitz will deliver before his time runs out.

[lonestarnot]

43. Wooodamnhoo! Getting happier by the minute!

I think I'm gona go dance in the street!

[KerryOn]

40. Did you notice the date?

It was in May.

I would not get your hopes up yet. This is nothing new. I had heard of this sometime ago, but could never find much info.

The indictments are good news, but nothing has been liked to Rove, Bush or any others in the WH yet that I want to see hang.

We all know that they are guilty. All of them on AF-1 are probably guilty. proving it is another matter. Lets just hope that the ones indited strike a deal or something to expose the real players.

[lonestarnot]

44. Hold on to your shorts...this play is only in act 1.

[bloom]

53. Rosen and Weissman were indicted today, Franklin in May...

Posted on Thu, Aug. 04, 2005

Former officials with pro-Israel group indicted

By Shannon McCaffrey and Warren P. Strobel

Knight Ridder Newspapers

WASHINGTON - "The Justice Department indicted two top former officials with a prominent pro-Israel lobbying group Thursday for allegedly conspiring to communicate classified defense information.


U.S. Attorney Paul McNulty said the men were attempting to influence U.S. foreign policy. He said trafficking in information is commonplace in the nation's capital but a "clear line separates classified information from everything else."


"Today's charges are about crossing that clear line," McNulty said.


The indictment paints a more detailed picture of the case against Pentagon analyst Lawrence Franklin, who was charged in May with leaking classified information to the pro-Israel lobbyists about possible attacks by Iran on U.S. forces in Iraq.

...It charges that Rosen, 63, of Silver Spring, Md., and Weissman, 53, of Bethesda, Md., dealt in secret information as far back as 1999, several years before they are alleged to have met Franklin. Rosen met with "Foreign Official 1" - presumably an Israeli diplomat - on April 13, 1999, and disclosed sensitive intelligence he had picked up regarding terrorist activities in central Asia, it alleges."

http://www.realcities.com/mld/krwashington/news/nation/12305279.htm?source=rss&channel=krwashington_nation

[KerryOn]

108. Thanks for clarifying that....

.... kick

[jazzjunkysue]

77. Yep. Gotta see this move up the food chain a few more notches....

[DemonFighterLives]

49. I can't wait for them to be all wrapped up

The 2 investigations are turning into a perfect storm.
:woohoo:

[lonestarnot]

50. Dig it dig it deeper, fan those flames, throw another log on the fire!

:woohoo:

[jarnocan]

52. wow

so this is the beginning of actual indictments? Between that and the Sibel Edmounds stuff a lot seems to be perculating or even boiling over...Let's turn up the heat, even hotter !

[Tsiyu]

54. Sweet

Thanks for catching this

[bleever]

55. So pleased to add my nomination. And I must say, UL, that a while

ago you were discussing unorganized cybernetic systems with convergent motives creating an unpredictable and powerful force, and to me it seems like we can see it manifesting.

What the confluence of the three big investigations reminds me of is the demonstration whereby two pendula, attached to a wall (like clocks, for example) will synchronize, but with the addition of a third pendulum, chaos breaks out.

I think we're seeing some powerful creative chaos born out of the actions of all these various unconnected agents of justice. (Among which I am proud to include DU.)


:toast:

[understandinglife]

60. Yes, I think we are witnessing the manifestation to which you refer, ...

... and I agree that DU is very much one of the 'agents of justice.'

I am avoiding responding to many of the excellent comments in this thread as to not disrupt the spontaneity and the input from certain individuals who clearly have a better understanding of the relevant law than I (a biologist) will ever have.

I do think the indictments, today, as action on the filing in May of 2005, albeit on a different case, send shattering messages to numerous folk within the administration, the Congress and the media (reporters and executives).

I am also in even greater awe this evening of Congressmen Waxman, Conyers, Inslee and their colleagues, including Senator Dorgan, than I was before. Waxman's laser focus on SF-312 and Executive Order 13292 was so very wise! (http://www.democrats.reform.house.gov/investigations.asp?Issue=Disclosure+of+CIA+Agent+Identity)

Thank you and Peace and, for sure, "I believe!",
UL


www.missionnotaccomplished.us

[fooj]

88. I believe.

:patriot:

[PurgedVoter]

56. My cup runneth over!

:patriot: :bounce: :kick:

[Imagevision]

57. Finally some excellant news! Sibel Edmunds 11 page interview

In Vanity Fair seems to be just as relevant as Plame outing!!

In an exclusive interview Sibel Edmonds was asked if she would deny that laundered drug money linked to the 911 attacks found its way into recent House, Senate and Presidential campaign war-chests, according to what she heard in intelligence intercepts she was asked to translate.

"once this issue gets to be investigated, you will be seeing certain people that we know from this country standing trial; and they will be prosecuted criminally," revealing the content of the FBI intercepts she heard indicates that recognizable, very high-profile American citizens are linked to the 911 attacks.

When asked how many Americans were named in the intercepts, Edmonds said "There is direct evidence involving no more than ten American names that I recognized," further revealing that "some are heads of government agencies or politicians--but I don’t want to go any further than that,"
http://www.fathers.ca/fbi_cover-up.htm

[Ellipsis]

58. Thanks again for your unrelenting hard work.

[kestrel91316]

61. Oh, my .....................this is getting GOOD

[txindy]

62. This has been a most interesting day

I'm sure this news made Robert Nofacts' day all that much worse. Rove's head probably just spun faster on his skinny, no-neck shoulders.

Works for me! :thumbsup:

Thanks for the info.!

[nadinbrzezinski]

66. kick and somebody pass the darn popcorn

[understandinglife]

67. Happy to oblige ....

:popcorn: have some of mine ....

Apologies for being such a tardy host in delivering the refreshments!

And, here's something to watch ... and spread ...

http://www.peacecandy.com/gwbush/remindus
REMIND US

Peace.

www.missionnotaccomplished.us - How ever long it takes, the day must come when tens of millions of caring individuals peacefully but persistently defy the dictator, deny the corporatists their cash flow, and halt the evil being done in Iraq and in all the other places the Bu$h neoconster regime is destroying civilization and the environment in the name of "America."

[nadinbrzezinski]

68. Ah thank you

now this is truly a race between this and the coming war in Iran...

[understandinglife]

73. Yes and thus the reason we all need to be as supportive of Ray McGovern...

... and his colleagues as we possibly can be:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=104x4251697

And, here :popcorn::popcorn: -- you and others will need at least a bag as you work your way through the Ray McGovern et al thread!! "Hope" has provided some very important links on the Iran situation in that thread and I encourage everyone to read them if they haven't already.


Peace.

www.missionnotaccomplished.us

[Just Me]

75. A toast to you, my friend.

:toast: May justice find its way through all of us,...slow but sure.

[Melissa G]

72. a popcorn moment for sure...thanks UL!

:popcorn:

[BamaBecky]

69. kick

[understandinglife]

78. Arianna Huffington: "Plamegate Roundup"

Here's the link:

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/theblog/archive/arianna-huffington/plamegate-roundup_5171.html

Hopefully, soon, she will refer to it as "TREASONgate" ... as that is what it is. Ms Plame (aka Mrs Valerie Wilson's) name should not be sullied with -gate or any other suffix.


Peace.

www.missionnotaccomplished.us

[alfredo]

79. No wonder No Facts was pissy.

things are unravelling.

[Theduckno2]

82. Thanks for the info. Good job!

Your post reminded me of John Dean's recent article about Karl Rove's predicament.

http://writ.news.findlaw.com/dean/20050715.html
I saw it first at commondreams.org

I believe the spy outing allegations were used by Bushco etal as misdirection to make those guilty look innocent. Your posting on 18 U.S.C 793 shows just how serious things are for the WHIG. I just hope Fitzgerald isn't above using "a kitchen sink indictment" to get at the truth. Thanks again. :popcorn:

[me b zola]

85. Hats off to you, UL

:kick:

[loudsue]

87. What an outstanding thread, UL!

:applause:

Everyone needs to read this & keep up with events here....

:popcorn: It's about to get VERY interesting!! :popcorn:

Novacula melts down on teevee.

Rove has his little peepee in a noose.

Larry Franklin and the AIPAC gang are busted.

Bush is at his ranch for 33 days, as his poll numbers are in the tank.

Cheney is on vacation, too.

Iran is on the radar.

Looks like 9/11 might come early this year.

:kick::kick::kick:

[Im with Rosey]

89. Once again, UL THANKS

You have cut to the chase and made a very clear case. Now if only we could get someone to talk about this as clearly as you do on m$m. The wheels are falling off one by one.

[WillyT]

90. Yeah Baby !!! - Kick !!!

:bounce::kick::bounce:

:woohoo:

[H2O Man]

91. Great thread!

Fantastic! The implications are stunning. This is closely related to the Plame and the yellow cake document forgery scandals.

It highlights the need for people to be aware of the potential that the White House will increase tensions with Iran, either directly or through the actions of an ally, in the near future.

[understandinglife]

92. It's now 756 Days!

It's now 756 Days:

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/theblog/archive/bill-scher/738-days_4335.html

And, as noted here, Mr Bush has committed a willful crime on each of those days:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=104&topic_id=4130407

While continuing his crimes of aggressive war, illegal occupation and torture ........

Peace.

www.missionnotaccomplished.us

[Independent_Liberal]

93. Kick!

[emulatorloo]

95. kick kick kick

:kick:

[ChickMagic]

96. Oh boy, oh boy!

I hope Karl's tiny little undescended testicles are sweating bullets about now. :popcorn:

[chill_wind]

98. Bump and Grind!

Oh as some of us appreciatives like to say in the more distant nether reaches of the net---

Holeee Crap!!

What a great way to start a Friday morning. THANK YOU, UL!

[Flying Dream Blues]

100. Great!

[ClayZ]

101. Sweet, let the perp walks begin!

Popcorn sales go up!:popcorn:



:kick:

[AuntiBush]

102. We Should Invest!

In :popcorn: & "Frogs," you know... for the up-and-coming Frog Marches. Think of the money we could make. Then we could start our own Freedom Press like newspaper, syndicating it w/all our online truth-reporters!

[QuettaKid]

103. KICK !!! nt.

:popcorn: :kick:

[hiley]

105. Remarkable thread

Thank you UL !!
Hiley

Truth Covergence Highlights at Guns and Butter..
Listen
August 3rd 2005
http://www.kpfa.org/archives/archives.php?id=13&limit=N

[dmr]

106. This is good to hear!

And on to Plame!

I can only wish it would then take us on to what Sibel Edmonds and Indira Singh have tried to bring forth.

[AndyTiedye]

107. BushRoveCheney Should be Tried in the HAGUE For Crimes Against Humanity

The Peace Palace in the Hague. Home of the International Criminal Court.


The prison wing. Home of convicted war criminals.


They will be tried here in this room.

[SlowDownFast]

110. kick.

Very good thread.

[musiclawyer]

111. Somebody please distill this for the DNC, and circulate wide

If it's concise enough, we might be able to get Howard Dean to finally make one of those spit-out-the-coffee comments to get the MSM's attention. NOW is the time, before the next 911 or Iran fiasco begins.

[JNelson6563]

112. Kickin' this

Great stuff!

[Dr Fate]

113. I hope they sing like canaries. n/t

n/t

[Peace Patriot]

115. I've been interested in the question of why the Bushites acted so

precipitously and recklessly in outing Plame (--calling at least SIX reporters, putting themselves at high risk of treason charges); and also, in why their cover stories seem so...well, cobbled together, hasty, inconsistent.

One of the first things I noticed was the weirdness of the allegation that Wilson being married to a covert CIA expert on WMDs somehow tainted or discredited him. The opposite seems true--that it would ENHANCE his ability to carry out the Niger mission. What was the origin of this strange item in their story? Was it that the story was hastily concocted and laundered through several parties, and didn't get told quite right, in the end? Puzzling...

One thing led to another, and finally I stumbled on this time-line to explain what the Bushites might have been panicked about that week: July 7-14...

May 22, 2003: David Kelly, Brits chief WMD expert, starts whistleblowing anonymously to the BBC, post-invasion, about the Brits "sexed up" Iraq intel.

June 30, 2003: Approx. date the Blairites identified WHO was whistleblowing (their chief WMD expert!)

July 6, 2003: Wilson article published.

July 7, 2003: After Kelly was interrogated, Blair was told that Kelly "could say some uncomfortable things"--"COULD say," not HAD said. (Hutton report.)

July 14, 2003: Plame outed (by Novak).

July 18, 2003: Kelly found dead, under extremely suspicious circumstances; his office and computers searched.

July 22, 2003: Brewster Jennings outed (by Novak)--the entire CIA front company for which Plame worked, which had covert eyes and ears on WMDs around the world--all projects disabled and covert agents put at great risk.


I suspect that the precipitous outing of Plame and the very risky way they did it was prompted, not by the Wilson article on July 6 (which they knew was coming), but by a warning they received from Blair, on July 7, about the "uncomfortable things" that David Kelly "could say." I also strongly suspect that Kelly was killed because of what he knew.

And what could he have known that was WORSE than the "sexed up" intel? My guess: A plot to PLANT nukes or other WMDs in Iraq, for the enormous political gain that that would have reaped for Bush/Blair in 2003. It was their greatest political need. They had primed the public for it. They had Judith Miller running around in Iraq in a dramatic "hunt" for WMDs. And were they just sitting around, hoping some WMDs might turn up, when they knew none were there? Not likely.

But it got foiled. SOMEBODY stopped them.

A revelation that they had tried to PLANT phony weapons in Iraq for political gain would have brought both governments down (and, even more important to Cheney & Co., likely would have stymied the war profiteering in Iraq). That's motive to kill Kelly. And it's also motive to risk treason charges--by calling at least 6 reporters, in a rush to get Plame outed (to prevent her from finding out? to punish her for helping foil the plot?)--and then, after Kelly's office and computers were searched, to out the entire CIA weapons monitoring operation--at even greater risk of treason charges--when they found connections to Brewster Jennings (say, among Plame's covert WMD contacts) as to the foiling of their nefarious scheme.

It would also explain why the hasty cover stories, why the bungled Wilson story, why the thing seems so foolish and stupid even for Machiavels (or especially for Machiavels). If you presume they were trying to move nukes or other dangerous weapons to Iraq, through a covert network, got foiled in doing so, and felt threatened with exposure as of July 7 (with Blair finding out what Kelly "could say"), it makes a lot of the pieces of the puzzle fall into place.

I read a Wilson interview in which he said that he had called Condi Rice, to get the regime to disavow the Niger/Iraq nuke claim (circa Feb-June '03), and she told him that she was not interested in his information, but, if he was so concerned about it, why didn't he publish it? (--that's almost word for word; I think it was Raw Story).

So they knew. They expected it. Rice even baited Wilson to publish it. And that simply does NOT gel with the hasty and highly risky action they took against Plame July 7-14. I just can't get that out of my head, that they called SIX reporters (at least), and were involving MANY people both inside and outside the White House. I don't believe that they're that stupid. Whatever the goal was--to "punish" Wilson, to out Plame, to protect Cheney arms dealings--there were a lot safer ways to do it, and THERE WAS NO HURRY (on the surface; whereas, below the surface, there was a probable Blair warning of July 7).

The Bushites knew the whole Niger thing was a crock anyway, and had probably sent the CIA on a wild goose chase there, to set the CIA up for a fall. Giving the mission to Wilson may or may not have been part of that Bushite plot, but his marriage to Plame made for a good cover story, and might have been used opportunistically to out Plame and Brewster Jennings, when the necessity arose. (--explains why it's such a half-assed allegation--that he was influenced by his wife). And they certainly did try to pin the false Niger intel on the CIA. That was the part we all saw.

On July 7, these two plots--the Blairite plot against Kelly (how to shut him up, whether or not to trust his promise not to reveal the worst), and the Bushite plot to silence dissent in the CIA (and shut down its WMD monitoring capability, to help smooth Cheney's arms profiteering)--intersected, and the Bushite plot was given special urgency: out Plame NOW. (--panic of AF-1--on the Africa trip, July 5-12--with the Plame memo circulating: call everybody you know; don't worry, we'll cover your back on this minor federal law (18 U.S.C. § 793); do it, DO it! get it done NOW!).

Rovian revenge (all too believable) was what they came up with as the cover story for, a) destroying a 20-year CIA non-proliferation project, and b) doing it NOW, with no time for careful laundering, out of fear that the worst of what they'd done on the matter of WMDs (besides killing 100,000 Iraqis for no good reason), was about to be disclosed.

It's just a guess--but it's a pretty interesting one.

[Peace Patriot]

116. P.S. The answer to the stink in Washington DC is election reform at the

state/local level. Get the Bushite electronic voting companies--with their secret, proprietary vote tabulation software--out of our election system! See the "2004 Election Results and Discussion Forum" for information and action ideas:
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topics&forum=203

[writes2000]

117. I've always wondered about the planting of WMDs

It makes perfect sense that they at least thought about it. They needed it.

I agree with you that the Plame thing was so recklessly done that it does make you wonder.

[robertpaulsen]

118. MCR's take: I hope he's right.

Make no mistake, the timing of these indictments with Plamegate is not coincidental. Both cases are connected because they both involve the doctoring of intelligence to promote the Iraqi invasion. Suddenly, the Bushes are looking like the perfect scapegoats for The Powers That Be. I still say we should not expect an impeachment, but rather a hobbled presidency as the nation starts to resemble a train wreck this fall and winter. Suddenly, some of the Bush administration’s most egregious behavior is understandable. They were creating their own legend and they’ll be laughing all the way to the bank, or the Bahamas , or wherever.

Just watch this case merge with Plamegate in the fall. – MCR

http://www.fromthewilderness.com/free/ww3/080505_world_stories.shtml