(MTP Tim) Russert Resisted Testifying on Leak

[RamboLiberal]

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/01/09/AR2006010901745.html

Lawyers for NBC News reporter Tim Russert suspected in the spring of 2004 that his testimony could snare Vice President Cheney's top aide, I. Lewis "Scooter" Libby, in a lie and Russert resisted testifying at the time about private conversations with Libby, according to court papers released yesterday.

Russert was aware that a special prosecutor probing the leak of a CIA operative's name knew of his summer 2003 telephone conversation with Libby, and that Libby had released him from any promise of confidentiality. But Russert, the Washington bureau chief for NBC News and host of "Meet the Press," and his attorneys argued in previously sealed court filings in June 2004 that he should not have to tell a grand jury about that conversation, because it would harm Russert's relationship with other sources.

Russert ultimately testified under oath about the conversation after a federal judge ordered him to do so in July 2004. The information Russert provided became important evidence that Special Counsel Patrick J. Fitzgerald used to indict Libby in October on five felony counts of lying to the FBI and a grand jury, and of obstruction of justice.

<snip>

It "appears that Mr. Russert's testimony is sought solely because the Special Prosecutor believes that his recollection of a telephone conversation with an Executive Branch official is inconsistent with that official's statements," they wrote.

[pinerow]

1. It would be interesting to know if tweety was questioned also...

The proverbial wolf guarding the hen house theory...sheesh...

[Dr.Phool]

2. New book: Big Russ and the Little Snitch.

LOL

[gratuitous]

3. Behind-the-scenes legal machinations aside

There are, or potentially could be, any number of reasons for Russert's desire to hide his conversations with Libby. What I find unconscionable is that Russert continued to host his show and have guests on to talk about the Plame leak, pretending he didn't know anything more about it than what a casual reader might get from the newspapers. Or Fox News.

Instead, Little Russ was up to his eyeballs in this mess, an integral player with special knowledge of how the corrupt Bush administration was compromising the CIA's ability to gather intelligence for its own political ends. But never was heard a discouraging word, or even an illuminating one, on Meet the Price from the lips of Pumpkinhead.

Thanks, GE. You bring bad things to life. Like war, treason and profiteering.

[Supersedeas]

5. his continued participation in the Sunday program without full disclosure

ruins his relationship with the public--glad he has his priorities right--gah!!

[young_at_heart]

4. Russert is no innocent "victim"

His journalistic credibility is gone now. One can only wonder how the 2004 election might have turned out if he had done the right thing.

[Clyde39]

6. Russert does not deserve his "good" reputation

Russert "ultimately" testified under oath. That sentence tells volumes.