What just happened?

[keopeli]

Over the course of the past two weeks, an anomalous "blip" occurred on the media scene. It was certainly an event, but we know almost nothing about what happened.

I have seen this pattern before, though not for a while. I remember the Swift Boat liars routine, which played out in such a strange way that I have no confidence in my knowledge of what happened. I also recall a deep media problem during the run up to the Iraq War and the 2002 election.

However, certain truths seem apparent already:

There has been a lot of activity between Fitzgerald and the Grand Jury regarding Rove this month, including a lengthy and unusual 5th visit from Rove himself.

Something major happened on May 13, 2006 that involved Rove, Fitzgerald, and a host of attorneys for both. Several sources have cited this event, though accounts of the agenda are muddled.

Attorney General Alberto Gonzales made an unusual appearance at the Federal Court on May 13, 2006. Broad speculation exists about his reason, but the fact is that we don't know. He could have been removing Fitzgerald's power, for all we know. If he did and it was sealed, then we won't know what happened for some time because Corporate Media plays the Administration's game.

A whole host of cases titled "Sealed v. Sealed" have passed through the hands of the judges for the Libby trial and the Plame investigation in recent days. While any of these cases may be benign, an equal if not greater probability exists that one or more are quite sensitive.

Regarding the meeting on May 13, a single leak occurred through Joseph Leopold of TruthOut.org which is known to contain inaccuracies and probably contains some stunning truths as well. This is a typical propagandist style of leak, often employed by Rove. (No offense to TruthOut.)

Attorney General Alberto Gonzales enumerated a new policy on leaks whereby members of the media can be incarcerated for publicizing a leak, a policy in direct conflict with the 1st Amendment of the US Constitution.

Individually, these issues are interesting, but collectively, these revelations indicate to me that May 2006 may be a turning point in US history. We will finally witness whether we are a country governed by a constitution or by a dictator. We cannot be both.

Unfortunately, if the latter is the case, the history of what has happened in May of 2006 may be "sealed" for a very long time.

Depressing? Yes. Can we do anything about it? Yes, we can demand the truth.

But will we?

[Mr_Jefferson_24]

1. Gonzales could have been removing...

...Fitzgerald's power? How would he be able to do such a thing, much less in secret? Not trying to start an argument, just wondering how this would be possible.

[DaveT]

4. While I was practicing the law,

clients, acquaintances and friends would FREQUENTLY ask me, "Could so-and-so do that?"

The answer I always gave was, "You can do whatever you are big enough to get away with."

This was my layman's explication of the cardinal principle of law -- There is no right without a remedy.

If Gonzales orders Fitzgerald to stand down, and Fitzgerald refuses to stand down, he can fire Fitzgerald. If Fitzgerald does not want to be fired, and thinks he has a legal reason to operate independently of Gonzales' authority, he will need to get into some court, somewhere to argue the case.

If Gonzales and the Bush Administration are asserting that "national security" demands that this dispute be decided in secret, it will take a Federal Judge to order otherwise -- and such an order would be subject to appeal through the Circuit Court of Appeals to the Supreme Court.


Thus both the public's knowledge of the existence of the dispute and the resolution of such a dispute are subject to a veil of silence if the Supreme Court backs Bush.


It is a little early to just assume the worst. But it is not early to prepare for the worst.

[Mr_Jefferson_24]

5. Thank you. A veil of secrecy for...

...national security reasons---their favorite argument for just about everything they try to conceal from the public.

[DaveT]

7. Just like the Nixon era.

This is a different Supreme Court, however.

[leveymg]

28. More likely, just sealed indictments.

There's no way that the institutions that started this prosecution -- the CIA and DoD IGs -- are silently going to allow the AG to remove Fitz. More likely, they would remove the DCI the VP or POTUS to prevent such a miscarriage of justice.

[DaveT]

38. I agree with you in part

but I do not necessarily believe that "the CIA" is still on the same course it was on when it originally asked for the investigation.

Probably, yes. For sure? I do not share your confidence that there is "no way" that they would sit still for a quiet death of the reach for Rove. I can imagine the "word" coming down to be happy with nailing Libby.

It is way too hard to know the real score when the spooks start jacking with the politicians, and vice versa.

[coalition_unwilling]

30. And thus the parallel with Nixon's "Saturday Night Massacre"

(when he ordered his Attorney General and Deputy Attorney General to fire Archibald Cox, both refused and resigned\were fired, and Cox was ultimately fired by, who knew? Robert Bork.

If such a scenario has transpired, it will send a frisson down my back and bring to mind Marx' dictum that history repeats itself, the first time as tragedy, the second as farce.

[keopeli]

11. I have no evidence of what the AG actually did.

What we know is that the AG made a special trip to the Federal Courthouse on a day when two cases titled "sealed v. sealed" appeared before the court. We also know it is uncommon for the AG to visit the court, tough it happens on occasion when necessary.

I am speculating that Gonzales might have intervened, given the way events have played out and the facts that we know. For all I know, the guy who virtually invalidated the Geneva Conventions, the first ammendment and the fourth ammendment went to the court to brush his teeth. But, the other theory seems more likely, no?

[Mr_Jefferson_24]

17. Sounds like their style...

...bury it. Thanks for the insights.

[Catrina]

22. I'm not sure if you know this, but Gonzales may be a subject of the

investigation himself ~ he violated the order to make sure that no evidence was removed by waiting for 12 hours before doing so and by communicating with Andrew Card during that time.

I believe he has either been before the Grand Jury, or interviewed by Fitzgerald during the past few years.

Andrew Card and Scott McClellan resigned over the past month.

I aslo read that Dick Armitage met with Fitzgerald last Friday ~

It's just as easy to speculate that Gonzales was summoned to the court by the judge because of an indictment against him as it is to speculate that he was there to remove Patrick Fitzgerald from the case.

I'm not sure which court Gonzales went to, I hadn't read about that.

[keopeli]

32. Excellent point. I only "speculate" so we can collectively get at the...

TRUTH!

I am happy to admit that I have no information as to the reason for Gonzales' appearance. There are articles online if you want to google to learn the Federal Court because of the stir his massive entourage made.

Finally, while it's certainly more appealing and often more realistic to postulate a moderate or less extreme scenario, I have learned in the past 5 years that, when it comes to Bush the Lesser, it's valuable to consider the worst case scenario carefully, and even to plan for a reaction if it comes to pass.

[Catrina]

33. Thank you, I will google it as I had not heard about that visit. Also,

I meant to comment on your OP which is excellent btw.

And, I agree that it is best to think of the worst case scenario when dealing with these people.

DC was a very busy place last Friday it seems.

In Judge Walton's court, Libby's team was trying to get information from Fitzgerald, information regarding his dealings with Rove. They did so on the pretext that they had a right to it since they put Rove on their witness list. Fitzgerald fought off that request. This is the second time they made this attempt but were rebuffed.

I wonder if while he was in the court, did Fitzgerald file some sealed indictments?

Gonzales made a trip to the Federal Court ~

Elsewhere, I read that Dick Armitage was talking to the Feds and it's been reported that he has been very cooperative with the investigation. I'm not sure if he was in the prosecutor's office, but the report I read said that he had to be smuggled in to avoid the press.

On the MSM meantime, there were hints that something big might happen over the weekend ~ but it didn't, at least as far as we know.

Tonight, David Schuster predicted that Rove will indeed be indicted ~ no one questioned his past or his reasons for that prediction that I know of.

Others who recently made the same prediction include Rove's friend and columnist Bill Israel in an Op Ed for Editor & Publisher last week. He started his article by saying that despite all previous denials by Rove, it looks as though now his friend Karl Rove may soon be indicted. He went on ironically to 'blame the press' for not questioning more and perhaps saving his friend from, well, himself. Ironic considering that it was his friend who silenced the press as far as we know.

Chris Matthews also seems to think rove will be indicted.

There were others also ~ I think your prediction about May, 2006 may be a very significant month once we learn what was going on out of the public eye. I hope it will be that our system of justice is still working because the alternative is unthinkable.

[Scoody Boo]

2. The only truth

in Jason Leopold's article was that when it said "Friday" it was indeed Friday. Even then, I checked to make sure.

[LibertyorDeath]

3. Insightful post, great analysis.

"We will finally witness whether we are a country governed by a constitution or by a dictator. We cannot be both."

[keopeli]

20. Thanks, Liberty. n/t

[Faryn Balyncd]

23. Not just Greatest Thread, your commentary calls for...

publication, and much wider circulation.

Perhaps submitting it to OpEd News, Common Dreams, local newspapers.....

Thanks for a great analysis.

[gumby]

6. You just gave me some serious creeps.

Egads! Gonzales is certainly the "person" from whom we can expect the worst outcome.

[keopeli]

15. I got that creepy feeling when I thought of all these events together.

God, I hope it's not as bad as it could be. If so, we're entering a new era. This could be a very bad sign, especially since we have to disregard the electoral system as hopelessly flawed. The options in various localities could be dramatic.

Is it too far fetched to say that the Union is at stake once again?

[Pacifist Patriot]

34. Me too. This is a sickening feeling.

[dweller]

8. can i ask a simple question?

what are the chances an EO has been signed or can be signed pre-emptively, that grants a pardon to Rove for any involvement in the Plame case?

:shrug:

dp

[keopeli]

10. That's not a terribly simple question, and I doubt anyone has odds

but, as the poster above pointed out, anything is possible with the law. I'm no lawyer so that's all the answer that I have for you.

[dweller]

13. hey, you know, thanks!

i wasn't looking for actual odds, but the possibility that the EO was something that could be or could have happened already.

i read in a thread here lately that this might be a tactic, and never saw rebuttals or even reasons it would not happen. . . so i guess i'll leave a sliver of doubt open that it may.

peace
dp

[Mr_Jefferson_24]

9. I really HATE these guys!!!!

[keopeli]

12. Cool pic! n/t

[Grebrook]

42. Fitzgerald won't give up

This guy's a machine, Rove is done and we're going to nab him. Even if he avoids prosecution but is indicted, then justice will be served because at least the American people will know for sure how out of control the administration is and Bush will lose another 5% approval and another 5 seats in the landslide defeat he's heading for in November.

[Catherine Vincent]

14. Gonzales can't be trusted.

Watch your back Fitzgerald....watch your back.

[keopeli]

16. I love this pic! n/t

[iilana X]

27. Oh my GOD!

They say a picture is worth a thousand words. Chilling.

[spuddonna]

39. Yikes! That's a scary photo...

I wonder what Gonzo is thinking?
"I coulda had ballz and integrity like him... but all I got was this lousy pic of *, Deadeye Dicky and me golfing; a shredded copy of the Geneva Conventions from Ashcroft; and a dog leash from Condi..."

[Senator]

18. Toss in Brian Ross/ABC being told that Media phones are tapped

Just to make sure they get the message about the new **Urinary Authoritarian Executive "leak policy."

----
** based on the newly-dicovered inherent (i.e., faith-based) constitutional authority to piss down the back of the American People and tell them it's raining.

-

[OneBlueSky]

19. Democrats must make "The Truth" central to all campaigns . . . n/t

.

[Faryn Balyncd]

21. Another "Saturday Night Massacre" ??? 33 years later......

33 years and 7 months after Richard Nixon fired Special Prosecutor Archibald Cox and abolished the Office of Special Prosecutor on Saturday, October 13, 1973, have we just witnessed the clandestine castration of Special Prosecutor Patrick Fitzgerald?

Will May 13, 2006, be remembered as another "Day of Infamy"?

With Bush polling numbers tanking, worse even than even Richard Nixon's were in 1973, has the Bush regime resorted to conducting a second "Saturday Night Massacre", now obscured by the smoke of a media blackout?

This is, of course, impossible to determine, in the absence of daylight, and facts to which we do not have access.

If true, this is a turning point marking a rapid descend down the steep and slippery slope of totalitarian rule.

This is NOT just the most tragic and ominous development of this degenerate presidency.

It is the foremost issue of our age.


* * * * *

RECOMMENDATION for GREATEST THREAD is an understatement.


* * * * *

[BREMPRO]

31. Agree ...this is SO IMPORTANT!!!!

Looking at the Nixon era, it was not a forgone conclusion that Nixon would fall..and their attempt at imperial presidency to cover their crimes would fail. If the firing of Cox had been successful, or the Supreme Court had not allowed the publishing of the Pentagon Papers, or any other small part of the puzzle...they may have easily gotten away with their consolidation of power. This is deja vu.. but more dangerous. Now that the corporate imperialists have bought and control the media, control congress and the executive, have stacked the courts,and are monitoring our phone calls and internet, and can manipulate elections.. their is no check, no balance to their power. I sense we are at a turning point that could go either way. We need courage from patriots like Daniel Ellsberg to save us.

Speech is only free, until you have to pay for it.

[blm]

24. Except now we have LATEST NEWS that GOP allies are ACQUIRING big media

outlets that will effect the coverage of all that happens next.

There are two threads on the latest development.


We are FOCKED and few want to even acknowledge it.

[Catherine Vincent]

25. I hope you don't mind,

I forwarded this thread to MSNBC's Countdown. Keith Olbermann/Shuster may do some investigating.

[Generator]

29. Yes, where is David Shuster?

As far as I know he's niether mentally lame, a past drug addict or writing for a left leaning internet site.

AND YET:

http://thinkprogress.org/2006/05/08/shuster-convinced/

Tonight on Countdown with Keith Olbermann, MSNBC reporter David Shuster said he was “convinced that Karl Rove will, in fact, be indicted.” He made three points to support his position:

1. Rove wouldn’t have testified for the 5th time unless he believed it was the only way he could avoid indictment. At this point, according to Shuster, the burden is on Rove to stop it.

2. It’s been 13 days since Rove testified and he has not heard that he is clear. Lawyers Shuster talked to say that if Rove would have gotten himself out of the jam, he would have heard by now.

3. Rove is referred to in the Libby indictment as “Official A.” According to Schuster, every time Fitzgerald has named somebody as “Official A” that person has been indicted.

Shuster also says Rove’s lawyers expect a decision from Fitzgerald within the next two weeks.

****
Color me smelling something STILL rotten in Denmark.

[OzarkDem]

26. Then they started digging for Jimmy Hoffa

How many more tricks does Gonzalez have up his sleeve to distract the public from the ongoing criminal investigation of the WH?

[linazelle]

35. Yep and they shot someone on the border, and ** went dune buggy

riding...and a horse was wounded... :eyes:

[femrap]

36. Holy Shit....

this is the first I have heard about abu gonzo going to Federal Court on a Saturday, May 13. These guys are usually playing golf, I thought.

I remember the Saturday Night Massacre very clearly....it was like a JKF moment for me. I was just blown away by it.

But you're right....the 'good guys' are in a much weaker position now. Shit. I'm going to get my passport in order....just in case, I'm gonna expect the worst.

I still don't see why all these retired and current pissed-off military and CIA guys can't perform a little coup d'etat. I think the world would applaud....maybe the French could send in troops to help...lol. Take * and his co-horts in crime to The Hague. What a beautiful dream, huh?

Great post....yes, send this info far and wide, please.

[peacetheonlyway]

40. been wondering myself as you point out femrap

good observation...

let me see, * has pissed off CIA officials by outting a fellow agent
* has pissed off former generals who probably still wield enormous respect from their troops and ranks
* has pissed off the majority of his own republican party and spending money like a drunken sailor
* has pissed off the other wingnuts over immigration
* has pisssed off the other right wingnuts over not being harsh enough on gay marriage, etc.

i'm just wondering too... what time the coup is scheduled to begin.. but if it does happen, what will that say for our democratic government that in essence all 3 branches failed to prevent a dictatorship from taking power in this country?
a coup would show history that the democracy as laid out by our founding fathers failed..

and I would only want a peaceful coup and that has rarely happened in history.. but it's possible.. the Ukraine's revolted over their elections and did so in a primarily peaceful manner....

[femrap]

41. Oh...my coup is one that snatches our Democracy from the

jaws of Fascism! The people who support the Constitution stand up and take back our nation...and the French (who gave us The Statue of Liberty) help out...and drag * to The Hague.

I don't see why not...after all only 29% support this cabal of evil....right?

[Samantha]

37. and Jonathan Turley commented today

that the message being sent by this administration to reporters was simply amazing in that some of the leaked classified information reporters brought to the public eye incorporated illegal acts perpetrated by the administration. If that sentence snakes into a circle it's only because the cycle of events does as well! Turley specifically mentioned the NSA spying program.

Turley's right but it's simply beyond amazing. If the press reports leaked classified information, it can be prosecuted. The fact the leaked classified information might contain revelations about illegal acts performed by the White House is a moot point!

Paging John Dean....

[oc2002]

43. great, now there is secret courts and secret rulings...

no surprise.