Rove lied to federal agents?

[Catchawave]

Shouldn't that be the issue?


By Jason Leopold
© 2005 Jason Leopold


Looks like Karl Rove did break the law, the same federal law that got Martha Stewart sentenced to six months in prison.


It now appears that Rove, President Bush's chief of staff, may have lied to the FBI in October 2003--a federal crime--when he was questioned by federal agents investigating who was responsible for leaking information about a covert CIA operative to the media.

During questioning by the FBI about his role in the Plame affair, Rove told federal agents that he only started sharing information about Plame with reporters and White House officials for the first time after conservative columnist Robert Novak identified her covert CIA status in his column on July 14, 2003 , according to a report in the American Prospect about Rove's testimony in March 2004, a copy of which can be found at http://www.prospect.org/print-friendly/webfeatures/2004/03/waas-m-03- 08.html

But Rove wasn't truthful with the FBI what with the recent disclosure of Time magazine reporter Matthew Cooper's emails, which reveal Rove as the source for Cooper's own July 2003 story identifying Plame as a CIA operative, and show that Rove spoke to Cooper nearly a week before Novak's column was published and, according to previously published news reports, spoke to a half- dozen other reporters about Plame as early as June 2003.

More at: http://www.independent-media.tv/item.cfm?fmedia_id=11391&fcategory_desc=Under%20Reported

[kentuck]

1. I would say "perjury" is weighing heavily on Mr. Rove's mind...

just a guess.

[Jersey Devil]

3. It is not "perjury" unless he repeated what he told the FBI agents

in front of the Grand Jury. Lying to FBI agents investigating a case is not the same as perjury which carries a more severe penalty. I understand Rove testified 3 times before the GJ. If he repeated the same lies he made to the FBI initially he could be facing multiple counts of perjury as well as lying to the FBI, much more serious than the Stewart case.

[ET Awful]

4. Lying to an FBI agent would carry at least two charges, one being

the lie itself, lying to law enforcement is a prosecutable offense in and of itself, and the second charge being obstruction of justice (an even more serious offense).

[sinkingfeeling]

5. Ever wonder why lying to the feds is a crime, but the government

lying to us, isn't?

[Jersey Devil]

6. yes, thank you

obstruction would be a companion charge

[LiberalFighter]

8. Is there a prison that Rove could be sent?

Where he would suffer the most despicable punishment?

[kodi]

2. True. Note:

http://www.prospect.org/webfeatures/2004/03/waas-m-03-08.html

"Karl Rove, told the FBI in an interview last October that he circulated and discussed damaging information regarding CIA operative Valerie Plame with others in the White House, outside political consultants, and journalists, according to a government official and an attorney familiar with the ongoing special counsel's investigation of the matter.

"But Rove also adamantly insisted to the FBI that he was not the administration official who leaked the information that Plame was a covert CIA operative to conservative columnist Robert Novak last July. Rather, Rove insisted, he had only circulated information about Plame after it had appeared in Novak's column {on July 14, 2003).

WE NOW KNOW THIS IS A LIE

"He also told the FBI, the same sources said, that circulating the information was a legitimate means to counter what he claimed was politically motivated criticism of the Bush administration by Plame's husband, former Ambassador Joseph Wilson.

"Rove and other White House officials described to the FBI what sources characterized as an aggressive campaign to discredit Wilson through the leaking and disseminating of derogatory information regarding him and his wife to the press, utilizing proxies such as conservative interest groups and the Republican National Committee to achieve those ends, and distributing talking points to allies of the administration on Capitol Hill and elsewhere. Rove is said to have named at least six other administration officials who were involved in the effort to discredit Wilson.

[skip fox]

7. PLUS what he lied about was conspiracy!

With today's reports we can see that Rove is both a main source (for Cooper) and a confirming source for another (Novak, as the NY Times reported today). Another main source is another administrative officail, maybe Scooter Libby if today's reports are accurate. With 6 initial sources and at least 3 confirming sources (both as reported), someone would have to coordinate the operation, assuring the initial callers that no two called the same source, that no one was overly eager, but would "drop it in," and a number of other officials would be ready and willing to confirm.


Therefore at least 2 people(Rove and Novak's initial source) served as main sources. (The fact that one source released Cooper from his agreement of confidentiality but one source did not release Miller also suggests at least 2 sources.) Rove would have to coordinate! To establish guidelines like: No source should call another's contact, Pitch the information off hand, not as the main subject, Make the contact think the source is trying to do him or her a favor ("Don't go too far out on this Wilson thing, I don't want you burnt."), etc. AND Rove would have had to field a group of officials to support the sources stories.

I say Rove coordinated because it is obvious he did so since anyone in the administration in possession of the Plame-Wilson-CIA link would have gone straight to the world master of deceitful politics, and now we know Rove was at least one of the leakers.

So, we could have at least 2 indictments for Rove (exposing and conspiring to expose) and (perhaps) 1 or more indictments for others (Novak and/or Miller's source). Not to mention exposure of those who condoned and confirmed the exposure.

I think the great thing we have going for us on this case is Patrick Fitzgerald. By all accounts a fine prosecutor.


Wow.