Rove down in Plames! Likely two or more criminal charges incl. conspiracy

[skip fox]

to leak Plame's identity since there were 6 calls (it was reported there were 6 contacts/leaks) and 3 confirmations (Novak, Cooper, & Miller).


I've posted this elsewhere, but think the case for Rove's mastermining the coordination of leaks should be in Editorials for a bit of extended exposure. (I hope the moderators agree.)

Of course, it he made all of the original calls, then it was done very deliberately . . . which undercuts the "unknowlingly" defense. (Besides, is this mastermind of the "party of personal responsibility" going to slip out on a "loophole"?) But even then he had to make sure there were a number of people in the know who were ready to confirm the sotry. We're right back into illegal conspoiracy territory.

Here's the full rationale:

One or more indictments for Rove is nearly certain. One or more indictments for one or more high-ranking administrative official is likely.

The logic is very simple:

If Rove acted alone he made at least SIX calls (six reporters were contacted). Repeatedly and deliberately telling national reporters (at the least) that the Wilson's wife worked at the CIA and "arranged" his trip to Niger shows he KNOWINGLY exposed her identity (it was far from a slip or even a lapse), whether or not he used her name or knew she was covert. In addition, if he was the only primary caller, he would have had to arrange for confirmation by at least one other administration official at least THREE times (for Novak, Cooper, and Miller). (Since he could not control who the reporter would call for confirmation, he likely arranged for three or four others who would willingly--and "knowlingly"--confirm the story.) Therefore he CONSPIRED to expose a CIA official (since he knew the result of his leak would lead to exposure).

If Rove was the only primary source, however, that means he released Matt Cooper from his confidentiality agreement but he did not Judith Miller from hers. The logical reason is that his leak to her included a much more obvious case of illegal activity. Rove's hope, then, is that such a case will never be known. But with the national attention on the Plame matter and, especially, a tenacious and objective prosecutor tracking him down, Rove has little hope (especially with the fact that he had to have done this SIX times and arranged for at least one other to support his story THREE times).

But if Rove was one of at least two or more sources (which would explain why Cooper's released him but Miller's did not release hers), then it's far worse for him since he probably coordinated the entire leak with both planning and foresight (two elements which again indicate that he KNOWINGLY leaked Plame's identity).

Any administrative official originally realizing the Wilson-Plame-CIA link would immediately realize it could discredit Wilson, but much more importantly he would have known who to take the information to, the master of such discreditations (among so much else), Karl Rove. Rove would then insure that the leaks did not overlap and that at least FEW other officials could be counted upon who would readily confirm the information of the original sources (perhaps each having different details or a different slant to make it sound realistic and not a set-up), since he could not insure who the reporter would call for a confirmation.

How do you do ANY of this UNKNOWINGLY?????

Think of the possibilities! At least two indictments for Rove (leaking Plame and leading a conspiracy to leak) and likely indictments (leaking Plame) for other high administrative officials: Rice, Cheney, Libby, etc. Maybe even W.

[FormerRepublican]

1. I think they'll nail him on perjury ...

Considering what I've read in the press, that's the charge that seems most likely.

[skip fox]

2. I don't argue with this nor with the fact that it's going to be very

complicated (with 6 reporters, 1st admendment, one of reporters reputedly feeding Plame's name to an administrative source, etc.) We may even get 3 or more indictments (maybe perjury and/or obstruction as well). But I laid out the above as the most plausible base scenerio. "On the ground" it probably looked like this:

In order to make sure the story leaked properly, discrediting Wilson's yellow-cake findings (concerning Iraq's supposed activity to acquire materials for nuclear bombs) by implying he and his wife, Valerie Plame, had an agenda against the current administration since before the Iraq War, a single person talented in this realm would be very likely have to coordinate the calling. (Of course he could have made calls as well.) He would insure, for instance, that neither of the 2 or more primary sources should call the other's initial contact(s) (that would seem too eager, perhaps a dirty trick). In addition, 4-5 others would have to know the story was true in order to confirm it, and they had to be encouraged to do so.

Who better to coordinate and a historic master of the odious activity of defaming an opponent, Karl Rove? Perhaps Cheney (who would have felt responsibility in such a matter since it was the behest of his office that the CIA sent Wilson to Niger) used his clearance to discover this information and brought it to Rove at a meeting of the White House Iraq Group (see snippy's beautiful post in DU, link at bottom of this post). Then Rove would go into high gear, doing what he does best (worst). He coordinated the callings, made sure there were the requisite secondary sources ready and willing to confirm (perhaps each having different details or a different slant to make it sound realistic and not a set-up).

Therefore, Rove may well be both a conspirator (a little RICO, anybody?), and the leaker of illegal information, AND we may have at least one other indictment handed down. Think of the possibilities! Rice, Cheney, Libby, Hughes (why the hell did she retire before?), Matalin, etc. Maybe even W. (But the more I think about it, I wonder how many real reporters wouldn't be suspicious of a call from Rove? He might be the primary source for the likes of Novak, but few others.)

How's that for "knowingly"??? He will have no way to plead innocent to having "knowlingly" revealed the name of a CIA undercover agent since he coordinated several in that very activity (i.e., it wasn't a slip of the tongue or inadvertant blunder).

But think about the above and then read snippy's lovely item backed up by a Washington Post article:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=102&topic_id=142863&mesg_id=142952

[katty]

5. Getin' him on Perjury-Rover will bark like a junkyard dog

[MasonJar]

3. There is another element floating around that is equally possible.

Dick Cheney is probably up to his bald spot in illegal behavior and sales; Valerie Plame is getting the goods on Cheney; why not kill two birds with one sharp swing. After all I feel sure that Dickhead knows every little happenstance in detail that might send him to jail.

[skip fox]

4. Sure. I think it is likely Cheney's office discovered that Wilson's wife

worked for the CIA because they would have felt some responsibility in the matter, having asked the CIA to check out the Niger story which lead to Wilson's trip.

But in order to make sure the story leaked properly a single person talented in this realm would be very likely have to coordinate the calling. (Of course he could have made calls as well.) He would ensure, for instance, that neither of the 2 or more primary sources should call the other's initial contact(s) (that would seem too eager, perhaps a dirty trick). In addition, 4-5 others would have to know the story was true in order to confirm it, and they had to be encouraged to do so.

Who better to coordinate and a historic master of the odious activity of defaming an opponent, Karl Rove? Perhaps Cheney used his clearance to discover this information and brought it to Rove at a meeting of the White House Iraq Group (see snippy's beautiful post in DU, link at bottom of this post). Then Rove would go into high gear, doing what he does best (worst). He coordinated the callings, made sure there were the requisite secondary sources ready and willing to confirm (perhaps each having different details or a different slant to make it sound realistic and not a set-up).

Therefore, Rove may well be both a conspirator (a little RICO, anybody?), and the leaker of illegal information, AND we may have at least one other indictment handed down. Think of the possibilities! Rice, Cheney, Libby, Matalin, etc. Maybe even W.

[Eloriel]

6. Nominated. C'mon, people

Well done, skip.

Might as well post my piece here too. I've posted it in a number of other threads. Rove didn't have to NAME Plame. I remember discussions at the time of the leak to the effect that she and Wilson were well known in Washington, had a large circle of friends and socialized a lot, etc. It was known that she worked for an "energy company" (forget the name) with was really a CIA front company -- whicb Rove&Co also outed, obviously. So, anyway, all Rove had to do was say, "Joe Wilson's wife is a CIA agent..." and she's outed without the need to mention her by name at all.