WP: Prosecutor Casting a Wide Net

[Zen Democrat]

Prosecutor In CIA Leak Case Casting A Wide Net
White House Effort To Discredit Critic Examined in Detail

By Walter Pincus and Jim VandeHei
Washington Post Staff Writers
Wednesday, July 27, 2005; Page A01

The special prosecutor in the CIA leak probe has interviewed a wider range of administration officials than was previously known .... Posecutors have questioned former CIA director George J. Tenet and deputy director John E. McLaughlin, former CIA spokesman Bill Harlow, State Department officials, and even a stranger who approached columnist Robert D. Novak on the street. In doing so, special prosecutor Patrick J. Fitzgerald has asked not only about how CIA operative Valerie Plame's name was leaked but also how the administration went about shifting responsibility from the White House to the CIA for having included 16 words in the 2003 State of the Union address about Iraqi efforts to acquire uranium from Africa.

---------

Using background conversations with at least three journalists and other means, Bush officials attacked Wilson's credibility. They said that his 2002 trip to Niger was a boondoggle arranged by his wife, but CIA officials say that is incorrect.

One reason for the confusion about Plame's role is that she had arranged a trip for him to Niger three years earlier on an unrelated matter, CIA officials told The Washington Post.

---------
In a strange twist in the investigation, the grand jury -- acting on a tip from Wilson -- has questioned a person who approached Novak on Pennsylvania Avenue on July 8, 2003, six days before his column appeared in The Post and other publications, Wilson said in an interview. The person, whom Wilson declined to identify to The Post, asked Novak about the "yellow cake" uranium matter and then about Wilson, Wilson said. He first revealed that conversation in a book he wrote last year. In the book, he said he tried to reach Novak on July 8, and they finally connected on July 10. In that conversation, Wilson said he did not confirm his wife worked for the CIA but that Novak told him he had obtained the information from a "CIA source."

--------

People familiar with this part of the probe provided new details about the memo, including that it was then-Deputy Secretary of State Richard L. Armitage who requested it the day Wilson went public and asked that a copy be sent to then-Secretary of State Colin L. Powell to take with him on a trip to Africa the next day. Bush and several top aides were on that trip. Carl W. Ford Jr., who was director of the Bureau of Intelligence and Research at the time and who supervised the original production of the memo, has appeared before the grand jury, according to a former State Department official

[Zen Democrat]

1. Tenet testified. Bet that's why he was FIRED.

[stevietheman]

26. And why he was given a medal of freedom too?

Hmmm... imagined words from Bush official to Tenet: "here's a big award of a lifetime if you don't say anything else"

[writes2000]

2. They're looking into the LIES for the war? Watch your back Fitzgerald

They're going to go after them with everything they've got. If the public believes that Bush lied his way into this war and Tenet is telling the truth, then the Repubs have no choice but to go nuclear.

I'm scared for Fitz and for the country.

[Zen Democrat]

3. I figured this was big when Bush hired a criminal lawyer last year.

And not just any criminal lawyer, but a mob lawyer.

[Zen Democrat]

10. Or is it Rove that got the mob lawyer and Bush got the Iran-Contra lawyer?

[sunnystarr]

37. wow ... how appropriate is that! (nt)

[Lecky]

27. For some reason I bet he's being protected :)

[Al-CIAda]

4. .

[usregimechange]

5. Good read, pass this on...

[welshTerrier2]

6. be cautious ...

the way these investigations are fought is by getting Congress to "reel in" the Special Prosecutor ... they way they do this is by claiming that the Prosecutor has strayed way beyond the scope of his initial charter ...

when i see stories like this, i think the investigation is yielding very solid results on the one hand, but will be attacked for violating its charter on the other ...

it's one thing that the investigation is broadening; it's something else again that it's reported in the press ... what's not known is whether this story was planted in the press to pave the way for a pushback by the republicans ... inevitably, when the pushback comes, and it will, that will serve as the basis for it ...

[Zen Democrat]

12. Do you think Judy Miller was just "planted" in jail?

[welshTerrier2]

17. not at all ...

i wouldn't be surprised if she ends up going to jail as a part of this treasonous conspiracy ...

[redacted]

13. read the article. In context it doesn't appear he is beyond the charter.

[welshTerrier2]

19. i'm not arguing Fitzgerald has gone beyond his charter

i'm arguing that the republicans are likely to try to constrain his investigation by arguing he did ...

in the article, it stated:

"special prosecutor Patrick J. Fitzgerald has asked not only about how CIA operative Valerie Plame's name was leaked but also how the administration went about shifting responsibility from the White House to the CIA for having included 16 words in the 2003 State of the Union address about Iraqi efforts to acquire uranium from Africa."

the terms "wide net" in the article's title is a concern ... and seeing the issue of the 16 words and "shifting responsibility from the White House to the CIA" is a concern ...

it's only a matter of time until the counter-offensive is launched against the investigation ... Fitzerald will have the evidence to defend himself so the only way to attack him is to argue he's gone beyond his charter ... if his charter is limited to finding out whether laws were broken by releasing Plame's name to the press, one could argue that "wider nets" and "shifting responsibilities" go beyond the charter ...

the case will be made; let's hope the American people, the MSM and the Democrats don't let them get away with it ...

[freeplessinseattle]

28. It relates directly. for one thing shows intent n/t

[redacted]

43. Yeah well, last week Billybob Mehlman was saying black was white.

Actually it was something abt how the press reports exhonerated Rove, or some such blatant lie.

Good point. They will say anything, and probably will.

[sendero]

45. Oh yeah, they'll be selling..

.... but fewer and fewer Americans are buying.

I think the Bush** admin's own weak credibility is going to make it very difficult for them to derail this thing at this time.

A year ago, they'd have had a chance.

[yodermon]

42. Good point; think several steps ahead.

However, did Fitzgerald have an original "charter"? If so what, was this charter? Has said charter ever fully stated in the press?

I thought prosecutors could indict ham sandwiches?

[Gman]

7. Just like Watergate

a few bits of information slip out here and there and then every week or so something of significance, like this article, comes out. Keep track of all this information like pieces of a puzzle. They will all fall into place at some point. I suspect we won't have to wait very long now.

I wonder if Fitzgerald does any traveling in small planes. If he does he should stop immediately. His life will likely soon be in danger if he keeps this up, and I suspect he will keep it up. Fitzgerald is the biggest threat to the revolution of 2000 in its five year life.

[Carolab]

8. Nails Novak pretty solidly.

Novak wrote that the CIA official he spoke to "asked me not to use her name, saying she probably never again will be given a foreign assignment but that exposure of her name might cause 'difficulties' if she travels abroad. He never suggested to me that Wilson's wife or anybody else would be endangered. If he had, I would not have used her name."

*************

Obviously, Novak KNEW it was wrong to print her name but went ahead anyhow. How many times did the CIA official need to caution him NOT to do this?

[AuntiBush]

9. Buckle Our Seatbelts, time. Thank you for posting this. Kicked!

[RUMMYisFROSTED]

11. I'm sensing that leaks are sprouting from other venues than that

of "the Desk of Robert Luskin."

A positive development.

[Zen Democrat]

16. ... former State Department official

Dare we think ...... Powell? Is that too good to be true?

[RUMMYisFROSTED]

18. Probably not Emily.

:sarcasm:

[Pryderi]

14. Too bad Bush wasn't under oath in June, 2004.

A White House spokesman declined to comment on the substance of the interview but said Bush, who was accompanied by a private lawyer, was not placed under oath.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A3668-2004Jun24.html

[Zen Democrat]

15. Yeah, but I think the oath of office covers that.

[paineinthearse]

22. Quite right. Remember when the 9/11 commission did not swear Condi?

The reason was that she was already sworn by oath of office.

[rfranklin]

32. But there has to be a legal reason why they refuse to be sworn in...

during testimony. If not, they would not be so adamant about not being put under oath at that time.

[DoYouEverWonder]

38. A Grand Jury investigation

and the 9-11 Whitewash Commission are two different animals entirely.

With a Grand Jury investigation it does not matter whether or not Bush was under oath. His testimony is still evidence and it is a crime to present false evidence to a grand jury. So if Fitzgerald finds that Bush lied during the interview then charges can be brought against him.

[leftchick]

39. and you know he LIED in the interview

all he ever does is LIE. I am getting very hopeful here.

[paineinthearse]

20. "a wide net"

A wide net cast on the waters is soon drawn smaller and smaller, brining to the surface the squirming fry.

[skooooo]

35. Squirming fry!

Wow, did you make that line up? You oughtta be a poet! lol

[skids]

21. This is the DU front page thread.

FYI for those who never go there.

And for the frontpage grazers... more comments...

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=102x1656726

...and an excellent DU extra feature posted by Octafish:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=104x4200507

[kimchi]

23. Actually this is a good overview of the spin war.

It proves concisely that there was a conspiracy against Wilson and revenge for his column. It exonerates Wilson in every way--proving that his wife didn't send him, that she was covert, etc. All the lies that have been slowly debunked over the past few months in print together as the truth. It makes Novak look like he's a liar, a drunk, or senile for printing Plame's name when asked not to.

Never has the BS been shown so completely in one (SCMSM) article. So yeah, I guess we should worry about increased pressure in the WH, now that everything is falling apart. And we thought they were dangerous before...

[longship]

24. Recommended,

kicked, and printed. This is a keeper.

:kick:

[stevietheman]

25. Read about the "twin attacks" on page 2

The White House wasn't satisfied with merely smearing Joe Wilson; they also made the CIA take responsibility for something that wasn't their doing (there's more details on that aspect than I have seen before). I can sense an oncoming onslaught of even more former CIA personnel coming forward to speak out against the criminal Bush regime.

[ngGale]

29. Could be, they came out for Plame and now ...

Johnson is being attacked. Just depends on how many are safe enough to come out. Not active CIA anymore, maybe retired. It's really mind boggling being put in danger and outed - by your own government.

[Zen Democrat]

41. Pat Roberts's comments about investigating whether the CIA

is too liberal with official cover is a BIG shot at the CIA -- an overt threat to the agency.

Can there be any doubt that the WH put him up to this? But how stupid of Pat Roberts to let himself be used in this manner. Either the WH has something on Pat Roberts and he's being forced to take this action, or he's just incredibly naive to so overtly go after agency undercover operatives.

I understand the concept of the "best defense is a good offense", but this is nuts. The WH must be truly desperate, backed into a corner with no options but to attack the messenger.

Hopefully, there are a few covert agents watching Fitzgerald's back.

[zippy890]

30. This is an excellent article

:dem:

[mom cat]

31. I am glad that Pincus reiteraated that BUSH was on the plane with

the MEMO. This points to his complicity in the work of the minions during the outing and the smear campaign.

[bklyncowgirl]

33. How stupid is Bob Novak?

He confers with a CIA official who tells him that he should not write this story but if he insists on writing it, under no circumstances to use her name. Novak later said he was told it could problems for her if she travelled abroad. He said if he thought he'd be putting her or anyone else in danger he'd never have written the article.

Oh really?

What sort of "problems" could identifying a CIA agent cause that person. Maybe she like might not be invited to royal family soirees in Riyad?

Jesus Christ, can't this guy take a hint?

Or maybe he's not stupid. Maybe he's just a vile partisan hack.

[FourStarDemocrat]

34. I'm wondering that by talking to that stranger on the street, will Novak

and the Republcans try to pin the leak on someone in the CIA? I haven't read Joe Wilson's book, but that bit aobut the stranger on the street approaching Novak adds a new twist.

[skooooo]

36. Cast it far and wide, Fitzgerald!!!

:applause: :applause: :popcorn:

:patriot: :bounce: :bounce:

:woohoo: :woohoo: :woohoo: :woohoo:

[leftchick]

40. So this is what Mr. Pincus was hiding last week

on the Charlie Rose show last week you could see he was holding something big back.

:)

[Pryderi]

44. Motive is always part of a crime.