The question that every blogger, pundit, and anyone who isn't in a coma have been asking is: What's going to happen with the Fitzgerald investigation now that Libby's been indicted? No one really knows (except Fitzgerald and his team, and they appear to be leak-proof), but it seems everyone has an opinion, guess, or prophesy to add to all the shouting. Of all the commentary I've read on the subject the one that really got my attention today was an article written by Elizabeth de la Vega(recently retired after serving more than 20 years as a federal prosecutor) that was published in Mother Jones.(link below)
Her take on the issue, what to expect and what not to expect, strikes me as a level-headed analysis. Her key points are listed below. Hit the link above to read it all.
What de la Vega thinks we should not expect:
- We should not expect a final resolution any time soon
- We should not expect to hear much more from Fitzgerald
- We should not expect a smoking gun
- We should not expect the President to take steps to "get to the bottom of this."
What she thinks we should expect:
- We should expect more attacks on Joseph Wilson, even though they represent a very large red herring (more the size of a mackerel).
- We should expect attempts by pundits to derive "meaning" from the absence of charges under the Intelligence Identities Protection Act or the Espionage Act.
- We should expect a campaign to demonize Fitzgerald through claims that he is overzealous and has exceeded his authority.
- We should also expect pundits to argue that this prosecution is political.
- We should expect another red herring: that perjury, obstruction of justice, and false statements charges are not "substantive," and so somehow less serious.
de la Vega also asks an interesting question:
But should we expect, given the Republicans' attempts to belittle and politicize the case thus far, that President Bush will pardon his senior administration official if Libby is convicted on these serious charges?
http://www.motherjones.com/commentary/columns/2005/10/libby_indictment.html