So!! NOW will Bush & Cheney be called to testify UNDER OATH!?

[spooked]

http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/wireStory?id=1821503

NEW TWIST IN CIA LEAK PROBE

By PETE YOST

WASHINGTON Apr 8, 2006 (AP)— Now in its third year, the CIA leak investigation took a decidedly unwelcome turn for the White House last week. A court filing by prosecutors depicted President Bush and Vice President Dick Cheney as setting in motion leaks to the press that ended in the disclosure of the identity of covert CIA officer Valerie Plame.

The investigation by Special Counsel Patrick Fitzgerald is far from over. Libby's trial on five counts of perjury, obstruction and lying to the FBI is not scheduled to get under way until January.

Some questions and answers about the investigation:

Q: Now that the story is out that Bush and Cheney put Libby in play, are the president or the vice president expected to be called to testify at Libby's trial?

A. The prosecution and the defense have not signaled their intentions.

[Slit Skirt]

1. only if they get to hold hands

[flordehinojos]

2. are you kiddin' ?! poppy bush will never allow it and he owns the courts

etc.

[HereSince1628]

3. I don't believe that is going to happen before or after 2008.

I wish it would but I have no hope it will.

[npincus]

4. Maybe, unless Chimp PARDONS Libby first

this is a distinct possibiity. I'd say it's in Chimpy's self-interest to pardon Libby, don't you all?

[spooked]

5. Absolutely, add to that a few Republican shrills on FOX

saying this isn't nearly as bad as Ford pardoning Nixon, etc, and it's all over...they are TOTALLY OFF THE HOOK!!

[darkmaestro019]

8. THIS IS RIDICULOUS

for the LOVE OF HELL.


So he can do whatever he wants, and declare it legal after the fact, and then forgive anyone who broke the law before the fact? Why the fk did my social studies teachers waste the air to tell us about checks and balances? How has America survived 200+ years without

a) seeing this loophole or
b) someone else seeing it and using it before now?



:argh: :argh: :argh:

Anyone know how to build a Batsignal?

[npincus]

10. Bush 41 pardoned Caspar Weinberger before HIS trial

http://www.fas.org/news/iran/1992/921224-260039.htm

Like father, like son. Daddy wars with Iraq, Sonny Boy wars with iraq (and tries to out-do Daddy by toppling Hussein). Daddy pardons criminals, B*sh pardons a criminal to save his own ass.

Surprise! Sorry folks, Libby will never serve his time.

Calls Weinberger "true American patriot") (650) By Dian McDonald USIA White House Correspondent Washington -- President Bush December 24 granted pardons to former Defense Secretary Caspar Weinberger and five other individuals for their conduct related to the Iran-Contra affair.

Bush said Weinberger -- who had been scheduled to go on trial in Washington January 5 on charges related to Iran-Contra -- was a "true American patriot," who had served with "distinction" in a series of public positions since the late 1960s.

"I am pardoning him not just out of compassion or to spare a 75-year-old patriot the torment of lengthy and costly legal proceedings, but to make it possible for him to receive the honor he deserves for his extraordinary service to our country," Bush said in a proclamation granting executive clemency.

The president also pardoned five other persons who already had pleaded guilty or had been indicted or convicted in connection with the Iran-Contra arms-for-hostages investigation. They were Elliott Abrams, a former assistant secretary of state for Inter-American affairs; former National Security Adviser Robert McFarlane; and Duane Clarridge, Alan Fiers, and Clair George, all former employees of the Central Intelligence Agency.

[darkmaestro019]

12. I have no idea about this. Honestly

until late in the Clinton years I had no clue about politics and I'm still a newbie, but what I meant by "using it before now" was basically using this system to do whatever one wants on THIS SCALE. I'm almost thirty and I don't ever remember things being THIS much of a mess.

I started caring when it started ruining my life, daily, in very tangible ways.

I'm still trying to make up for all the history I didn't learn in school--and boy, I have no idea where to even start. Trying to get the Zinn book might be a good place, but sheesh. I don't need a degree in sewage management to know BS when I smell it : )

EDIT: freudian slip. "no idea where to stop" heh.

[npincus]

13. hey, I didn't remember this one myself

until I heard some pundits yapping about it on tv the other day. Who can keep up, anyway?

I believe Chimpy will get his comeuppance in history books, but would love to see all allies abandon him now, and (fantasy time)ultimately have him frog marched to The Hague for trial. With Milosevec dead, there is a vacancy in their war criminal holding cell.

[darkmaestro019]

14. "Who can keep up, anyway?" Exactly

It's overwhelming. No Hercules to reroute a river for us, sadly. I'm trying at least to grasp the major threads of history and the tactics used by what I'd generally classify as "the bad guys" (the ones who seem to give zero damn who they destroy or what they have to do in order to get what they want)

[H2O Man]

11. No.

Mr. Fitzgerald's Document # 80 has upset a good many republican strategists, because it reduces the chances that the president can or will pardon Libby or any of the people who may be charged in the future.

For a couple years now, a number of the DUers who I respect have said Bush will pardon Libby, or Rove etc if others are charged. They point out Iran-Contra. I've said over and over that while it is possible, it is far less likely, and that I did not think that Bush would -- because it would result in a congressional investigation of his role. I think that Document # 80 has cleared that up.

It is possible that either the prosecution or the defense would call Cheney. It is far less likely the prosecution would call Bush, though the defense might. Cheney would have to testify; I doubt Bush would.

[Minnesota Libra]

6. Only if Rove is there to tell idiot boy what to say. nt

[spooked]

7. Don't forget they are 6 steps ahead of us...WHERE is this going?

Every news story is planned and timed...it's leading somewhere...

[Burried News]

9. I agree but add they used to be 10 steps ahead. That is why it

is important to continually press them on every scandal at once. So the bastards have no room to breath or conduct business as usual.

[KoKo]

15. Judy Miller and Bill Clinton's high powered lawyer Bob Bennett says

there are two options. Bush pardons Libby before trial to keep from having to testify and the "people" see this as evidence of guilt...OR, they pull an "Executive Privilege" and refuse to testify if called...and the American people see this as evidence of guilt.

Either way, Bennett said this is trouble for the Bushies.

He said this on Matthews show.