NYT (Still Rove's Lap Dog): Libby's 'scapegoat' defense may not be supported by any evidence

[kpete]

NYT: Libby's 'scapegoat' defense may not be supported by any evidence

RAW STORY
Published: Wednesday January 24, 2007


In a front page story slated for Thursday's New York Times, reporters David Johnston and Jim Rutenberg suggest that a former White House aide's defense that he is being "scapegoated" for actions by top Bush Administration officials may not be supportable by any evidence and may not have "relevance" to the charges of perjury and obstruction of justice he faces.

"The assertion by lawyers for I. Lewis Libby Jr. that White House aides had sacrificed him to protect Karl Rove, the senior political adviser, appear to be based primarily on Libby's own sense that the administration had failed to defend him adequately as the CIA leak case unfolded," Johnston and Rutenberg write for the Times.

"But there is little known evidence to buttress the suggestion by Libby's defense team in his obstruction and perjury trial that unnamed White House officials were deliberately setting Libby up to be a scapegoat," the article continues.

"Libby's lawyers said in an opening statement on Tuesday that he felt so abandoned by the White House as the leak investigation intensified in the fall of 2003 that he appealed to his boss, Vice President Dick Cheney," Johnston and Rutenberg write.

more at:
http://www.rawstory.com/news/2007/NYT_Libbys_scapegoat_defense_may_not_0124.html

[Tin Man]

1. I for one, encourage Libby to continue the current line of defense...

'cause not only will it assure Libby is convicted, but also will 'out' all his fellow criminals in the WH.

[tulsakatz]

2. I haven't been following the trial that closely but......

...I fail to see how this would eliminate the charges of perjury and obstruction of justice. Did Karl hold a gun to his head and tell him he had to say specific words? Unless something like that happened, I fail to see how it would help him.

Although if he does persist in this logic, he might be able to take a few others down with him......

[wishlist]

3. The lame scapegoat 'defense' is no excuse for Scooter lying

I don't understand how blaming Rove or anyone else lets Scooter off the hook. Seems like just a diversion to create confusion and doubt with jurors.

[Garbo 2004]

4. I think the first paragraph is likely accurate. Rove wasn't in the driver seat on the Plame deal..

Based on what we know to date, it was primarily an OVP instigated op. Rove wasn't telling Libby what to say to Judy Miller in June and July. Or to the Feds and Grand Jury.

And however Libby's lawyers try to obfuscate the case, Libby is charged with lying to the Feds and the Grand Jury, not leaking.