MSNBC: Interesting Insight into the Grand Jury process (Wilson neighbors)

[writes2000]

David Shuster was just explaining the Grand Jury process and speculating on what could be going on right now. He said that according to those familiar with past juries said that this time could be all about answering questions that the jury has.

The jury may ask to go over past testimony (not surprising in this case because it's been nearly two years.)

He also said that the jury could ask questions that could require more research or evidence gathering.

Reading between the lines, Shuster (IMO) was hinting that Monday's FBI questioning of Wilson's neighbors may have come at the request of the grand jury.

I think that would explain alot. The Grand Jury wanted to know whether Valerie Plame's position at the CIA was widely known. Fitzgerald quickly got the FBI to check into that.

If this theory is correct, it also cements the fact that Fitzgerald has asked for an indictment(s) of the Espionage Act or the IIPA.

[FreedomAngel82]

1. Interesting

I remember reading an article (forgot where) and in it her neighbors were shocked and surprised on her job. They were obviously clueless as to what she really did.

[NYCGirl]

10. It's probably this article:

Entire story at this link:
http://www.usatoday.com/news/opinion/editorials/2005-07-24-wilson-neighbor_x.htm

Joe and Valerie Wilson are my next door neighbors in a hilly neighborhood just west of Georgetown. We moved in within months of each other seven years ago, attracted to our respective houses by the view of the Capitol in the distance and the Washington Monument in the foreground. The patriotic view is stirring.

I have another view from my window, of a neighbor who is a working, devoted mother of 5-year-old twins, a volunteer for charities, a woman active in her church, and a caring person. Soft-spoken, self-effacing and very private, Valerie is very easy to label "the lovely woman next door."

To some, I am known as Joe and Valerie's lawyer, a fact that has surfaced by my occasional statements on their behalf. The Wilsons don't need a lawyer for any pending proceeding; I am simply helping them understand some of the technicalities of the criminal investigation and collecting facts for any eventual civil suit. Before Robert Novak's column, I was simply their friend and neighbor, a role that will continue long after the White House leak matter is over.

[BR_Parkway]

2. I wondered when I saw the 'questioning neighbors' report why he

wouldn't have done something like that much sooner - the GJ asking it makes more sense.

[writes2000]

Me too. I was sure he would have covered that territory before.

But I'm guessing that Fitzgerald believes that the question is beside the point. WH officials claimed that they heard about her status from reporters, then social circles and then from internal sources. Since Rove couldn't name who or where he heard (within his social circles) it's a bullshit excuse.

If the GJ did ask the question, I love how efficiently Fitzgerald got them an answer.

[Catherine Vincent]

3. One of the neighbors was on Tucker Carlson's show last night.

I am surprised he was allowed to talk to the press.

[Missy M]

4. What did the neighbor say?

[writes2000]

5. That the FBI asked him if he knew about Plame's CIA job. He said no.

She seemed like an ordinary woman...a soccer mom. He said the FBI asked other neighbors and they didn't know about Plame's CIA status either.

Tucker asked him if he knew whether she had been overseas undercover within the last five years. He said he had no idea. Tucker was salivating and this guy gave him nothing he could use.

[Missy M]

6. That's great. I would think the other neighbors would have the same

answer, they didn't know.

[Gothmog]

7. I was wondering if this was the reason last night

When I read about the FBI asking neighbors of the Wilsons if they knew that she was a CIA agent, I first thought that this sounds like the Special Prosecutor verifying some facts in response to a question from the grand jury. The fact that the raw story piece indicates that Libby will be charged with a violation of the 1982 act is consistent with this theory.

If the Special Prosecutor charges Libby with a count based on the 1982 Intelligence Idenities Protection Act, he needs to confirm that Valerie Plame was a covert agent. If the grand jury asked a question about the neighbors, then it makes sense to check this out.

[Catherine Vincent]

8. That just goes to show you that some of our neighbors are not who

they say they are.

[displacedtexan]

11. Especially in MD, DC, VA. WV, PA and DE.

A good friend of mine (sweet little old lady) and her equally sweet husband are 30 year CIA veterans.

Imagine the look on my face when I learned that.

[MidwestTransplant]

9. The only place I could find word that the neighbors knew

was in a Washington Times article from a year ago or so...it didn't quote a neighbor but some former CIA person who left the agency in 1990. The RW just picked it up and ran with it as fact.