Grand Jury Hears Plame Case

[TacticalPeek]

Grand Jury Hears Plame Case

Testimony begins in front of a grand jury in the investigation into whether the identity of CIA operative Valerie Plame was improperly leaked to the press

By JOHN DICKERSON AND VIVECA NOVAK


Sources with knowledge of the case tell TIME that behind closed doors at the E. Barrett Prettyman federal courthouse, nearby the Capitol, a grand jury began hearing testimony Wednesday in the investigation of who leaked the identity of CIA operative Valerie Plame to columnist Robert Novak and other journalists.

Prosecutors are believed to be starting with third-party witnesses, people who were not directly involved in the leak of Plame's identity. Plame's husband, former Ambassador Joseph Wilson, claims that the leak was an act of retaliation against him for undercutting Bush's weapons-of-mass-destruction rationale for going to war in Iraq. Soon enough, witnesses with more direct knowledge will be called to testify, and a decision to subpoena journalists for their testimony will also be made. In December, the FBI asked some administration staffers to sign a waiver releasing reporters from confidentiality agreements in connection with any conversations they had about the Wilson affair. Novak's attorney, Jim Hamilton, had no comment about the latest developments.

Grand juries aren't always used in criminal probes, but they are the preferred way to go in cases with potential political fallout, if only to lend credibility to the result. One conclusion to be drawn from this latest step, said one lawyer familiar with the case, is that investigators clearly have a sense of how the case is shaping up. "They clearly have a sense of what's going on and can ask intelligent questions" to bring the grand jury up to speed. A grand jury is not a trial jury, but is used as an investigative tool and to decide whether to bring indictments in a case.


http://www.time.com/time/nation/article/0,8599,581456,00.html


Popcorn?

[Cocoa]

1. "the administration people are all terrified"

music to my ears. :-)

[TacticalPeek]

2. Word to the wise ham sandwitch: hide.

:evilgrin:

[dusty64]

6. Mine too.

:kick:

[Stephanie]

3. Is it DU's birthday??? We are just being showered with gifts today!

Is it the stars?

AWOL
Krugman-BBV
and PROGRESS in the PLAME CASE?

All in one day? It's hard to believe!

[xxqqqzme]

5. well, it IS the year of the Monkey

after all.

[xxqqqzme]

4. IF, and that's a big IF

the investigation is hard and the questions real, then indictments will follow. If this is being used as a smoke screen for legitimacy, it will go poof!

[snippy]

7. Exactly.

[Moderator]

8. Duplicate

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=102&topic_id=326698