Fitzgerald's webpage

October 23, 2005 8:26 AM

Office of Special Counsel Patrick J. Fitzgerald's webpage. Via Billmon
posted by afu (22 comments total)

Should be an interesting site in the next few days...
posted by afu at 8:27 AM on October 23, 2005 [1 favorite]

Yes, but by the time it's interesting, it will have scrolled off the front page of Metafilter. You probably should have waited.
posted by cmonkey at 8:28 AM on October 23, 2005

well, billmon's analysis of the documents already posted there is worth reading too.
posted by afu at 8:32 AM on October 23, 2005 [1 favorite]

yup--the scope of his investigation is laid out there for all to see, especially those in the GOP trying to minimize this whole thing.

Feb.6, 04 pdf: I am writing to clarify that my December 30, 2003, delegation to you of "all the authority of the Attorney General with respect to the Department's investigation into the alleged unauthorized disclosure of a CIA employee's identity" is plenary and includes the authority to investigate and prosecute violations of any federal criminal laws related to the underlying alleged unauthorized disclosure, as well as federal crimes committed in the course of, and with intent to interfere with, your investigation, such as perjury, obstruction of justice, destruction of evidence, and intimidation of witnesses; to conduct appeals arising out of the matter being investigated and/or prosecuted; and to pursue administrative remedies and civil sanctions (such as civil contempt) that are within the Attorney General's authority to impose or pursue. Further, my conferral on you of the title of "Special Counsel" in this matter should not be misunderstood to suggest that your position and authorities are defined and limited by 28 CFR Part 600.
posted by amberglow at 8:39 AM on October 23, 2005

Inditement excitement.
posted by stbalbach at 8:53 AM on October 23, 2005

Don't miss Media Matter's list: Top CIA leak investigation falsehoods : ... In this rhetorical environment characterized by limited information and boundless speculation, those defending the officials at the center of Fitzgerald's probe have advanced numerous falsehoods and distortions. As Media Matters for America documents below, the media have not only failed to challenge many of these claims, but also repeated them. ...

and just today Tim Russert on Meet The Press, who was questioned by the Grand Jury, asks a question, when he's the only one on the show who knows the answer.
posted by amberglow at 9:07 AM on October 23, 2005

Should be an interesting site in the next few days...

Or not.
posted by homunculus at 9:19 AM on October 23, 2005

Oh, should have read the billmon link before posting Dean's article. Never mind.
posted by homunculus at 9:27 AM on October 23, 2005

Jerrold Nadler today called for Special Counsel Patrick Fitzgerald to expand his investigation to include a criminal investigation to examine whether the President, the Vice President, and members of the White House Iraq Group conspired to deliberately deceive Congress into authorizing the war in Iraq. ... "There is mounting evidence that there may have been a well-orchestrated effort by the President, the Vice President, and other top White House officials to lie to Congress in order to get its support for the Iraq War." ...
posted by amberglow at 9:28 AM on October 23, 2005

this is pretty much like kids sneaking downstairs to open presents at 1am on x-mas
posted by Busithoth at 9:30 AM on October 23, 2005

Right-Wing Myths About The Leak Investigation Debunked.
posted by ericb at 9:35 AM on October 23, 2005

Leak Case Renews Questions on War's Rationale

"The legal and political stakes are of the highest order, but the investigation into the disclosure of a covert C.I.A. officer's identity is also just one skirmish in the continuing battle over the Bush administration's justification for the war in Iraq.

That fight has preoccupied the White House for more than three years, repeatedly threatening President Bush's credibility and political standing, and has again put the spotlight on Vice President Dick Cheney, who assumed a critical role in assembling and analyzing the evidence about Iraq's weapons programs.

The dispute over the rationale for the war has led to upheaval in the intelligence agencies, left Democrats divided about how aggressively to break with the White House and exposed deep rifts in the administration and among Republicans." [ New York Times | October 23, 3005]

posted by ericb at 9:52 AM on October 23, 2005

Prelude to a Leak -- "Gang fight: How Cheney and his tight-knit team launched the Iraq war, chased their critics—and set the stage for a special prosecutor's dramatic probe."
posted by ericb at 10:28 AM on October 23, 2005

Syria, here we come.
posted by amberglow at 11:28 AM on October 23, 2005

Karl and Scooter's Excellent Adventure
posted by homunculus at 11:45 AM on October 23, 2005

special prosecutor's dramatic probe

Slashfic Sense tingling...
posted by Faint of Butt at 12:51 PM on October 23, 2005

Republicans Testing Ways to Blunt Leak Charges

"With a decision expected this week on possible indictments in the C.I.A. leak case, allies of the White House suggested Sunday that they intended to pursue a strategy of attacking any criminal charges as a disagreement over legal technicalities or the product of an overzealous prosecutor." [New York Times | October 24, 2005]

On Sunday's Meet the Press, Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchinson:

"I certainly hope that if there is going to be an indictment that says something happened, that it is an indictment on a crime and not some perjury technicality where they couldn’t indict on the crime so they go to something just to show that their two years of investigation were not a waste of time and dollars."

Ummm, Perjury is just a little technicality punishable by up to five years in prison.

On Fox News Sunday, Bill Kristol:

"Scooter Libby or Karl Rove are going to be judged criminals for perhaps acknowledging her name, perhaps knowing, though there’s no evidence they did, that she was a covert operative…That’s a crime?

Yes, outing a covert CIA operative is a crime. So is obstruction of justice and perjury.posted by ericb at 9:10 PM on October 23, 2005

Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchinson:

"I certainly hope that if there is going to be an indictment that says something happened, that it is an indictment on a crime and not some perjury technicality where they couldn’t indict on the crime so they go to something just to show that their two years of investigation were not a waste of time and dollars."

Some crime, like a blowjob? my mother's reaction
posted by Aknaton at 10:06 PM on October 23, 2005

Some crime, like a blowjob? my mother's reaction

Bingo. Let's go back in time to see what Republicans thought about perjury in 1999:

"Sen. Frist: "There is no serious question that perjury and obstruction of justice are high crimes and misdemeanors...Indeed, our own Senate precedent establishes that perjury is a high crime and misdemeanor...The crimes of perjury and obstruction of justice are public crimes threatening the administration of justice." [Congressional Record, 2/12/99]

Sen. Kyl: "...there can be no doubt that perjurious, false, and misleading statements made under oath in federal court proceedings are indeed impeachable offenses...John Jay, the first Chief Justice of the United States, said `there is no crime more extensively pernicious to society' than perjury, precisely because it discolors and poisons the streams of justice.'" [Congressional Record, 2/12/99]

more ...

"Let's see what kind of rhetorical contortions these (and other Republicans) engage in to justify their outrage over blowjob-fueled perjury while treason-fueled perjury is acceptable.

Or, they can remain consistent and admit that obstruction of justice and perjury is a crime regardless who does it..."
posted by ericb at 10:59 AM on October 24, 2005

Bush calls CIA leak case 'very serious'

"After a Cabinet meeting, Bush was asked whether he agreed with Republican suggestions that Fitzgerald may be overzealous and that possible perjury charges would be little more than legal technicalities.

'This is a very serious investigation,' Bush said. Rove sat behind the president in the Cabinet room; across the room sat Libby.

...Over the weekend, Republicans launched a preemptive strike against possible charges for perjury.

Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison of Texas derided any potential perjury charge as a 'technicality,' and suggested Fitzgerald may be trying to show that 'two years' of investigation was not a waste of time and dollars.'

Other Republicans with close ties to the White House suggested that Fitzgerald was looking at perjury and obstruction charges because he was having trouble proving that officials knowingly leaked the identity of a covert operative.

In contrast, Bush has publicly praised Fitzgerald's investigation, saying earlier this month that 'he's doing it in a very dignified way.' [Reuters | October 24, 2005]

Hey, Kay-baby, shut-up!
posted by ericb at 3:05 PM on October 24, 2005

Let the slurs begin:

"As the White House and Republicans brace for possible indictments in the CIA leak probe, defenders have launched a not-so-subtle campaign against the prosecutor handling the case.

'He's a vile, detestable, moralistic person with no heart and no conscience who believes he's been tapped by God to do very important things,' one White House ally said, referring to special counsel Patrick Fitzgerald." [New York Daily News | October 24, 2005]

posted by ericb at 3:48 PM on October 24, 2005

tapped by God to do very important things

Oh, wait, isn't that President Bush's personal claim?

And didn't Bush claim that God told him to invade Afghanistan and Iraq - and create a Palestinian State?
posted by ericb at 3:50 PM on October 24, 2005