Beyond Rove: Special prosecutor said to be investigating Ari Fleischer, S

[springhill]

WASHINGTON - The special prosecutor probing the outing of a CIA spy is looking beyond who leaked Valerie Plame's identity, seeking whether White House aides tried to cover their tracks after her name went public, sources told the Daily News.

Along with Bush political guru Karl Rove, the grand jury is investigating what role, if any, ex-White House mouthpiece Ari Fleischer may have played in the revelation that the former covert operative Plame was married to former Ambassador Joe Wilson.

"Ari's name keeps popping up," said one source familiar with special prosecutor Patrick Fitzgerald's probe.

Another source close to the probe added there is renewed interest in Fleischer, "based on Fitzgerald's questions."

A State Department memo that included background on Wilson - and who in the White House had access to it - appears to be a key to revealing who gave conservative columnist Robert Novak Plame's name, both sources said.

Another person of interest in the case is Vice President Cheney's chief of staff Lewis (Scooter) Libby, who was described as "totally obsessed with Wilson," the sources said.

http://www.smirkingchimp.com/article.php?sid=21944&mode=nested&order=0

[Brotherjohn]

1. Hmmmnn... when did Fleischer retire "to spend more time with his family"?

Was it around July 2003 or sometime soon thereafter?

[FreedomAngel82]

3. Yes

He gave notice two months before the Novak article came out.

[Brotherjohn]

6. Well, actually, that doesn't add up. he wouldn't have retired to save...

... his ass or pre-empt any controversy 2 months before the leak even took place.

[wookie294]

7. I heard he retired in the same week that Novak's article came out

[TruthIsAll]

12. HE RETIRED THE DAY OF WILSON'S NYT ARTICLE

/

[sniffa]

13. the day before

[agingdem]

9. What family?...

he had just gotten married.

[ewagner]

2. This is interesting

but totally unconfirmable....

I have to admit that I'm getting impatient for Fitzgerald to make his indictments and I'm starting to pay more and more attention to these leaks.....but I know I shouldn't.....they don't mean diddly...

yet.....

[FreedomAngel82]

Interesting that

those leaks came out just a few days before this. Maybe this is why they're giving out those leaks.

[leveymg]

4. The Source for that is NY DailyNews

By Thomas M. DeFrank and Kenneth R. Bazinet, New York Daily News

[Bumblebee]

8. Daily News link

http://www.nydailynews.com/news/wn_report/story/328100p-280454c.html

[writes2000]

14. Yep, Fitzgerald has PROOF. Bush & Co. had documents on Plame/CIA.

Now Fitzgerald is just collecting names.

[leveymg]

16. Here's that reference to the WH Wilson memo with a routing list

Another source close to the probe added there is renewed interest in Fleischer, "based on Fitzgerald's questions."

A State Department memo that included background on Wilson - and who in the White House had access to it - appears to be a key to revealing who gave conservative columnist Robert Novak Plame's name, both sources said.

Another person of interest in the case is Vice President Cheney's chief of staff Lewis (Scooter) Libby, who was described as "totally obsessed with Wilson," the sources said.

Wonder if that memo mentions Plame, and KR's and/or SL's initials are on it - if so, this is a slam dunk.

[writes2000]

17. Leaking, Obstruction, Conspiracy & Perjury charges.

All contained in one wonderful document.

[leveymg]

18. You'd think they'd be smart enough to use a shredder.

This is insane. Are these guys stupid or just blinded by their own arrogance?

[TheDebbieDee]

5. I would love to see Ari's smug ass perpwalked to jail.......

Ari "Everyone should be careful what they say!" Fleischer being hoisted by his won petard. Or is it pittard? Oh well!

[lancdem]

10. This is the key graf to me

The special prosecutor probing the outing of a CIA spy is looking beyond who leaked Valerie Plame's identity, seeking whether White House aides tried to cover their tracks after her name went public, sources told the Daily News.

[Carni]

11. Hmmmm-just occurred to me GANNON was a "media" person right?

Rove would certainly have had plenty of opportunity to talk to Gannon wouldn't he?

[mrdmk]

15. I have no doubt that Mr. Fitzgerald has a whole lot to look at with

this group of people. I think the scope of Mr. Fitzgerald's investigation is limited but it will not be surprising if he came across few other needed investigations of this administration. Just speculation.