Fall of a Vulcan (Time)

[janx]

Although Fitzgerald has so far drawn a tight circle around Libby that may leave President George W. Bush's longtime alter ego, Karl Rove, bloodied but secure, the United States v. I. Lewis Libby has already reopened old wounds about why the U.S. went to war in the first place. In an unprecedented and awkward fashion, the case pits government officials against the reporters who cover them. And Fitzgerald's indictment sets the stage for either a trial next spring or a plea bargain that almost certainly would mean jail time for Libby. That possibility has already been discussed: a source close to the investigation told TIME that Fitzgerald and Libby's attorney Joseph Tate discussed possible plea options before the indictment was issued last week. But the deal was scotched because the prosecutor insisted that Libby do some "serious" jail time.

For anyone who has been trying to follow the bewildering saga of Scooter Libby, Karl Rove, Joseph Wilson and his wife CIA officer Valerie Plame, Fitzgerald's indictment is a helpful road map. After months of confusion, the indictment provides the most concrete evidence yet of a war between the Veep's office and the CIA—a war about a war—and the lengths Libby and his colleagues were willing to go to squelch any criticism of the Administration's prewar behavior.

http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1124235,00.html


This is not over...

[lovuian]

1. I just hope Libby realizes he's going to jail and Cheney is going

to be basking in billions!!!

We will see how dedicated Scooter is???

[xultar]

2. Are you kidding. He wanted to throw himself under that train. Libby's

family will be well taken care of, just watch.

[janx]

6. I dunno, xultar.

This article, together with what Fitzgerald said at the press conference, indicates to me that it was LIBBY who took the investigation way off track so that Fitzgerald and the grand jury could not do their jobs.

Ole' "Scooter" is in a pretty tough spot. If he pleads guilty, he gets disbarred. If there's a trial, the whole can of worms will be opened.

[TahitiNut]

8. It was an offer Scooter couldn't refuse.

The music stopped and Scooter was sitting in Dickie's lap. Scooter knows how "accident-prone" his family became and has known that folks get suicided.

Hey ... it's better than a job as a military tour guide between Baghdad and the airport, right? :shrug:

[janx]

9. "Scooter"'s job was to take the case as far off track as possible,

so that the real crime would not be prosecuted. He suceeded in doing so--but only temporarily. If this goes to trial (and I hope it does), the truth will be largely written.

[TahitiNut]

10. My crystal ball doesn't show a trial. Fitzgerald's witness list is long.

I can't see these people allowing themselves on Court TV. It'd make the OJ Trial seem like a minor sideshow. Scooter has NOTHING to gain by going to trial. He knows he's even more guilty than he's been charged.

[janx]

13. What does he have to gain by a plea?

That would make him a felon; he would be disbarred, no?

[TahitiNut]

16. There's no way he'd skate on all five felony charges ...

... and I seriously doubt Fitzgerald is interested in accepting ANY kind of plea unless Scooter gives up others including Cheney with slam-dunk evidence. If he goes to trial, the best he could do is skate on THREE and be convicted of TWO felony charges. A felony conviction in a trial would result in a stiffer sentence, with a (very likely) recommendation from Fitzgerald for the MAX, served consecutively. On top of the convictions and stiff sentencing, the trial would become a media circus and expose witnesses to charges of perjury in front of God and Country - a virtual guarantee with the tons of evidence Fitzgerald will have by then.

Trial? No way ... not by my crystal ball. (That's not to say I wouldn't LOVE it - I would.)

[cassiepriam]

15. I agree 100%. No trial, no way. WH will not let it happen.

Scoot will cop a plea and do hard time. With his swiss
bank acct full of dollars fresh from the US treasury.

[janx]

3. Fitzgerald is REALLY pissed that Scooter lied the way

he did. Scooter's lying took away valuable time that could have been spent on investigating the real crime.

That's why he wanted Libby to do "serious jail time."

And that's why, I think, this case is far from over...

[DoYouEverWonder]

5. and that's why the rest of the liars

will be held accountable too.

It's not a good idea for anyone to lie to a Grand Jury, a Special Investigator and the FBI. Especially when multiple people do it multiple times. Then it is a conspiracy.

[janx]

7. There aren't any good options for "Scooter" at this point.

When are we going to find out whether or not he pleads?

[DoYouEverWonder]

11. Soon,

now that he knows Fitzgerald is serious and what direction he is going with this investigation.

Before Friday no one had a clue where this was going, now we have a much better idea that as usual, Fitzgerald is aiming at the top.

[janx]

12. That's right!

And what about the talk of Fitzgerald's empanelling a new GJ? Was that just a rumor?

I thought he played that down in the news conference...?

[DoYouEverWonder]

14. He doesn't need to

he can go to any Grand Jury that is seated in DC at the moment. The only thing he can't do is to go back to the Grand Jury that he had for the last two years because their term expired on Friday and he did not extend it.

[DemoTex]

4. The Vulcans: Bu$h War Cabinet (Vultures is more like it!)

http://ec1.images-amazon.com/images/P/B0002Y125Q.01._BO2,204,203,200_PIsitb-dp-500-arrow,TopRight,45,-64_AA240_SH20_SCLZZZZZZZ_.jpg