Ari Fleischer freaked...

[cynatnite]

It turns out Ari Fleischer will be the next witness, once court resumes Monday. (Damn, just missed him!) The defense team wants to note—for the jury's benefit—that Fleischer demanded immunity before he would agree to testify, because this might cast Fleischer's testimony in a different light.

And here Fitzgerald makes a nice little chess move: Fine, he says, we can acknowledge that Fleischer sought immunity. As long as we explain why. Turns out Fleischer saw a story in the Washington Post suggesting that anyone who revealed Valerie Plame's identity might be subject to the death penalty. And he freaked.

http://www.talkingpointsmemo.com/

[Cleita]

1. Hehe.

I always have to gloat when the chickens come home to roost.

:rofl:

[malaise]

6. Ditto

Let them fret, panic, sing like birds and devour one another.

More butter please -I'm loving this:popcorn: :popcorn: :rofl:

[liberalla]

19. Me too!

I'm really loving this! I wish it were Monday already!
:woohoo:

[Tellurian]

45. His resignation was the first RED Flag..

Bush and Cheney were running afoul of the law.

at least to me anyway..

Ari said...Let me OTTA here, NOW!..

[Rosa Luxemburg]

48. and what about Tenet

[Tellurian]

50. Tenet, was also used for cred for the WMD and the case to go to War..

IIRC, Upon his retirement, Bush gave him a medal for his work-

another potential witness..

[Rosa Luxemburg]

53. yes, he would be a 'mine' of information

[Snotcicles]

49. Funny how precious their own lives are to them. nt

[undeterred]

2. The only death that matters to a Republican is his own.

[Bluebear]

3. Gee Ari, YOU should have "watched what you said"

as you warned us all to.

[salin]

7. Oh the Irony!

k & r for the thread.

[WinkyDink]

12. Excellent riposte!

[Bluebear]

13. Merci. nt

[ShortnFiery]

4. Hope it's not too soon to suggest ...

It's begging to look a lot like Fitz-mas, every which way this trial goes? :-)

[tanyev]

5. Awww, and he sounded so tough when he suggested that somebody assassinate Saddam.

The idea of assassination surfaced openly in October when Ari Fleischer, Bush's spokesman, suggested from the White House lectern that there were cheaper ways than war to rid the world of Saddam.

"The cost of a one-way ticket is substantially less than that," he said at a news conference. "The cost of one bullet, if the Iraqi people take it on themselves, is substantially less than that."

[The Backlash Cometh]

8. Piss ant. How long did he keep his job, being cool as a clam, after

freaking out? How long did he continue lying for Bush in those press conferences, afterwards? How long was he continuing the same course of lying to the American people, after he got the immunity?

Does someone have the timeline?

[blogslut]

33. Yes

Fleischer announced his impending (summer) retirement May 19, 2003. Scott McClellan replaced him on July 15, 2003.

Ari backed out very early in the Plame game.

[The Backlash Cometh]

Hmmm...

Sounds like he didn't have the stomach for getting caught. I guess that's the best we're going to do with this group, since they don't have a conscience.

[blogslut]

35. Could be

Monday should be a very interesting day. :)

[scarletwoman]

36. He was gone long before the investigation was ever opened.

Ari's last day of work was July 14, 2003 -- just a little over a week after Joe Wilson's piece, "What I Didn't Find in Africa" was published in the NYT on July 6, 2003.

Coincidentally, it was also on July 14, 2003 that the now famous Bob Novak column outing Plame became publicly available.

It wasn't until September 16, 2003 that the CIA formally requested that the Justice Department investigate the leak of Plame's name and status, and it wasn't until December 30 that Patrick Fitzgerald took over the Justice Department investigation from John Ashcroft who had (finally) recused himself.

Fleischer had already been gone from his Press Secetary job for almost 6 months by that time.

Handy timeline on the whole Niger/Uranium/Plame thing can be found here:
http://www.talkingpointsmemo.com/niger-uranium.php

sw

[sweetheart]

9. collusion to committ crimes against humanity

Ari Fleischer belongs in a prison, its just a matter of time.

[Toots]

10. The only reason to "freak" is because he knew he was a Traitor to his Nation.

He divulged the identy of a Covert Agent and he knew he did so and he knew it was an act of Treason....He is scum...

[Parisle]

22. Perhaps more importantly,...

--- Fleischer lacks the over-the-top neocon hubris of his bosses,... yet he knows the depths of treason and deceit to which they have sunk. He knows and appreciates what scum he has been working for...

[Canuckistanian]

11. Wasn't he a traitor to his country during wartime?

This time, some REAL DAMAGE was done. I don't think the death penalty is out of the question.

[windbreeze]

40. Ari has dual citizenship

if I recall correctly....the US/Israel both claim him as citizen..so if one sentences him to death for treason...the other will rescue him...so what's he worried about??
wb

[DoYouEverWonder]

14. I can't wait to see Ari

freak out on the witness stand.

Let's splurge and go for the extra butter on Monday.

[Supersedeas]

15. Have any television news networks even mentioned Fleisher's immunity????

[tanyev]

18. They are barely mentioning the trial at all. (ABC, CBS)

Tons of coverage of everybody jumping in the ring for an election that is nearly two years away, though.

:grr:

[senseandsensibility]

30. ABC has a story on its website (frontpage)

about rover and a white house official being called to testify.:)

[tanyev]

31. That's good, but I was referring primarily to the 5:30 evening news shows.

Not one word about the trial on ABC last night.

[senseandsensibility]

32. Yeah, you're right

I don't watch corporate news, but there's no excuse for that. We should all e-mail them demanding coverage.

[cynatnite]

21. MSNBC has...

The coverage of the trial has been respectable.

[Annces]

16. Weasel meet Lion

The way these reporters and other talking heads were playing fast and loose with a CIA person's identity is so amazing. Like they have marbles in their heads.

[Swamp Rat]

17. "... to all Americans .. they need to watch what they say, watch what they do."

Press Briefing by Ari Fleischer
September 26, 2001

(snip)

"MR. FLEISCHER: I'm aware of the press reports about what he said. I have not seen the actual transcript of the show itself. But assuming the press reports are right, it's a terrible thing to say, and it unfortunate. And that's why -- there was an earlier question about has the President said anything to people in his own party -- they're reminders to all Americans that they need to watch what they say, watch what they do. This is not a time for remarks like that; there never is. "

(snip)

http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2001/09/20010926-5.html

[Peace Patriot]

23. Thank you, Swamp Rat! I was thinking: WAS he the one that said that? Naw.

Surely not. Surely not. NO ONE could be THAT hypocritical.

"Watch what you say, watch what you do." --and then he outs a CIA agent and an entire CIA WMD counter-proliferation network!

I'm gonna sue the Bush Junta for the jaw surgery I'm gonna need.

:wow: :wow: :wow: :wow: :wow: :wow: :wow: :wow: :wow: :wow: :wow: :wow: :wow: :wow: :wow:

[Buzz Clik]

20. Does someone out there really believe Ari was afraid of getting the death penalty?

I mean someone with a functioning brain.

Dumbest story every.

[A Simple Game]

24. Sounds credible to me. I always had the opinion that Ari was

afraid of something when he quit as press secretary.

[Buzz Clik]

25. Sure. Ari "The Truth Fairy" was a lying bastard and should pay a price.

But the death penalty? It's very hard to believe.

[A Simple Game]

28. The death penalty for treason during war?

What's so hard to believe?

[Buzz Clik]

29. Ah, yes. The oft chirped "Treason!" proclamation.

If all the people in this country accused of treason by the gang of fools here and at Freeperville were actually tried and executed, no elected officials would be left in either party.

I'm sure you realize that most rightwingers consider DU to be a seething mass of traitors. We'd all be executed, as well.

So, no. I'm not buying it. Now or ever. Fleischer's greatest crime is being a very poor liar.

[A Simple Game]

42. The one person that knows for sure if he is guilty is Ari.

And from the evidence(seeking immunity, etc.), Ari is scared. My extrapolation equals; Ari thinks he is guilty.

Guilty of treason, the for real kind, not the message board kind, can equal death penalty.

I repeat, it is not hard to imagine Ari being scared of the death penalty.

[Crabby Appleton]

44. yep

[blogslut]

34. Perhaps he wasn't afraid of a death sentence

More likely, he saw the enormity of crime in which was very possibly complicit.

That isn't so hard to believe, now is it?

[Buzz Clik]

39. It's quite easy to believe.

In fact, it seems highly likely. Why else ask for immunity?

(This isn't nearly as attractive as the concept of Ari's hair catching on fire in the electric chair, but it is quite logical.)

[npincus]

26. poor wittle Awi....

what's the matter- this necktie isn't your color?

[90-percent]

27. mercy

May they bestow mercy on poor little Ari and merely detain him in Guantanamo for perpetuity.

-85% jimmy

[DearAbby]

46. Ah-yep

[Patsy Stone]

37. So which side won the argument?

The Slate article just said that the Judge got fed up at the end, but didn't say if Fitz will be allowed to admit the reason into the case.

[Sparkle]

38. I saw a pic on DU once of Ari Fleischer where it looked like he was pouting.

Does anyone have that?

[Bluebear]

43. Is this, yes, no?

[Crabby Appleton]

41. Ari Fleischer had a very good lawyer

[tabasco]

47. Immunity Shmimmunity !

Figure out a way to lock this criminal up too.

[Garbo 2004]

51. WaPo article didn't mention death penalty. It's the now famed 1x2x6 article

at the beginning of the DOJ investigation: http://www.washingtonpost.com/ac2/wp-dyn/A11208-2003Sep27?language=printer This is the article that freaked out Fleischer: DOJ investigation into possible violation of federal law. Only penalties mentioned were jail time and fines. Not death penalty.

From FDL blog of the attnys conversation with the judge regarding Fleischer's testimony (J is Jeffress, Libby's lawyer, Zeidenberg is one of Fitz's attnys):

J What is the issue regarding Mr. Fleischer cannot represent what Fleischer what he will say. Fleischer got immunity. Alerted this morning that Zeidenberg intends to ask Fleischer why he got immunity, he'd say he read that outing a CIA spy could be a crime. Completely improper to mention it.

J they want to put in 1X2X6 article. Jeffress contends the claims in the article was totally untrue.

Zeidenberg Fleischer's going to testify that he did seek immunity and he would not talk to the govt before he obtained it and he'll explain why he wanted immunity the reason he wanted it the evening of 9/28 he found the story online which indicated a criminal investigation into possible disclosure of covert agent he knew he had conveyed info to reporters that was previously conveyed to him by Libby. He realized your heart goes in your throat. The following day obtained legal counsel begand discussing with attorneys. We're not introducing this article for thetruth of the matter. Mr. Wells showed an article to Ms. Martin that she had never seen, he put and read a lot of it. Court said it could be relevant for state of mind.

http://www.firedoglake.com/2007/01/25/libby-live-cathie-martin-three/

I know the original source for the "death penalty freaked ari out" TPM story is a Slate reporter http://www.slate.com/id/2158157/entry/2158330/ , but the WaPo article doesn't mention death penalty and neither do the attnys in the courtroom per the more detailed FDL live trial blog. Seems clear enough that Ari, who was no longer in the WH, didn't want to risk being charged with a crime or spend time in the slammer. Reason enough to ask for immunity and talk.

[NastyRiffraff]

52. I have a feeling Ari is scared...

because he's a prosecution witness. Much as an underling in a Cosa Nostra family would be.

These thugs play for keeps.