Bennett on with Tweety NOW on Hardball MSNBC...

[Gloria]

eom

[Gloria]

1. Tweety starts by saying how horrible she had looked, how brutal

jail was ....

Bennett talked about the limits on testimony--other areas, other sources wouldn't be opened up...

[Gloria]

2. Tweety questionning the whole Libby permission story...

[Pirate Smile]

3. What did Bennett say she testified regarding? How narrow was

it?

[OldLeftieLawyer]

4. Waste of time

You're not allowed to talk about your grand jury testimony.

Anyone watching is wasting time.

Of course, watching Tweety is always a waste of time...............

[Kingofalldems]

5. Wait a minute

I always thought you could discuss your own testimony. Am I wrong?

[OldLeftieLawyer]

7. Yes, you are

No comment.

[jumpoffdaplanet]

13. Sure you can.

Anyone can talk about their own, and only their own, testimony.

Otherwise, Matthew Cooper would be in jail today.

[Spazito]

15. According to the ABA, under Rule 6(e), the only people prohibited

from disclosing what happened before the grand jury, unless ordered to do so in a judicial proceeding are the prosecutor, the grand jurors and the grand jury stenographer:

Rule 6(e) of the Federal Rules of Criminal Procedure provide that the prosecutor, grand jurors, and the grand jury stenographer are prohibited from disclosing what happened before the grand jury, unless ordered to do so in a judicial proceeding.

http://www.abanet.org/media/faqjury.html

There is no mention of a prohibition of witnesses disclosing their testimony from what I can find.

[OldLeftieLawyer]

21. It is not mandatory, but discretionary

There is always the informal caveat given to testifying witnesses.

Why do you think this case is so leak-proof so far? Because witnesses have been silent.

[Spazito]

32. Discretionary simply means 'we would prefer you don't discuss

your testimony', any witness can legally discuss any and all of what they said which is different than your response to the poster who asked:

kingofalldems (365 posts) Fri Sep-30-05 02:17 PM
Response to Reply #4
5. Wait a minute
I always thought you could discuss your own testimony. Am I wrong?

[OldLeftieLawyer]

38. You're not paying attention

It's exactly what my initial response was.

This is how Fitzgerald has managed to avoid leaks.

[Spazito]

46. No, actually, I paid attention or I would not have pointed out

that there was NO prohibition against witnesses talking about their testimony. Your response to that poster did NOT say anything about discretionary so I felt it was important to point out what the actual facts were via the ABA.

[OldLeftieLawyer]

47. You do know, don't you,

that the ABA is a membership organization?

When the late, great Marvin Mitchelson was kicked out of the ABA after his conviction on, as I recall, a tax evasion charge, his comment was priceless.

"About as bad as getting kicked out of the Book-Of-The-Month Club."

[Spazito]

53. Are you saying the factual data I posted was incorrect?

I suspect not. What I do think you are saying is: look over here instead of what the issue was,ie, the prohibition of witnesses to speak about their testimony or, rather, the lack of a prohibition. Nice try though, lol.

[H2O Man]

57. You are correct.

The other person is simply wrong. No question.

[OldLeftieLawyer]

59. Not at all.

I'm saying that your reading of it is quite literal and narrow, and there is always more to guidelines, laws, decisions, etc. than the printed word.

That's how we get cases like Roe v. Wade, finding a right to privacy when those precise words appear nowhere in the Constitution.

Now, I'll give you another quote, because you're very entertaining:

"There are more things in heaven and earth, Horatio, than are dreamt of in your philosophy."

I really love civilians who think they're teaching law to a lawyer. Always good entertainment.

Thanks.

[Spazito]

61. LOL, again, nice try

You are good at quotes that are totally irrelevant to the issue, less adept at providing accurate data with regard to the issue. Oh, btw, distraction and providing red herrings in place of actual evidence IS one of those 'tricks' you claim not to know.

[seabeyond]

63. self delete

[seabeyond]

20. yes you can. we have done this before. bush and mccleland said no

cooper said yes and talked about it. mccleland changed it to, we were asked not to and we are respecting that. so yes you can talk about it

[OldLeftieLawyer]

22. See above

There's "talking about it," and then there's discussing your testimony.

Two very different things.

That's how Fitzgerald's managed to keep such a tight lid on all of this so far. Imagine how much more would have been made public if the people giving testimony talked about what they told the grand jury, what they were asked, etc.

[seabeyond]

26. cooper said word for word what he said to grand jury

and told us that is what he said to grand jury

[Spazito]

29. Exactly!

Here it is from truthout:

http://www.truthout.org/docs_2005/071705X.shtml

It is available at Time, which had the exclusive, but only for a premium.

[OldLeftieLawyer]

30. Do you believe everything that people tell you?

Do you, really?

If so, come with me, and I'll show you how you can double your net worth if you just give me everything you own and sit tight until I get back.

[progressivejazz]

33. Explain why I should believe what you tell me.

Oh, I guess because you're you, that must be it.

[OldLeftieLawyer]

41. Feel free to disbelieve me

It's only a message board, after all.

But, if you believe what public figures say, then your education must continue, and you just learn what "naive" means.

[seabeyond]

37. no i dont oldleftie, that is why i am challenging.... you

lol lol ol. for a lawyer you left yourself pretty open on that one, dont you think. wink

[OldLeftieLawyer]

42. I left myself open on what?

Hey, whatever makes you happy. I don't know what you're talking about, though.

You were challenging me?

Sorry, I didn't notice.

[seabeyond]

44. Do you believe everything that people tell you?

no i dont believe everything people tell me. i dont believe what you are telling me, hence me challenging you. sorry you werent able to follow that. didnt think it was that confusing

[OldLeftieLawyer]

49. I didn't realize

that I was the topic.

[seabeyond]

50. you made me the topic. if i believed everything i was told

i was merely answering your question. no i dont believe EVERYTHING i am told, obviously

[OldLeftieLawyer]

51. You weren't the topic to which I was responding

You're very literal if you think I was personally addressing you. I was merely making a point. You took it personally, I guess.

That would account for my confusion.

[seabeyond]

52. as did you, i guess.

[OldLeftieLawyer]

60. Geez,

you're hard to follow.

Anyway, all the best to you.

[MojoXN]

31. Question: If Libby was her source, why was she protecting him?

Weren't prosecutors already aware of his involvement? Methinks something evil is afoot.

MojoXN

[H2O Man]

56. Sure you are. n/t

[Zen Democrat]

6. Did anyone see Bennett on with Blitzer today?

After questioning him about Judy Miller, Wolf asked him about his brother's comments on aborting black babies ... and Bennett blew up. Claimed that Blitzer was ambushing him and had not told him in advance he would ask about his brother. Bob defended Bill by saying something stupid, like since men are more violent than women, if we aborted all male babies the crime rate would go down. These Bennetts just don't get it.

[OldLeftieLawyer]

9. Sorry, but I'm with Bob Bennet on this one

That's a total sandbag, and it's not fair.

I have a whackjob rightwingnut sister. Suppose she does something, and I'm being asked about someone I'm representing, and then, out of nowhere, I'm asked about my sister.

Not fair. Not fair at all.

[Dr Fate]

11. Bennet put him self in public on purpose. Political questions are fair...

...on a political show.

"I did not know you were going to have me discuss current events on this political news show" is not an excuse.

[OldLeftieLawyer]

14. Wholly off-topic

He was there as counsel to a newsworthy figure, not as Moron Bennett's brother.

I think it was a cheap shot.

[Dr Fate]

27. Opnions on current events on a news show should be expected.

But I hear ya...

[OldLeftieLawyer]

28. When

did you ever hear, say, Wolf Blitzer ask a meteorologist who's talking about a hurricane what he thought about how Bush is conducting the war in Iraq?

Sorry, but that's an inaccurate comment you made.

[Dr Fate]

35. I've heard him do the exact opposite when DEMs are on...

I've seen DEM pundits on Wolf's show try to bring in a Bush scandal and then be told "That is not the topic for today..."

So that is why I dont mind Wolf swinging things the other way for once.

I see what you are saying, but I'm not going to look a gift horse in the mouth.

[OldLeftieLawyer]

40. Yeah, but,

I wish we were better than rejoicing over cheap shots. It's beneath us, I think.

[Dr Fate]

43. I'd like to see more reporters play "gotcha" with Repubs.

God knows he would be doing it if it were Dean, Kerry or Micheal Moore.

I'm glad Wolf did it- we will just have to disagree.

[Carolab]

12. Who cares about fair? It's time Blitzer was unfair to THEM.

Lord knows he's been unfair enough to US.

[fujiyama]

16. Ummm his brother is a major publiic figure

How fuckin dense is he to have thought Blitzer wouldn't ask him about it a day after his dumb ass brother made the comment?

If you and your sister are major public figures and she says or does something considered controversial and you're on a news show, you should expect questions about hher.

[OldLeftieLawyer]

23. Sorry, but his brother wasn't the reason he was there

He was there as counsel to a public figure. The public figure was not his brother.

It's just bad journalism to pull a stunt like that. Very bush (pardon the pun) league.

[Zen Democrat]

54. But if your whackjob sister was the News of the Day????

Wouldn't you expect to be asked about it?

[OldLeftieLawyer]

64. No

The show is in segments. Different topics. I've seen it more than once, when a newcaster or moderator said to a guest, "That's not what we're discussing."

At the very least, they owed him the courtesy of asking him if he wanted to discuss it. I think pulling in a family member is just a cheap shot.

As I said, I'd have been outraged, too, if they brought up something that did not involve me, but a family member. It's unfair on its face.

While I know there's lots of gloating going on about Bennett and the rightwingnuts starting (maybe) to get theirs, I would rather not sink to their level in terms of kneecapping innocent people.

[Sparkle]

19. So what? He's a grown man, can't he take it?

[OldLeftieLawyer]

24. Huh?

What sort of ......... oh, never mind.

I'm sure he can "take it like a man." The issue isn't his capacity; the issue is fairness, and even broaching the subject was unfair.

[fooj]

8. Did you guys hear what else he said?

"Just ask the new Chief Justice. Timing is everything." Hmmmmm...

Peace.

[Bernardo de La Paz]

10. Bob Bennett the lawyer or Bill Bennett the racist vanity moralist gambler?

[fujiyama]

17. Bob Bennet is Judith Miller's lawyer

(also served as Bill Clinton's lawyer), and is the brother of RW nutjob ass-hole moralist gambler, ex secEdu - Bill Bennet.

[Spazito]

18. LOL, for one of the best lawyers in the US to claim to be

'sandbagged' on this is laughable, imo. Any lawyer worth his salt would be expect this issue to come up given the legitimate uproar over his brother's comments. His umbrage was phony, imo, and, in essence, a 'courtroom' antic.

[OldLeftieLawyer]

25. I'm worth my salt, I believe,

and I would not expect such an amateur move to be made on me were I in Bob Bennett's place.

Sorry, but his outrage was real, and legitimate. That was bad form on the questioner's part. Very unfair.

[Spazito]

34. I, respectfully, disagree

I watched Mr. Bennett during his time defending Bill Clinton and there is nothing asked of him that he hasn't already figured out an answer to before it is asked. He IS one of the best lawyers in the US for good reason ergo there is NO WAY IN HELL he didn't know this question could come up nor would he not have a response prepared in advance.

[OldLeftieLawyer]

39. I know Bob Bennett

We've met in all sorts of professional capacities, and, yes, he is a most capable attorney and formidable advocate.

That said, he's also the brother of a public figure, and there's no way he should have known, or could have anticipated, that he'd be asked such a question, simply because it's unfair, bad form, irrevelent to his reason for being on the show, and completely beyond the bound of responsible journalism.

That's why these TV guys aren't journalists. They're "personalities" who are looking for the "gotcha."

Out of line, completely.

[Spazito]

45. LOL, a lawyer saying it is 'bad form' 'irrelevant' and beyond the bounds

is quite funny. I say that not to denigrate the legal profession but to point out the fact that, again, any lawyer worth their salt uses those same 'tricks' in their profession on a regular basis and Bennett is well known to do the same, as any good lawyer would.

I say again, his reaction was pre-planned and done to stop the question from arising again, he succeeded and that was what he wanted, a good lawyer on display.

[OldLeftieLawyer]

48. You're a lawyer?

No?

But, gee, you know so much about what 'tricks' lawyer use.

You must be a really good lawyer, knowing all those tricks.

No one ever told me about any tricks. I feel gypped.

[Spazito]

55. ROFL, I am as much a lawyer as you are, chew on that for a bit

I could be a lawyer as you could be, or not.

[OldLeftieLawyer]

58. You could be?

So, tell me - tell me about the "tricks."

Come on. Give.

[Spazito]

62. Is it legal for a witness to divulge their testimony to the public after

their Grand Jury appearance? If so, the debate has ended. If not, please provide evidence of that fact.

[Ksec]

36. coming on shows and explaining themselves again

Its always that way with the culture of corruption.

They feign lib media or partisan hacks attacking them.

Does anyone take these monkeys seriously anymore. The entire world looks at them with complete disgust. Liars thieves warmongers .

Their dirty reputations will not allow anymore foregivness to come their way. Nobody nelieves habitual liars