Is Isikoff Laundering Information for Karl Rove Again?
By: emptywheel Monday April 28, 2008 5:27 am
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But in recent years--certainly during the CIA Leak case--Isikoff has been one of Rove's key information conduits.
The other day, I noted that the news that the revelation of Bob Kjellander's discussions about firing Patrick Fitzgerald with Rove was an unsurprising move from Fitzgerald. By introducing it in court, it made the information publicly available for others--like John Conyers--to use it for other purposes.
Fitzgerald's office (though not Fitzgerald personally) has just said to John Conyers, "Hey, I see you're still looking into politicized prosecutions. Well, here's a witness who can testify that a Rove crony was working with Rove to get Fitzgerald fired--just before Fitzgerald almost got fired." This adds another witness--like Dana Jill Simpson--who is willing to testify that Rove got personally involved in prosecutions affecting his political allies. But it also brings someone from the requesting side to the fore--someone who (unlike the GOP cronies in Washington who got John McKay fired and unlike the GOP cronies in NM who got Iglesias fired) is apparently willing (and presumably has already signed an affidavit to the effect) to testify that Karl Rove entertained these demands for firing seriously. Conyers will, undoubtedly, take a few days to respond (he's not so quick as Henry Waxman), but I imagine he will respond.
Sure enough, Isikoff reports today that Conyers is going to follow up on the tidbit coming out of the Rezko trial.
The House Judiciary Committee "intends to investigate the facts and circumstances alleged in this testimony," panel chairman Rep. John Conyers of Michigan said in a statement to NEWSWEEK.
Yup, Conyers was right on schedule with his three-days-longer-than-it-takes-Waxman schedule. Since all of this is so unsurprising, let me add another completely predictable detail.
Isikoff includes in his story a description of precisely the kind of evidence Ata has against Rove. A source familiar with Ata's testimony (who asked not to be identified talking about sensitive matters) said that Ata was meeting regularly with Rezko that fall. The two men shared a concern about Fitzgerald's ongoing probe of Illinois public officials. In one of those conversations, the developer allegedly told Ata that Bob Kjellander, a prominent GOP state lobbyist, was talking to Rove about getting rid of Fitzgerald. The reason: to "get a new U.S. attorney" who would not pursue the Illinois corruption probe, the source said. Ata, who has pleaded guilty to corruption-related charges and is now cooperating with the Feds, has no evidence that the conversation took place other than what Rezko allegedly told him, the source says.
I swear, somewhere on Isikoff's computer there's a file called
"KeepRoveOutOfThePokey.dot." It reads something like this:
A source familiar with (insert name of witness against Rove in the current scandal)'s testimony (who asked not to be identified talking about sensitive matters) said that (insert summary of witness testimony). (insert all details described in any legal documents; when possible, quote the pertinent phrases verbatim). (insert clear description of whether or not witness has any direct evidence that implicates Rove). I mean, Isikoff must have a template for this stuff, right? Otherwise, how would he be able to replicate these helpful leaks so precisely time and time again?
One more thing. I wonder why Isikoff quoted that bit from Conyers: "intends to investigate the facts and circumstances alleged in this testimony"?
Was Isikoff probing for more specific information there, too, such as whether Conyers already had some kind of evidence from Ata, or whether Conyers planned to bring Ata to testify?more at:
http://emptywheel.firedoglake.com/2008/04/28/is-isikoff-laundering-information-for-karl-rove-again/
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