Rove's phonebank. Multiple indictments of admin. sources in PlameGate.

[skip fox]

When Wilson's Op Ed appeared in the NY Times, someone with clearance (or in-the-know) probably told others (esp. Rove since such knowledge played to his speciality and he is expert in killing-the-messanger) the Wilson's wife, Valery Plame worked for the CIA and was instrumental in getting Wilson assigned to investigate the Niger-yellow-cake matter. Rove, and perhaps his source, probably immediately realized the power of this knowledge. They could imply Plame and Wilson had an agenda to discredit the admistration and played it out through his selection.

The likely next step was for Rove to formulate a plan whereby this information was leaked. Since we know 6 reporters were contacted and at least 3 had multiple sources, the smallest number of initial calls would be 6 and at least 3 return calls (as follow-up administration official return calls as confirmation sources). Perhaps there were as many as 12 calls altogther and not just 9.

At any rate, there were a number. This and the apparent fact that Cooper's and Miller's sources are different (since Cooper's source revealed him but Miller's did not) implies that there were at least two initial callers (initial/primary sources).

Taking this fact and knowing Rove's procedure, the likely supposition is that Rove had DIFFERENT administrative officials (including himself) call their own contact reporters, knowing those reporters (like Novak) would verify by calling another in the administrative phonebank.

Therefore, there is likely to be multiple indictments including one for Rove for revealing Plame's name and one for him orchestrating the release of classified information (her name).

Think of the possibilities: Cheney, Libby, Rice, etc., etc.

[TahitiNut]

1. Don't forget t(he)y tried to innoculate the leak with disinformation ..

... that her CIA relationship was well-known. That deliberate disinformation betrays a level of mens rea that should warrant the most exteme punishment available. The WHIG is a corrupt organization - a cabal of traitors.

[back2basics909]

2. AND!!!!

And if it was multiple people all in the same office making these calls, it shows it was whitehouse policy... after all it was the whole team making the calls.

MY GOD, i think you may have it! It would make sense, this would explain the whole "HUGE" part.

[damntexdem]

8. So much for martyr Miller:

I never did feel any concern for her. Her testimony, and Cooper's, is needed to bring all of this out in court.

[skip fox]

3. And even used Gannon to do this. Three sources (Novak, Gannon, and another

are the three that insisted in print that it was common knowledge.

[phiddle]

4. Can you say "Conspiracy"?

Do the RICO statutes apply to government employees?

[skip fox]

6. My thought exactly!!!

RICO in the OVAL.


:toast:

(It has a good ring.)

[Stinky The Clown]

5. And from this we can infer ..... let's see ......

...... perjury ..... conspiracy ...... misuse of government property (recall, if you will Gore's alleged calls to raise $$ using WH phones) ...... the agent outing itself ...... that'd be enough to keep young Mr. Fitzgerald busy for a week or two ......

I'm sure an actual lawyer can come up with some additional little gems.

[skip fox]

7. Where would it have started??? In Cheney's office.

Since Wilson was reportedly sent at the behest of the Vice President (a bit more complicated than that, but from the administrative perspective, Cheney's office would seem to be the responsible party), either the President called Cheney's office (asking why the hell he sent Wilson "of all people" to investigate) or Cheney took it upon himself (or his aide Scooter Libby did) to find out how Wilson got assigned. A few calls would confirm that he was assigned by the CIA at his wife's suggestion. At that point Cheney's office would use its clearance and find out Plame was indeed CIA and they would also realize the general method of discrediting Wilson.

But Cheney would probably not have acted on his own, especially when he knew that Rove specialized beating such messengers into the ground. (His office may never have been involved in other that telling Rove that Plame was CIA and got Wilson the assignment. Of course that's a major violation of the law in itself.)

Rove would have assigned the calls, at least in general, telling the officials to call their own contacts initially and to confirm the information of other reporters in follow-up calls.

Everything I hear about Fitzgerald gives me confidence that if this is so, it will come out, even if these sources invoke the 5th.

[snippy]

9. It probably started and was coordinated by the WHIG.

Considering the fact that it was the WHIG's responsibility to develop and disseminate the lies to support the invasion of Iraq, including the "mushroom cloud" smoking gun and yellowcake lies, attacking Wilson and revealing Plame's status was almost certainly a WHIG operation. Cheney may have ordered the WHIG to do it though.

Here is an October 2003 post which explains my theory of the WHIG involvement more fully. http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=102&topic_id=142863&mesg_id=142952