John Dean: The Importance of Scott McClellan's Testimony Before the House Judiciary Committee

[Phred42]

I luv this guy..........

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


The Importance of Scott McClellan's Testimony Before the House Judiciary Committee -- Including Possible New Obstruction of Justice Charges for Scooter Libby and Karl Rove

By JOHN W. DEAN

http://writ.news.findlaw.com/dean/20080613.html

Former Bush White House Press Secretary Scott McClellan has agreed to testify before the Judiciary Committee of the U.S. House of Representatives on June 20. He was invited, of course, because of his revelatory new book What Happened: Inside the Bush White House and Washington's Culture of Deception.

Florida congressman Robert Wexler, a member of the committee, has succinctly explained why he and many others expect McClellan’s appearance to be potentially highly significant: “The allegations made by McClellan that Karl Rove, Scooter Libby, and possibly even Vice President Dick Cheney, together conspired to obstruct justice by lying about their role in the Plame case relates directly to the core of US executive power and the Constitution. If true, the allegations made by McClellan could amount to an obstruction of justice charge for Scooter Libby and Karl Rove.”

If McClellan’s testimony suggests that Special Counsel Patrick Fitzgerald, for any reason, gave Karl Rove and Dick Cheney a pass when, in fact, there was a conspiracy – which is still ongoing – to obstruct justice, then these hearings could trigger the reopening of the case. But this is a pretty large “If.”

The Evidence Necessary to Reopen the Plame Investigation: Though Special Counsel Fitzgerald Cannot Talk About the Grand Jury, Witness McClellan Can Share What His Testimony Was.........

[Quakerfriend]

1. Yes, he's at the very top of my list too.

He opened my eyes with Worse Than Watergate.

[Tangerine LaBamba]

2. I don't love the guy

Who knows what would have happened if he hadn't gotten himself nailed? But, his rehabilitation has been vigorous and admirable, and i pay close attention to what he says about most things.

This is a good, clear statement of what happened and what might happened. That said, there's a almost-impossible uphill struggle should anyone want to re-open and investigate, simply because the laws are so hard to enforce, and just one person's allegation - that of Scott McClellan - isn't enough to trigger any kind of viable proceeding. It's just a case of "he said, she said," and those cases, without other evidence that can be ruthlessly substantiated, go nowhere.

It breaks my heart, because I'd love to see these bastards get their due, but, as it stands, I think they're going to get away without a mark on them.