What happened to Rove -- Newsweek

[Bumblebee]

The Levine talk was arguably helpful to one of Luskin's arguments: that, as a senior White House official, Rove dealt with a wide range of matters and might not remember every conversation he has had with journalists. In any case, Fitzgerald made another visit early Friday morning—shortly before the grand jury voted to indict Dick Cheney's top aide, I. Lewis (Scooter) Libby—to the office of James Sharp, President George W. Bush's own lawyer in the case, to tell him the president's closest aide would not be charged. Rove remains in some jeopardy, but the consensus view of lawyers close to the case is that he has probably dodged the bullet.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/9865842/site/newsweek/

[Spazito]

1. What a pile of crap, imo

Fitzgerald would talk to Rove's lawyer about Rove's situation. He certainly would NOT be talking to bush's PERSONAL lawyer about Rove at all. Rove is an aide, that is White House business covered by White House counsel NOT bush's PERSONAL lawyer.

[reality based]

2. That is correct if Mr. Fitzgerald is indeed

the paragon of virtue that many seem to want him to appear to be.

[Bumblebee]

3. If it's wrong, let's hope F's outrage at his integrity being

impugned would be so great that Rove will be affected by it. Prosecutor's reputation is his entire capital.

[Spazito]

4. Please provide links showing otherwise

Everything I have read and, indeed, heard from both the bush administration and those who know Mr. Fitzgerald have given him high marks for independence and integrity. If you have anything credible that would negate this, please post links, it would be helpful.

[reality based]

5. Are there links for common sense?

These are not the times for accepting conventional wisdom without a healthy skepticism. I would hope that Fitzgerald exercises integrity and independence. But I am a realist. Lawyers often find clever ways to accommodate reality and maintain their "integrity." As you point out, the Bush administration has given F. "high marks." He works for, was appointed by, and is answerable to the Justice Department. That's classic conflict of interest. It has been my long time personal experience that Bush's friends give "high marks" only to those who essentially cooperate. "Chinese walls," "blind" trusts, and other devices are often more cosmetic than real. Elements of the CIA obviously want some sort of payback. It remains to be seen whether getting Libby will mollify them. I recently heard John Dean say that Nixon & Co. considered trying to use grand jury secrecy as the means to shut down Watergate, but that Congressional hearings defeated that strategy. Probably the only way to get the full truth about the Niger forgeries and the Wilson/Plame matter is through Congressional investigation. That will require a Democratic seizure of one of the houses of Congress. Even then I wouldn't be too credulous.

[H2O Man]

6. In other words,

you have nothing to back up what you are saying about Fitzgerald. Nothing.