Beating back the myths of Libby-gate

[NNN0LHI]

http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/politics/chi-oped0708pagejul08,1,5791510.column?coll=chi-opinionfront-hed

Clarence Page

<snip>Time to call in the truth squad: Contrary to the drumbeat of misinformation and dis-information that you may have heard on various talk shows, Valerie Plame was a covert agent under the relevant 1982 law that makes it a crime to disclose the identity of a covert intelligence officer. Special Prosecutor Patrick Fitzgerald cleared up that dispute in a memorandum during the sentencing phase of Libby's trial. "It was clear from very early in the investigation," he wrote, "that Ms. Wilson qualified under as a covert agent whose identity had been disclosed by public officials, including Mr. Libby, to the press." Four days later, Fitzgerald filed an "unclassified summary" of Plame's CIA employment which described her work as including "at least seven" overseas trips as chief of a unit working on Iraq weapons issues.

And, yes, Armitage did leak Plame's name to columnist Robert Novak, who was the first to report it to the public. But Armitage was not the first or the only leaker. Weeks before Novak reported Plame's name in his July 14, 2003, column, Libby revealed Plame's CIA job in meetings with then-New York Times reporter Judith Miller on June 23 and July 8. Novak also received confirmation of Armitage's tip from Karl Rove, Bush's senior political adviser. Rove also discussed Plame, without mentioning her name or covert status, with Matt Cooper, then of Time magazine.

But Fitzgerald's critics wish he had ended his investigation immediately after learning that Armitage was the source of one leak, Novak's. To me, that's like telling police who have busted a teenager for marijuana that they need not bother to find out who the kid's suppliers are.

Alas, Libby was snagged by a version of the old Watergate rule: It was not the initial "crime" but the cover-up that got him. Fitzgerald could not find enough evidence to meet the law's high threshold of proof to prosecute the leak of Plame's identity. Libby's false statements did not help. When he indicted Libby, Fitzgerald compared himself to an umpire who, while attempting to determine whether a pitcher intentionally hit a batter, had sand thrown in his eyes by Libby's attempts to mislead investigators.

I sympathize with the public's confusion about this. I blame the drumbeat from Libby's supporters who don't let facts get in the way of a lively argument...

[bleever]

1. When they can't let go of trumpeting a lie, what does it signify?

Recommended.

[Missy Vixen]

2. It's the Bright Shiny Things defense

Look! Over there! A Bright Shiny Thing!

In the meantime, the other shoe is about to drop if Rove and Powell were mouthing off about this again over the weekend.

Julie

[bleever]

3. The crime, getaway, and coverup have been so botched

that the more they say, the worse it gets. We can only hope it culminates in real justice.