Is Fitzgerald's deadline REALLY the end of October?

[Wordie]

From the NYT article about Judy Miller and the Fitzgerald investigation, in tomorrow's edition:
http://www.nytimes.com/2005/10/16/national/16leak.html?pagewanted=7

<snip>
Mr. Freeman advised Ms. Miller to remain in jail until Oct. 28, when the term of the grand jury would expire and the investigation would presumably end.

Mr. Bennett thought that was a bad strategy; he argued that Mr. Fitzgerald would "almost certainly" empanel a new grand jury, which might mean Ms. Miller would have to spend an additional 18 months behind bars. <unsnip>

Does that mean that Fitzgerald does NOT have to finish the investigation by the end of October, as everyone has been saying, but instead could empanel a new grand jury and continue to investigate? I had understood that the deadline was one related to the prosecutor himself, that he was only authorized to conduct the investigation until the deadline, but perhaps that is wrong.

I don't think I could take much more suspense...

[MissWaverly]

1. I heard that Fitzgerald has been threatened by the neocons

so it's predicted that he will bring out the indictments soon,
read the info over on www.waynemadsenreport.com but I have seen
this on at least 3 other sites.

[Wordie]

2. Well, it sure seems like he must have gotten to the meat of all this now,

but that article DID seem to indicate that he could, if he deemed it necessary, call another grand jury. Jeez. I wish I really knew more about Fitzgerald. He must be pretty smart, to have gotten this far in this.

[MissWaverly]

3. From what I read he's completely non-polictical;

he is a dedicated prosecuter that goes straight to the heart of
the maze, from what I've read, he will not respond well to arm twisting. For the neocons who are so used to spin; this must be an uncomfortable collision with reality.

[Wordie]

9. Wasn't it Ashcroft that recused himself and appointed Fitzgerald?

Ashcroft must have been completely out of the loop. To appoint someone like this, he could only have believed that the everyone at the Whitehouse was completely innocent and honest.

Maybe we should draft Fitzgerald to run for President, if he is that impartial, it might be refreshing. Oh, that's after the Bush impeachment, of course. :)

[FreedomAngel82]

11. I think what happened

is someone who worked for Ashcroft made the suggestion to get Fitzgerald. This person knew of Fitzgerald's skills and obviously Ashcroft okay'd it. I was skeptical at first but the more I learned about Fitzgerald the more I learned to trust him (and even have a tenniebopper crush).

[Wordie]

15. Whew...well, Ashcroft RESISTED recusing himself until the pressure was too

great, according to this interesting article found at Truthout.org, from the Village Voice. AND, it wasn't Ashcroft that appointed Fitzgerald, apparently, but instead a deputy, James B. Comey.
http://www.truthout.org/docs_2005/081505Y.shtml

<snip>
What Now, Karl?
By Murray Waas
The Village Voice

Saturday 13 August 2005

Rove and Ashcroft face new allegations in the Valerie Plame affair.

Justice Department officials made the crucial decision in late 2003 to appoint a special prosecutor to investigate the leak of the identity of undercover CIA officer Valerie Plame in large part because investigators had begun to specifically question the veracity of accounts provided to them by White House deputy chief of staff Karl Rove, according to senior law enforcement officials.

Several of the federal investigators were also deeply concerned that then attorney general John Ashcroft was personally briefed regarding the details of at least one FBI interview with Rove, despite Ashcroft's own longstanding personal and political ties to Rove, the Voice has also learned. The same sources said Ashcroft was also told that investigators firmly believed that Rove had withheld important information from them during that FBI interview.

Those concerns by senior career law enforcement officials regarding the propriety of such briefings continuing, as Rove became more central to the investigation, also was instrumental in the naming of special prosecutor Patrick J. Fitzgerald.

Up until that point, the investigation had been conducted by a team of career prosecutors and FBI agents, some of whom believed Ashcroft should recuse himself. Democrats on Capitol Hill were calling for him to step down, but he did not. Then on December 30, 2003, Ashcroft unexpectedly recused himself from further overseeing the matter, and James B. Comey, then deputy attorney general, named Patrick J. Fitzgerald as the special prosecutor who would take over the case.

[MissWaverly]

14. sorry my take is not so optimistic

remember there have been inquiries before that have gone nowhere because the Bush White House has successfully stonewalled everything,
I think that the difference is that so many outside the White House
are involved and some former cabinet members are giving evidence now
that they are out of the loop.

[Tigress DEM]

19. Still, it is the combination that works.

You need talented prosecutors who are willing to dig for the info and pursue it AND you need people outside yelling and screaming and marching and writing to congressmen and news agencies constantly to tell them WE THE PEOPLE are not going to give up and let this disappear.

UNFORTUNATELY, that is what it takes. But the people by ourselves can't do this. Half a million marched on 9/24 and the White House just ignored US publically. They took note in other ways and I'm sure some of them have stains on their underwear, because half a million people screaming at you is still a heck of a lot of noise.

[MissWaverly]

20. they did NOT ignore you

There are a number of Democratic senators who have no contenders in
2006 and remember no one has challenged Harris for the race in Florida, you were visible proof that this administration is a flop
and that the support for the war is ebbing. Good Job!


:patriot:

[Tigress DEM]

22. Publically, they whitewashed us.

I know they took note, but a St Bernard who swallowed a 13" knife got more air time than half a million people marching for peace.

At the time, they were saying we "met our goal of 100,000 people" and if I hadn't heard that CSpan had arial pics I would have believed 350,000 that was reported later in the paper.

However, when another DUer told me they had 1.2 million people there for ProChoice in April 2004 and were simularly ignored, I felt that I was in good company and finally got over being depressed about the whole St Bernard thing.

The anniversary Million Man march was displayed but they didn't mention numbers and if the pics they had were this year or the first year. The whole reflecting pool from the Lincoln Memorial to the WWII Memorial was full of people and the people flowed beyond that too. That is a HUGE area.

One of my pet peeves is that the press just "can't" be real about the numbers of DEMs at protests. For whatever reason. They just play them down all the time, get them mixed up. Forget to cover it, something.

Still, even if it isn't reported. The people who don't want anyone to know how many of us are marching, they know and they are scared. It shows.

It only took 15,000 protesting in the streets of Ecuador to have it declared a State of Emergency - 16 Apr 2005 06:40 GMT - and they got rid of their President, but I don't know if what they got was better. I personally worry that the crowds were mislead into pushing into power one of the elite who won't be so easy to remove. But that's just my thought.

((Translation of Ecuador Article to English))
http://tothebarricades.blogspot.com/2005/04/lucio-gutirrez-president-of-ecuador.html

[MissWaverly]

23. You are an agent for change

who knows what the last "breeze" will be that will knock down this
house of cards, but I know this, they know that the war has lost
the support of the American people, you were seen, this administration is too much of a control freak not to have had the
peace rally monitored, I read somewhere that in 2004, they kept track
of audience size at every Michael Moore event. You were seen and you
are living proof that Cindy Sheehan is not a "clown" and there really
is an anti-war movement.

[zanne]

24. I know what you mean....

"Hope for the best and expect the worst".

[MissWaverly]

26. still, I was surprised when I heard that there are other Wilsons

It seems that anytime anyone came up with information opposed to them, the neocons rolled over on them and now people are talking, it
gives me new hope!

[FreedomAngel82]

10. I agree

He's amazed me by staying in this thing. I'm surprised he isn't dead yet.

[Carla in Ca]

4. And don't forget

The GJ only meets on Wednesdays and Fridays. They will not meet again until the 19th so I hope the work fast!

[pstans]

5. No, but on Oct. 31 Rove and Cheney turn into Vampires

and start to bite everyones head off. W then will hid under the nearest table holding his favorite teady bear and Scooter Libby throws a temper tantrum cause Karl and Dick ruined Halloween and poor Scooty didn't get any candy.

[Auntie Bush]

18. All I KNOW is by October 30th...I'll be another year older.

But, I did read somewhere that Fritz can ask for an extension if needed. But who knows if the Rethugs will grant one even if they know the crooks are liars. (No offense to Crooks and Liars.)

[tinfoilinfor2005]

21. Happy Birthday to us! I'm Oct. 30th. too...

and a frog march sure would make a wonderful birthday present! (ribbit)

[Indy65]

6. Deadline

The time for the people on this Grand Jury is over after sixteen months.He can use a new Grand Jury that has been sworn in and evidence can go on for years with differ nt Grand Jury's.The Grand Jury I served on had evidence going back five years.I am not sure about the months on this one because the one I served on was a special Grand Jury and the time was different from the other ones.

If the Government or Attorney General wants you they will not stop.What surprised me about serving; are the laws than can be broken about things we do not even think about in our daily lives and believe me they will use them against you.

[tom22]

7. A new grand jury could be empaneled or

this one could be extended. But Fitzgerald has been quoted as saying Cooper and Miller were the last witnesses he wanted. I expect the indictments this week.

[Wordie]

8. I really can't stand the wait...this is making me nuts! LOL

[FreedomAngel82]

12. Me too

:crazy: I'm going loopy.

[napi21]

13. That's not exactly correct. Fitz CAN extend this GJ!

http://talkleft.com/new_archives/011626.html

The Wall Street Journal reports today (free article) that Special Counsel Patrick Fitzgerald could extend the term of the grand jury by six months. But there is little information other than speculation by outside lawyers as to whether he will.

[bobbieinok]

16. some examples of such laws????

What surprised me about serving; are the laws than can be broken about things we do not even think about in our daily lives and believe me they will use them against you.

[patricia92243]

17. Wish you would start a new thread on your GJ experience, I think lots of

us would like to hear more about it in detail. I have never served on a GJ or even know anyone who has.

:)

[Roon]

25. Soon, not another 18 months

People involved in the case have said they believed Fitzgerald was close to making an announcement.

http://abcnews.go.com/US/wireStory?id=1223911