ABC: Could a guilty verdict for Libby bring further criminal scrutiny of Cheney?

[sabra]

http://blogs.abcnews.com/theblotter/2007/02/is_cheney_next.html

Is Cheney Next?

Could a guilty verdict for a former aide bring further criminal scrutiny of Vice President Dick Cheney?

"Yes," said Sol Weisenberg, a former deputy independent counsel to former Whitewater special prosecutor Kenneth Starr.

As a federal jury deliberates the fate of former Cheney Chief of Staff I. Lewis "Scooter" Libby, several watchers agree. If the jury decides Libby knew he was lying to investigators, it could spur investigators to explore further whether Cheney was involved in conspiring to obstruct justice, they believe.

...

First, Fitzgerald would need to win a guilty verdict for Libby and push for the harshest sentence possible, said Washington, D.C. lawyer Stanley Brand, who has built a practice around defending public officials. Then, he could grant Libby immunity from further prosecution and offer leniency in an effort to coax Libby to say more about the vice president's role, if any, in obstructing his leak investigation.

Even then, it would take a lot more evidence than that one conversation to build a case against the vice president, Brand told ABC News. "A wink and a nod can't be obstruction," he said. "There has to be overt acts and intent."

[wake.up.america]

1. I hope I am wrong. I believe Libby will walk. The whole system is corrupt...

[emulatorloo]

5. Jury has requested 1. Flip Chart 2. Masking Tape 3. Post-it notes

So it sounds like the jury is meticulous, organized and analytical, not swayed by the emotional appeals of the libby defense.

Having followed the trial, I am guessing that Libby will probably be convicted on at least some of the counts against him. His defense was just not credible.

A lot of people assume Bush will pardon, but maybe I am naive -- I am not sure he will

-- Rove is probably ready to dump Cheney -- they can blame everything bad that happened on Cheney.

-- A Bush pardon wound be real bad for Bush politically, and Rove does not like that

-- Bush strikes me as vindictive -- Why should I pardon Dick's boy, look at all the trouble he has gotten me into. Besides, unlike Karl, Scooter was dumb enought to get caught

[emulatorloo]

2. If Libby gets off, it is all over. But I am starting to wonder if maybe Fitz doesn't have something

else on Cheney.

What for example did Rove tell Fitz? Is is possible that Rove reported a conversation with Libby where libby said "This is coming from the VP -- leak "wife works at the CIA"

Fitz seems pretty meticulous. He seems to know a lot more than he is letting on.

It seems like getting a conviction of Libby is step one. If Libby flips, all the better.

[Crabby Appleton]

3. Keep in mind that the information you and I are hearing

for the first time now, was heard by the Grand Jury and Fitz months and years ago and they have only brought this one indictment, with the possible exception of sealed vs. sealed, which may not even be related to this case.

[Spazito]

4. There has been speculation, commentary, on how the defense

was intent not only in defending their client, Libby, but also in trying to discover what Fitzgerald had wrt the wider investigation which, given Fitzgerald's points in his summation, could certainly contain material related directly to Cheney.

We do know that Fitzgerald has not announced, as yet, and end to the investigation. His only comment in this regard was during the press conference announcing the Libby indictment:

MR. FITZGERALD: Let me answer the two questions you asked in one. Okay. Is the investigation finished? It's not over but I'll tell you this -- very rarely do you bring a charge in a case that's going to be tried and would you ever end a Grand jury investigation. I can tell you the substantial bulk of the work in this investigation is concluded. This Grand jury's term has expired by statute. It could not be extended. But it's an ordinary course to keep a Grand jury open to consider other matters and that's what we'll be doing.


http://www.usdoj.gov/usao/iln/osc/documents/2005_10_28_fitzgerald_press_conference.pdf

This quote can be found on page 5 of the pdf numbering.

[Buzz Clik]

6. Libby's defense, in part, was founded on the fact that he was Cheney's fall guy.

If the jury buys this and there is compelling evidence that it's true, the acquitting Libby could open the door to more scrutiny, not less.

[DU9598]

7. Post Lunch Verdict?

I wonder if they are not requesting the above items to get their free lunch orders accurate ... then, after eating, they quickly return with verdicts of guilty and head home for the evening news?

[jaksavage]

8. Kan u spel Pardone

[valerief]

9. Or Ken Lay type of dead? nt