WP: Bush Aides Brace for Charges

[hang a left]

Bush Aides Brace for Charges
Grand Jury May Hear Counts in Leak Case Today

By Jim VandeHei and Carol D. Leonnig
Washington Post Staff Writers
Wednesday, October 26, 2005; Page A01

The prosecutor in the CIA leak case was preparing to outline possible charges before a federal grand jury as early as today, even as the FBI conducted last-minute interviews in the high-profile investigation, according to people familiar with the case.

Special Counsel Patrick J. Fitzgerald was seen in Washington yesterday with lawyers in the case, and some White House officials braced for at least one indictment when the grand jury meets today. I. Lewis "Scooter" Libby, Vice President Cheney's chief of staff, is said by several people in the case to be a main focus, but not the only one.


White House adviser Karl Rove recently testified again before the grand jury.


In a possible sign that Fitzgerald may charge one or more officials with illegally disclosing Valerie Plame's CIA affiliation, FBI agents as recently as Monday night interviewed at least two people in her D.C. neighborhood to determine whether they knew she worked for the CIA before she was unmasked with the help of senior Bush administration officials. Two neighbors told the FBI they were shocked to learn she was a CIA operative.

The FBI interviews suggested the prosecutor wanted to show that Plame's status was covert, and that there was damage from the revelation that she worked at the CIA.

snip>

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/10/25/AR2005102502037.html

[Trajan]

1. Link(s) ?

[hang a left]

2. I fixed my mess.

[alcibiades_mystery]

3. Sloppy journalism

"Unlike the jury in a criminal trial, grand jurors are not weighing proof of guilt or innocence. They decide whether there is probable cause to charge someone with a crime, and they must agree unanimously to indict. The prosecutor could seek to seal any indictments until he announces the charges."

Grand juries indict based on simple majority, not unanimous decision.

[kurth]

5. Good catch

It does take at least 12 grand jurors, out of a pool of 16-23 members, to indict.

Very bad journalism, indeed.

[LeighAnn]

4. Turd Blossom looks mottled

Must not be wearing makeup in this pic

[truthisfreedom]

13. diarrhea.

Excessive and frequent evacuation of watery feces, usually indicating gastrointestinal distress or disorder.

perhaps he'll paint that blossom after all.

[DanCa]

6. Let the good poser christians pray on it.

And where is the outting of a cia agent in the bible?

[cliss]

7. As much as I hate to say it -

I think it's only going to be a 'token' sacrificial goat. I think Fitz is only going to indict one person, maybe Steven Hadley or Scooter Libby.

I think the White House pushed for a bargain, and they got it. How do I know?

I don't know for sure, but there is another thread that shows Cheney and a few others from earlier today. They're smiling. They look relieved.

Just don't expect Christmas tomorrow.

[Up2Late]

8. CIA leak grand jury may hear charges Wednesday (Reuters)

(Today could be the day!!! Is this bit about George Tenant giving Dick the name a new bit of info?)

CIA leak grand jury may hear charges Wednesday

Wed Oct 26, 2005 01:31 AM ET

By Adam Entous

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The federal grand jury investigating the leak of a covert CIA operative's identity was scheduled to meet on Wednesday amid signs the prosecutor in the case was preparing to seek criminal charges. The grand jury session follows a last-minute flurry of interviews by investigators with CIA operative Valerie Plame's neighbors and a former colleague of top White House adviser Karl Rove. Plame's identity was leaked after her diplomat husband, Joseph Wilson, accused the administration of twisting prewar intelligence on Iraq.

White House officials were anxiously awaiting the outcome of the leak case since any indicted officials were expected to resign immediately. If indictments are brought, Bush was likely to make a public statement to try to reassure Americans that he is committed to honesty and integrity in government. Lawyers involved in the case said Fitzgerald appeared close to bringing indictments, with an announcement expected as early as Wednesday, after the grand jury meets.

The grand jury is slated to expire on Friday unless Fitzgerald extends it. The White House has refused to answer questions about Vice President Dick Cheney's role in the case.

According to a New York Times report, Cheney's chief of staff, Lewis Libby, learned about Plame in a conversation with Cheney on June 12, 2003, weeks before her identity became public in a newspaper column by Robert Novak on July 14, 2003. Libby's notes indicate Cheney got his information about Plame from then-CIA Director George Tenet, according to the Times. The White House would neither confirm nor deny the account.

<http://go.reuters.com/newsArticle.jhtml?type=domesticNews&storyID=10045338&src=rss/domesticNews>
(more at link above)

[Hissyspit]

9. Just about to post this Up2, but, no, not new about Tenet and Cheney.

Good Fitzmas article, though.

[Up2Late]

10. Anyone have a guess on what time this might happen? 11:00am, 1pm...

...3:00pm??? 5:01pm??? Is their any sort of pattern for this sort of thing?

[FourStarDemocrat]

11. Financial Times: CIA leak charges set to be handed out

Indictments in the CIA leak investigation case are expected to be handed down by a grand jury on Wednesday, bringing to a head a criminal inquiry that threatens to disrupt seriously President George W. Bush's second term.

On Tuesday night, news reports, supported by a source close to the lawyers involved in the case, said that target letters to those facing indictment were being issued, with sealed indictments to be filed on Wednesday and released by the end of the week.

Those in legal jeopardy may include Lewis “Scooter” Libby, vice-president Dick Cheney's chief of staff, and Karl Rove, Mr Bush's chief political strategist.

Mr Cheney himself has also been linked to the inquiry into the leaking of the name of an undercover CIA operative, according to a story in Tuesday's New York Times.

more at:

http://news.ft.com/cms/s/cefd360c-4598-11da-981b-00000e2511c8.html

[radfringe]

12. press conference scheduled for THURSDAY

seems we won't find out many details until then....

[Orsino]

14. "Brace"

Code word for "we don't have a story yet."

[Roon]

15. Prosecutor wraps up CIA leak investigation

WASHINGTON - Special Counsel Patrick Fitzgerald is putting the finishing touches on a two-year criminal investigation into the leak of a CIA officer’s identity, sending FBI agents into the field for some last-minute interviews.

Lawyers representing key White House officials expected Fitzgerald to decide as early as Wednesday whether to charge I. “Scooter” Libby, who is Vice President Dick Cheney’s chief of staff, and presidential political adviser Karl Rove.

http://msnbc.msn.com/id/9824067/

[Pryderi]

16. Fitzgerald to exend Grand Jury?

CIA leak probe has Washington waiting
Grand jury could act as soon as today

Wednesday, October 26, 2005 Posted: 1321 GMT (2121 HKT)


WASHINGTON (CNN) -- The federal grand jury investigating the leak of a CIA operative's identity could hand up charges as early as today.

The grand jury is meeting this morning and is scheduled to expire on Friday, but special prosecutor Patrick Fitzgerald could extend it.

On Tuesday, FBI agents interviewed a Washington neighbor of Valerie Plame for a second time. (Watch Washington wait for possible indictments -- 2:59)

The agents asked Marc Lefkowitz on Monday night whether he knew about Plame's CIA work before her identity was leaked in the media, and Lefkowitz told agents he did not, according to his wife, Elise Lefkowitz

http://edition.cnn.com/2005/POLITICS/10/26/cia.leak/

[mirandapriestly]

17. I don't think he has ever given any indication that he is

going to extend the Grand Jury. He just has the option of doing it if he wants to.

[MaineDem]

18. You might want to change your subject line to match the headline

CIA leak probe has Washington waiting

Thread could get locked by a mod otherwise.

[Straight Shooter]

19. Part of me hopes he does, part of me hopes he doesn't.

I want immediate satisfaction. However, I also want him to chase down every i (idiot) and dot it, and chase down every t (traitor) with its tail between its legs and cross it.

Fitzgerald serves Lady Justice. It is whatever serves her best that he will do.