Can Fitzgerald expand the scope of his investigation of the Bush Admin?

[DoYouEverWonder]

Remember when they started out investigating Clinton it was over a failed land deal and Ken Starr took that investigation into places where no man has gone before.

Now considering the fact that there's already an ongoing investigation into the Bush WH, couldn't we just expand it to cover the NOLA disaster and maybe even 9-11, so we don't have to waste too much time? Just a wild idea.

[AtomicKitten]

1. He has expanded it.

into the pre-war BS and rhetoric, although I'm not sure he's going anywhere with that. At this point, I'd be satisfied with an indictment-fest regarding the CIA leak.

[H2O Man]

2. Yes. n/t

[DoYouEverWonder]

5. That's what I thought

It would sure speed things up a bit. We wouldn't need the DOJ or Congress to approve anything. The grand jury is already in place and has already collected lot's of evidence. This could work?

[txindy]

3. He certainly can expand it. Wherever the evidence leads, he may go.

If he is indeed investigating prewar intelligence, then he has already expanded the original scope.

[punpirate]

4. Justice has to approve it...

... I believe. Fitzgerald can have the evidence, but he's got to follow the mandate he was originally given as a special prosecutor. Remember that, in the instance you describe about Ken Starr wanting to expand his investigation, Janet Reno had to approve it, which she did.

I seriously doubt that Gonzales will allow Fitzgerald to go any further than his original mandate.

Cheers.

[ClintonTyree]

6. Speedy's going to be sitting on the SC soon............

it makes we wonder what OTHER moon-eyed, rabid right, wing-nut he has in mind for AG?

[DoYouEverWonder]

7. I don't think that is true in this case

when Fitzgerald got appointed, I believe he was given almost a free reign. Gonzalez has to recuse himself anyway, if he hasn't already.

Besides I don't think it was whether or not Starr wanted to expand the investigation, that Reno had any control over. She only had control over whether or not to have other special investigations into every willy nilly thing the Repugs could come up with.

[punpirate]

8. Well, Comey was the one who gave Fitzgerald...

... "expansive" control of the investigation, but he's not there any longer--Gonzales is. If Fitzgerald wanted, for example, to expand his investigation into areas he thought impinged, but Gonzales did not, I doubt he'd find the staff available to do it.

Cheers.

[DoYouEverWonder]

10. Gonzalez was already subpoenaed by Fitzgerald

He must have already recused himself when he took the job has AG.

[punpirate]

11. Did you hear any news of that?

I didn't. And, even if he did, as I suggested, there are plenty of ways, bureaucratically, to frustrate an investigation....

Look, I'd like to see volumes of indictments come out of this (a worthier bunch for that can't be found on the planet), but the raw facts are that there's constant interference with investigations that rarely sees the light of day.

Anyone doubting that should be revisiting the details of Sibel Edmonds' case....

Cheers.

[flyarm]

14. gonzalez is recused!! Comey was replaced and that guy now

has the say over fitzgerald..not gonzalez!!

fly

[punpirate]

16. When did Gonzales recuse himself?

In his nomination hearing? He said he would. A spokesperson, after he was confirmed, said he had, but I don't remember it coming from him directly.

Do you believe him that he's out of the case?

Really?

Look, I'm not out to puncture anyone's balloon, but if you believe that Gonzales knows nothing about this case because he said he'd stay out of it, I have a bridge for ya that I'm dyin' to sell.

We won't hear about the degree to which Gonzales tried to interfere for years to come.

When he became AG, he brought three White House counsels with him to be his top office staff, two of which had been involved in writing the WH response to the investigation. Now, I know Conyers and Waxman insisted on their recusals, as well, at the time. But, I can't find any evidence that those three--Kyle Sampson, Ted Ullyot and Raul Yanes--actually did so.

What does that say?

[blm]

9. I believe Gonzales isn't part of the Justice loop on this case.

Don't forget, he was WH counsel at the time of the leak.

[punpirate]

12. According to professional rules of conduct...

... you're quite right.

In the real Bush world, though, since when do those count? It took over three months--and a threat of an official warning from Comey--to get Ashcroft to recuse himself in the matter.

Gonzales is an even bigger toady than Ashcroft. You can bet he's doing everything he can, behind the scenes, to know what's going on and to keep White House people abreast of the investigation. He's Bush's boy and utterly loyal to him....

Cheers.

[Scout1071]

13. If they can expand from "Whitewater" to a marital indiscretion, than

I'd say yes. They can definitely expand the scope of an investigation.

I'm been *screaming* for the last 5 years that we need to start getting these people under oath. No way Bush can keep his lies straight. No teleprompter. No ear piece. No Rove. No Cheney. No Hughes. No Condi. He would flounder like a fish out of water. Nobody has truly made him answer to anything in his life and karma is a bitch.

*should be noted I'm highly medicated on allergy medication and rambling a bit. Damn ragweed.

[RallyInDC]

15. fitzgerald can't, but they already have...the grand jury that is.

they've expanded it for a while now....including the 9/11 whitewash. chicago announced they indicted the boss of Robert Novak, who whitewashed 9/11 and is a chief executive at hollinger corporation, one of the 9/11 front companies. he owns the chicago sun times.

they can vote true bills.....they the grand juries, can do anything at all. and the boss of chicago knows it well....