Lawrence O'Donnell: Who Asked Rove to Return

[understandinglife]

Karl Rove's return to the grand jury today could mean the end of the Rove investigation or the beginning of the Rove prosecution. It depends on who asked Rove to return. If Fitzgerald asked Rove to return to the grand jury, that means Fitzgerald thinks he doesn't have enough for an indictment.

If Rove asked to return to the grand jury, that means Rove's lawyer, Bob Luskin, believes an indictment is imminent and is sending his client back to make a final desperate attempt to avoid indictment. .... P.S. For what it's worth, the buzz among the Washington press corps right now is that Rove asked to return to the grand jury.

Link: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/lawrence-odonnell/who-asked-rove-to-return_b_19858.html

Tense times.

[babylonsister]

1. Trying to be patient, but the suspense is hurtin' me!

:applause: :applause:

[npincus]

26. I'll say...

my head hurts.

[rodeodance]

2. oh for christs sake-this is leak city and no one knows who asked!

[Uncle Joe]

20. If Fitz would just classify it, maybe Bush would leak it. n/t

[corbett]

43. I Like Your Thinking - Irrefragable Logic! n/t

[deminks]

3. Kewl!

:bounce: :bounce: :bounce:

[AlCzervik]

4. Karl must have trouble keeping his lies straight, one lie than another to

cover it, than another to cover that one and so on.

[mod mom]

5. Frog march the bastard!

[RedEarth]

6. Well, the article posted here say's he asked to return......

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=364x1030453

[mod mom]

9. According to David Shuster....

"According to NBC News’ David Shuster, legal sources say Rove volunteered to testify and was no subpoenaed. Rove’s decision followed a recent conversation with Fitzgerald. "

[Bush_Eats_Beef]

7. IF O'Donnell's logic holds water, the obvious question becomes:

"WHAT could Rove POSSIBLY give the grand jury TODAY, WHAT did he hold back on his other FOUR visits, and why...other than being a masochist or simply feeling that he's above the law...DID he hold it back?"

I don't believe that he kept his mouth shut out of "loyalty" for one single minute. If the "buzz" is correct and he ASKED to return...what the hell did he return with?

:popcorn:

[understandinglife]

36. Simply ... "Bush made me do it" (and Cheney cheered him on) ...

Have some more :popcorn: on me ...


Peace.

[Avalux]

8. Rove asked to return - MSNBC article:

According to NBC News’ David Shuster, legal sources say Rove volunteered to testify and was no subpoenaed. Rove’s decision followed a recent conversation with Fitzgerald.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/12388079/

:D

[Roland99]

28. Oh please oh please oh please oh please oh please oh please

[Dora]

10. I guess Karl had an "uh-oh" moment....

Can you imagine that phone call to his lawyer?

"Uhmmmm, listen. I said this one thing when I should have said something else... yeah... yeah... yeah... But can you get me back in to see the GJ? If I could just get in there and finesse them... yeah... yeah... But I gotta make them understand.... GET ME IN TO SEE THE GOD DAMN GRAND JURY OR I WILL FUCK YOU! I WILL!.... Okay. Yeah.... Okay, bye!"

[gordianot]

12. I hope he does change his story after a while it does not matter.

Even when he tells the truth they become lies.

[kpete]

11. Soon...

saw that - very interesting - my gut tells me - SOON, very SOON...

[lyonn]

21. I believe the word we are looking for is Target

Rove is now a subject, we need Rove as a Target. Holding breath.

[hwmnbn]

38. Ask and ye shall receive .........

http://www.truthout.org/docs_2006/042606I.shtml

Karl Rove's appearance before a grand jury in the CIA leak case Wednesday comes on the heels of a "target letter" sent to his attorney recently by Special Prosecutor Patrick Fitzgerald, signaling that the Deputy White House Chief of Staff may face imminent indictment, sources that are knowledgeable about the probe said Wednesday.

[IndyOp]

13. Is it time for some Merry Fitzmas threads??

Courtesy of DU'er Island Blue

The Night Before Fitzmas (An Epic Poem)

'Twas the night before Fitzmas, when all through the house
Not a Republican was stirring, nary a louse;

The stockings hung on the chimney for the season,
In hopes that St. Patrick would soon mention treason.

The children were nestled all snug in their beds,
While visions of indictments danced in their heads;

And pa in his bandanna, and I in my cap,
Had just settled down for a short evenings nap,

When out on the White House lawn there arose such a clatter,
I sprang from the bed to see what was the matter.

Away to the computer I flew like a flash,
Tore open DU and pulled up my wonky stash.

The moon on the mullet of Harriet Miers
Shown the light of mid-day on all that conspire,

When, what to my wondering eyes should appear,
But a miniature Pirus, and eight tiny reindeer,

With a little old driver, so lively and phat,
I knew in a moment it must be St. Pat.

More rapid than bald eagles his coursers they came,
And he whistled, and shouted, and called them by name;

"Now, Kerry! now, Edwards! now, Clark and Howard Dean!
On, Clinton! on Boxer! Pelosi and Harry Reid!

To the top of the Capitol and over the Hill!
Now dash away! dash away! dash away still!"

As dry leaves that before the Cat 5 hurricane fly,
When they meet with an obstacle, mount to the sky,

So up to the White House the coursers they flew,
With the sleigh of accusations and St. Patrick too.

And then, in a twinkling, I heard on the roof
No hemming or hawing just the sound of the truth.

As I read my monitor and was jumping around,
Down the chimney St. Patrick came with a bound.

He was dressed in faux fur, from his head to his toes,
And was bursting with news for DU and Daily Kos;

A bundle of indictments he had flung in his stacks,
And he looked like a prosecutor just stating the facts.

His eyes - how they twinkled! his dimples how merry!
His cheeks were like roses, his nose like John Kerry's!

His droll little mouth was drawn up in a smile,
With a look of resolute in his eyes all the while;

With a brief little hiccup and a slight little burp,
He began talking and describing the perp;

"He has a big round head and a jiggly belly,
That shakes when he laughs like a bowlful of jelly.

He is chubby and plump, a right evil old elf,
And he laughs and he smirks, in spite of himself;"

With a wink of his eye and a twist of his head,
St. Pat let me know I had nothing to dread;

He spoke no more words, but went straight to his works,
And issue enough indictments to annihilate the jerks,

And laying a finger aside of his nose,
He gave me the signal that he had handled my foes;

He sprang to his sleigh, to his team gave a whistle,
And away they all flew like a rocket or missile.

But I heard him exclaim, ere he drove out of sight,
"Happy Fitzmas to all, and to all a good-night."

[Canuckistanian]

14. Karl: "Oh yeah, I forgot to tell you something...."

"The President ordered Libby and me to leak Plame's name. I don't know if that means anything to you...."

[LSparkle]

18. That's exactly what I thought ...

MSM are spinning that he wanted to go back "in light of recent developments" which obviously includes The Decider's admission that he was also The Declassifier a.k.a The Leaker.

OMG, could THIS BE THE DAY?

[lyonn]

23. True, true, makes sense.

[Frustratedlady]

15. Maybe with this latest shake-up,

Rove saw the handwriting on the wall and decided to spill the beans on his boss so he wouldn't have to serve any time. Loyalty can take a big spill when you see your power is being cut off at the knees. JAT

[gordianot]

16. That's what I love about not knowing for sure.

The possibilities are endless. It is OK to dream.

[smoogatz]

17. My guess is that he'll try to implicate Cheney

just as Libby tried to implicate Bush. Fitzgerald's doing the classic prosecutor's trick--getting the various perps to point fingers at each other, then prying away at the discrepancies in their stories. Peel away Rove and Libby, the only remaining llayer is Cheney and Bush. Fascinating to watch, I must say.

[BuyingThyme]

19. I don't see the return as a good thing.

It's been too long for this to go on.

[Catrina]

25. I don't know. When you think of Rove's personality it makes sense

that, once he knew Fitzgerald was going to ask the GJ for an indictment, he would not leave it up to Fitzgerald. He has had so much power for so long, (undeserved) that he couldn't imagine leaving his fate in the hands of the GJ without being there to tell them what he thinks they ought to do.

Most other people, would stay away and hope for the best. The GJ normally only hears from the Prosecution, the defense attorneys don't get to talk to them. Rove is probably incensed by that, all his trickery throughout his life won't work in this case, unless, in his mind, he himself 'handles' it.

I think it's promising that Fitzgerald didn't subpoena him. It means that he has all he believes he needs to get an indictment. It's telling that Rove feels the need to go back, imo. But maybe he does have something that will sway them ~ it's a battle now between him and Fitzgerald, it seems. I doubt Fitz would go to the GJ without knowing he has a good chance to get what he wants.

[BuyingThyme]

39. I hope you're right. I'm exhausted of this.

[Mr_Jefferson_24]

22. "I'm here to help...

...see, I'm volunteering, no need to indict me." This is Karl's tack. Hopefully, Fitzgerald is way too smart for it to work.

[robertpaulsen]

24. Why would Rove ask to return? Might it have something to do with this?

The government of the United States has abandoned being a government of the people, for the people and by the people. The revolving door between corporate and military mercenaries and government agencies may make this administration the most corrupt and dishonest in our history. Independent journalist Jason Leopold has turned over to Special Prosecutor Patrick Fitzgerald 250 e-mails from Dick Cheney's office, relating to the outing of undercover CIA operative Valerie Plame-Wilson, that the White House claimed did not exist, in fact do. They are said to be explosive.

http://www.theithacajournal.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060426/OPINION02/604260303/1014

Can't wait to read Jason Leopold's next article on this!

[Catrina]

31. Wow! Is that true? That Jason Leopold turned over the emails? I

wonder where he got them? I never heard that before, maybe I missed it ~ I thought Fitz 'found' them after Rove talked in an effort to get away with the lies he told.

[robertpaulsen]

35. Actually, I think that this writer got the facts confused.

Leopold reported the find, but I don't think he actually turned them over to Fitz. Stop the bleeding thinks it was OVP that turned it over and I believe that's correct.

Hopefully we'll get more info from Leopold on this soon.

[H2O Man]

27. Earlier today

on kpete's thread, I speculated that one or more of the grand jurors had specific questions to ask Mr. Rove (see post #43).

[understandinglife]

29. Hadn't seen that, but I suspect the most likely reason he's in front ...

... of the grand jury is because they want to question him and his meeting with Fitzgerald was largely one of you can either go on your own free will, or be subpoenaed. Thus, I agree with you.

I suspect the questions deal with items like:

Did Cheney order the leak? Did Bush order the leak? .... because it's been reported more than once, by unnamed sources, that Rove lied more than once, in previous interviews with the FBI and other DoJ investigators.


Peace.

[npincus]

30. Jason Leopold had reported last week that

evidence had been presented to GJ on 8 incidents where Rove had lied. It doesn't sound like a neat little package that can be tied up with Rove's one GJ appearance.

[understandinglife]

32. Arriving at the Federal District Court House ...

http://www.nytimes.com/2006/04/26/washington/26cnd-rove.html?hp&ex=1146110400&en=b473c68207b12f2d&ei=5094&partner=homepage

Looking forward to the departure photo and ....


Peace.

[glitch]

33. ribbit clink ribbit clink.

Perhaps he'll hurt his leg so he doesn't have to wear cuffs. It's not like they are afraid of repetition.

[understandinglife]

34. CIA ... "findings of the assessment as showing "significant damage to

... operational equities."

Larisa's latest: http://www.rawstory.com/news/2005/Outed_CIA_officer_was_working_on_0213.html

National Security Act of 1947, 18 USC 793, IIPA, EO 12958, .... Bush and his gang are going to face some serious charges before this ends. Count on it.


Peace.

[understandinglife]

37. Jane Hamsher: "Yeah I Got Your Spin Right Here"

Excellent summary and:

<clip>

It seems like every appearance Rove has made before the grand jury has been to walk back the incorrect information he gave the FBI in the first place (which no doubt matched up with Libby’s quite well). Rove thinks he is awfully clever and can talk himself out of just about anything, and I am certain Fitzgerald is more than willing to give him enough rope.

But unless Fitzgerald has grown a bit more credulous and is now buying the "I forgot" routine that worked so well for Scooter Libby, I’d say today’s attempts at spinning this as a "good" thing for Team Rove are GOP pipe dreams.

http://www.firedoglake.com/2006/04/26/yeah-i-got-your-spin-right-here

Yep.

[kpete]

40. I liked that too!

[understandinglife]

41. "But before reading too much into Luskin's statement, let us say this ...

... about that. We know a little bit about federal grand juries, and we've never heard of anyone -- particularly anyone in legal jeopardy -- going before a grand jury to "explore" anything. People testify before grand juries because they have to or because they think doing so will get them out of whatever jam they're in. Which description describes Rove? Luskin's statement was pretty circumspect; he said that his client testified "voluntarily" and "unconditionally" today, but he also said that he did so at Fitzgerald's request. Our translation: Rove and Luskin, eager to show Fitzgerald and the world that they're "cooperating," didn't insist that the prosecutor serve them with a subpoena in order to compel Rove's appearance.

by Tim Grieve at Salon

I, of course, could care less what Luskin says. His boy faced the GJ today. Fitzgerald and his team know exactly what they are doing. Anyone questioning that should visit a certain IL Governor whose going to have lots of (jail)time and will certainly appreciate visitors ...


Peace.

[understandinglife]

42. Forbes: "undergoing several hours of questioning"

http://www.forbes.com/entrepreneurs/feeds/ap/2006/04/26/ap2700622.html

Bush and Cheney's lawyers are undoubtedly clocking some major billable hours ...


Peace.