Novak Says Plame/Wilson Suit Will Be Dismissed

[sabra]

http://www.mediabistro.com/fishbowlDC/television/novak_says_plamewilson_suit_will_be_dismissed_40185.asp

Novak Says Plame/Wilson Suit Will Be Dismissed

In an interview to be aired this weekend on Bloomberg's "Political Capital with Al Hunt," Bob Novak says that the civil suit Plame and her husband brought against Vice President Cheney, his former aide and White House adviser Karl Rove probably will probably be thrown out.

...

MR. HUNT: - for the last word. Valerie Plame and her husband have filed a suit against Vice President Cheney, Karl Rove, one of your sources, the indicted Cheney aide, Scooter Libby. What are you going to do if they try to haul you before that trial and get you to identify the one you source you haven't identified?

MR. NOVAK: Well, that would be the whole question of whether I would even adhere to a subpoena. I am sure there will be motions to throw this suit out of court. the lawyers I talk to say that this is a very unusual case, and I think that the Wilsons may have trouble maintaining this suit; not having it thrown out.

MR. HUNT: A number of people who would defend not only your right to publish a column but say, hey, there was - (inaudible) - still ask, why was it necessary to identify her and the fact that she was a CIA operative.

MR. NOVAK: When I talked to the primary source on a long - hour-long interview about - covering many things, I got into the question, which was the hot story of the time, of the ambassador's mission to Niger. And in the course of it I said, why in the world would they send - would the CIA send Joe Wilson there? He has not an intelligence background, he hasn't had any contact in Africa for a long time. I just know then that he is also an anti-Bush partisan. So my source said, well, his wife, who works for the Counterproliferation Division of the CIA suggested it.

What would Poppy have to say about this...

http://www.metrosantacruz.com/metro-santa-cruz/04.19.06/wilson-0616.html

A former diplomat whom George Bush Sr. once introduced to his war cabinet as "a true American hero,"

[Prisoner_Number_Six]

1. He's PRAYING it's dismissed

because if it goes to trial he's held up in public as the stinking traitor he is.

[rzemanfl]

2. Fuck Novakula. n/t

[Metta]

3. Isn't Plame suggested Wilson a discredited lie?

Hmm?

[Biernuts]

6. No, although Wilson said it wasn't true, the bipartisan 9-11 commission

found to the contrary that it was in fact true - and not one of the Democrats on the commission non-concurred with that finding.

[yardwork]

8. The 9/11 commission's findings are in the toilet

The commission wasn't given crucial information, at the admission of Cheney et al. It has been clearly proven that Valerie Plame had nothing to do with her husband's being sent to Niger. As a former ambassador to the middle east, in addition to his other expertise, Wilson was an obvious choice.

Novak's lying.

[Biernuts]

15. (Co Chair) Lee Hamilton is impeccable and he had full testimony

from those involved in sending Wilson to Niger. Regardless of anything happening subsequent to Wilson's trip doesn't alter circumstances leading up to it. There really isn't a valid controversy on this point.

No matter what happened later in State, CIA or the WH, Wilson took a trip in which his wife had a major part initiating. When we dig in on relatively minor positions that are easy to disprove definitively, it affects the overall credibility of the debate.

[Viva_La_Revolution]

19. she did suggest him...

but had no authority to send him, others did.

[Metta]

23. Very good. Thanks.

:thumbsup: :)

[bullimiami]

4. hes not an anti bush partisan. he is an anti lying scumbag traitor patriot

[onehandle]

5. Douchebag. nt

[Robbien]

7. Why does anyone even listen to Novak any more?

He should crawl back down that hole he popped up from a week or so ago.

[waiting for hope]

13. Exactly.....

Did he attend Law School? Pass the Bar? Oh yeah, he's a republican backed reporter! Fuck him...

[Viva_La_Revolution]

20. but isn't kind of cute...

the way he's trying to make himself relevant again?

:puke:

[Biernuts]

9. Regardless of whether it's dismissed - taxpayers get the bill

Here's what it says on the DOJ Website, specifically the Civil Division, headed up by an Assistant Attorney General, Prencipal Deputy Assistand Attorney General and with 5 Deputy Assistant Attornies General and "more fucking lawyers than Bill Gates has" (I creatively added the last part)

"Defend the government and its officers and employees in lawsuits seeking damages from the U.S. Treasury or from individuals personally."

source: <http://www.justice.gov/jmd/mps/manual/civil.htm>

If it does go to trial, they don't need to prove "beyond a reasonable doubt" like in Libby's criminal trial. "Preponderance of the evidence" is the standard in federal civil cases.
source: <http://www.usdoj.gov/usao/mow/guidebook/civil.html>

But Novak may be right and dismiss the case against the three, leaving only the US Government as sole respondent. The Case on point regarding personal immunity for government officials is Harlow v. Fitzgerald <http://caselaw.lp.findlaw.com/cgi-bin/getcase.pl?court=us&vol=457&page=818> Objectively, they have no realistic chance keeping the case against Cheney from being dropped and a slim chance, I'd judge less than 25%, of a judge keeping Libby & Rove PERSONALLY in the case.

Any idea why they didn't sue Novak's primary source (reported to be Former Deputy Secretary of State Richard Armitage) and the CIA Public Affairs officer who confirmed her Agency employment?
<http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/03/13/AR2006031301904.html>

And yep, guess who pays any damages in any case? Start saving for that tax increase.

[stepnw1f]

12. Best Damn Investment

why try?

[bilgewaterbill]

16. Do you think they are going to subpoena Fitz..

in order to find the identity of the original leaker? Can they even do that?

[leesa]

17. Sounds like you really don't want this explored. Wonder why not?

I am curious as to whether members of our government may have engaged in treasonous activity. Well worth the money. Much more valuable than the bills we're gonna get for this non-sensical war, gay marriage amendments and flag burning foolishness.

[Gman]

22. It would be money well spent by the government

to have the entire fraudulent government exposed. Better to spend taxpayer money on this than the ongoing lie of Iraq.

This case is a slam dunk winner for Plame. The government has no valid defense in this case.

[Lochloosa]

Novak makes it sound like it was just second hand info....

just a passing remark....

which begs the question.....

WHY DID YOU WRITE THE SECOND ARTICLE EXPOSING BREWSTER JENNINGS?

TRAITOR!

[biscotti]

10. His explanations change

day to day. He has told so many different versions he can't keep his lies straight.

[madmark]

11. so now novak is a lawyer with the ability to predict the future.

[Just Me]

14. Novak's gonna' die from arteriosclerosis soon, Maybe, tomorrow.

Or could be Hastfart's skin disease is gonna' get him or maybe he'll walk across the street and get crushed by a bus. Who knows?

I won't wail when he goes.

[HuffleClaw]

18. "the whole question of whether I would even adhere to a subpoena."

and then the bit about "I just know then that he is also an anti-Bush partisan."?
this right AFTER he said she 'outed herself'? the poor deluded schmo can't even keep his story straight!

[Hekate]

21. In his dreams.

:popcorn:

Hekate

[mitchum]

24. Spoken like a coconspirator