Former chief of staff and national security adviser to Vice President Dick Cheney, Lewis Libby, arrives at Federal Court in Washington, D.C., November 3, 2005. Vice President Dick Cheney’s former top aide, Lewis Libby, was expected to plead not guilty on Thursday to charges in the CIA leak probe, raising the specter of a trial that could keep the spotlight on the administration’s case for war in Iraq. Libby resigned last week as Cheney’s longtime chief of staff after he was indicted for obstructing justice, perjury and lying in the two-year probe into the leak of covert CIA operative Valerie Plame’s identity.

The ASSociated Press has Libby Pleads Not Guilty in CIA Leak Case

Vice President Dick Cheney’s former chief of staff pleaded not guilty Thursday in the
CIA leak scandal, marking the start of what could be a long road to a trial in which Cheney and other top Bush administration officials could be summoned to testify.

Libby entered the plea in front of U.S. District Judge Reggie Walton, a former prosecutor who has spent two decades as a judge in the nation’s capital.

Once the charges were read and the judge asked for his response, Libby said: “With respect, your honor, I plead not guilty.”

Fitzpatrick will spend more millions in a trial for these foolish charges.

Victoria Toensing, Washington lawyer, former chief counsel for the Senate Intelligence Committee and former deputy assistant attorney general in the Reagan administration has a piece in the Op-Ed section of the Wall Street Journal today, Investigate the CIA ($).

Perhaps the CIA should be on TRIAL.

Max Boot writing in the Los Angeles Times has Plamegate’s real liar.

And Flap wonders who’s the TRUE LIAR?

Surprise……….

Vice President Dick Cheney’s chief of staff, I. Lewis ‘Scooter’ Libby walks from the White House on crutches, Friday, Oct. 28, 2005, to the Eisenhower Executive Building on the White House compound. Libby was indicted Friday on charges of obstruction of justice, perjury and making false statements in the CIA leak investigation, a politically charged case that could cast a harsh light on President Bush’s push to war.

The ASSociated Press has Libby Lawyer Outlines Defense in Leak Case.

The lawyer for Vice President Dick Cheney’s former top aide is outlining a possible criminal defense that is a time-honored tradition in Washington scandals: A busy official immersed in important duties cannot reasonably be expected to remember details of long-ago conversations.

Friday’s indictment of I. Lewis “Scooter” Libby alleges that as Cheney’s chief of staff he lied to
FBI agents and a federal grand jury. The case has been assigned to U.S. District Judge Reggie Walton, a nominee of
President Bush in 2001.

Libby, who resigned as soon as the indictment was handed up, was operating amid “the hectic rush of issues and events at a busy time for our government,” according to a statement released by his attorney, Joseph Tate.

This case is a disgrace to the federal justice system – just like the Martha Stewart case. 22 Months and over $70 million for these crap charges and no charge in ANY underying crime of leaking Valerie Plame’s CIA cover.

Ambassador Joseph Wilson and CIA Agent Valerie Plame Wilson hawking Wilson’s book

Flap recommends that Scooter Libby take this case to trial and beat Fitzpatrick and the rest of the over-prosecutorial gang at the Department of Justice.

“We are quite distressed the special counsel (Patrick Fitzgerald) has not sought to pursue alleged inconsistencies in Mr. Libby’s recollection and those of others and to charge such inconsistencies as false statements,” Tate continued.

“As lawyers, we recognize that a person’s recollection and memory of events will not always match those of other people, particularly when they are asked to testify months after the events occurred.”

The lack-of-memory defense has worked with varying degrees of success in controversies from
Iran-Contra to Whitewater.

Only one person went to prison in the Iran-Contra affair, although several people pleaded guilty to making false statements. President Clinton and his wife, Hillary, were cleared in the Whitewater investigation of fraudulent land deals in Arkansas, a subject well-suited to a lack-of-memory defense. The land deals took place a decade before they came under criminal investigation.

Tate referred to another possible line of defense, saying that “for five years, through difficult times, Mr. Libby has done his best to serve our country.” That argument worked in the administration of President George H.W. Bush in 1992, though not in court.

Bush pardoned those in government who had been implicated in the Iran-Contra criminal investigation. Among others, the pardons went to former Defense Secretary Caspar Weinberger, whose trial was scuttled

Flap handicaps that there will be no plea bargain and no conviction here after a showcase trial.

Unfortunately, Libby’s career in government has been tainted and dishonored but he will not be labelled a criminal or a liar like Fitzpatrick and others on the LEFT so eagerly wish to portray him.

After all, why would Libby release N.Y. Times reporter Judith Miller while in jail for contempt (for not releasing Libby’s name as a source) from her journalistic promise (not to release the nameof her sources) to later have her testimony before the grand jury hang him with a perjury charge? This makes NO sense at all.

And neither does the government’s prosecution…….

Stay tuned……..

Special Prosecutor Patrick Fitzgerald speaks during a press conference regarding the CIA leak criminal investigation at the Justice Department in Washington, Friday, Oct. 28, 2005. I. Lewis ‘Scooter’ Libby, Vice President Dick Cheney’s chief of staff, was indicted on charges of obstruction of justice.

The ASSociated Press has Charges Don’t Directly Address CIA Leak.

Special Counsel Patrick Fitzgerald’s first charges in the White House leak case don’t get to the heart of his two-year probe: the leak.

The indictment of vice presidential adviser I. Lewis “Scooter’ Libby Jr. is built on charges of obstruction of justice, making false statements and perjury — and it will rest primarily on testimony from a handful of Washington reporters.

The charges in the Friday indictment are similar to the ones used inMartha Stewart’s criminal case. She was convicted last year for obstructing justice and lying about why she sold ImClone Systems stock, just before a negative government decision on an ImClone drug. She served a five-month prison term followed by home confinement.

“Very rarely do obstruction of justice cases and perjury cases come as neatly tied as Martha Stewart’s … it is by no means a slam dunk,” said Viet Dinh, a law professor at Georgetown University and former Justice Department lawyer in the Bush administration.

The prosecutor must prove beyond a reasonable doubt that Libby “knowingly and willfully” made false statements and lied to the grand jury. He could claim that any misstatements were not intentional.

22 Months and over $70 million…… worth it?

I. Lewis ‘Scooter’ Libby, Vice President Dick Cheney’s chief of staff, testifies on Capitol Hill in this March 1, 2001 file photo. Libby was indicted Friday, Oct. 28, 2005, on charges of obstruction of justice, making a false statement and perjury in the CIA leak case.

The ASSociated Press has Cheney Adviser Resigns After Indictment

The vice president’s chief of staff, I. Lewis “Scooter” Libby Jr., was indicted Friday on charges of obstruction of justice, perjury and making false statements in the CIA leak investigation, a politically charged case that will throw a spotlight onPresident Bush’s push to war.

Libby, 55, resigned and left the White House.

Friday’s charges stemmed from a two-year investigation by special counsel Patrick Fitzgerald into whether Rove, Libby or any other administration officials knowingly revealed the identity of CIA officer Valerie Plame or lied about their involvement to investigators.

The grand jury indictment charged Libby with one count of obstruction of justice, two of perjury and two false statement counts. If convicted on all five, he could face as much as 30 years in prison and $1.25 million in fines.

Cheney is mentioned by name in the 22-page indictment and several officials are identified by title, but no one besides Libby was charged.

In each of the counts, the basic allegation against Libby is that he lied to investigators or Fitzgerald’s grand jury about his conversations with reporters. He is not accused of purposely revealing the identity of a covert officer, the potential charge that Fitzgerald was initially appointed to investigate.

22 Months and $70 million for 5 B.S. charges.

N.B. He is not accused of purposely revealing the identity of a covert officer, the potential charge that Fitzgerald was initially appointed to investigate.

First Martha Stewart and now this.

The federal justice system is broken.

Flap is listening to Patrick Fitzgerald on Fox News.

Flap’s impression of Fitzpatrick is that he is a self-righteous prosecutor with a BIG HEAD from previous case who is out of control.

His career as a United States Attorney should be over.

He has wasted taxpayers money and did NOT prove a case.

And some heads are going to ROLL at the CIA……

Blah Blah Fitzgerald is blabbing on about who told what to whom and when……. Who Cares? But then again he spent over $70 million on this investigation.

Damn this guy is a self-righteous idiot…..the United States takes its laws serious…….GAG ME PLEASE….

Now he is taking questions… and throwing out baseball analogies regarding whether the investigation continues……

Fitzgerald is throwing out charges but he did NOT indict Libby on them…….Guilt by innuendo……

Reporters are asking why someone was not charged with the LEAK???? Fitzpatrick is NOT answering but using the law as an excuse for not explaining….. refusing to comment.

Fitzpatrick wants people to take a deep breath……. but something SMELLS here………

The average person does not understand about the Grand Jury process………Oh Please!

Was it worth keeping Judy Miller in jail? didn’t want to pick a fight with the New York Times and did not want a First Amendment showdown…… blah blah blah…… wanted to make sure we needed reporter testimony…..

Other leakers? Cannot go beyond the four corners of the indictment….

Fitzgerald is not saying Valerie Plame was covert…… not charging Libby with that.

The news conference is continuing…….$70 million worth of prosecutorial excess…….

Libby indicted on obstruction of justice, false statment and perjury charges…

Links to follow.

Update #1

The ASSociated Press has that Libby has resigned as Chief of Staff to Vice President Cheney.

I. Lewis ‘Scooter’ Libby, Vice President Cheney’s chief of staff, is driven to work from his home in McLean, Virginia, October 28, 2005.

Reuters has Charges expected against Libby.

A federal grand jury investigating the leak of a covert CIA operative’s identity met in secret on Friday and was expected to bring criminal charges against Vice President Dick Cheney’s chief of staff and possibly other White House officials.

But special counsel Patrick Fitzgerald informed President George W. Bush’s top political adviser, Karl Rove, that he would not be among those indicted on Friday, although Fitzgerald indicated that Rove would remain under investigation and in legal jeopardy, legal sources said.

Fitzgerald planned to release information about the case at noon EDT and hold a news conference at 2 p.m.

Flap will wait for Fitzgerald’s news conference and release of information on the Department of Justice website before commenting.

Special Counsel Patrick Fitzgerald, right, leaves the federal courthouse Wednesday, Oct. 26, 2005 in Washington after meeting for three hours with the federal grand jury investigating the leak of a CIA officer’s identity. The jury adjourned for the day without announcing any action. The two-year criminal probe has ensnared President Bush’s top political adviser Karl Rove and Vice President Dick Cheney’s chief of staff I. Lewis Libby.

The ASSociated Press has Prosecutor, Judge in CIA Leak Probe Meet.

The prosecutor in the CIA leak probe had a confidential lunchtime meeting with a federal judge Wednesday after a grand jury listened to three hours of testimony in the case that has ensnared top White House aides.

The grand jury’s term expires on Friday, and the panel adjourned for the day without announcing any charges or other action. The administrative assistant to Thomas Hogan, the chief judge of U.S. District Court in the nation’s capital, confirmed Hogan’s meeting with Special Counsel Patrick Fitzgerald. The assistant, Sheldon Snook, declined to comment on what was discussed.

No witnesses were seen going into the grand jury area, only Fitzgerald and his deputies.

The prosecutor is known to be putting the finishing touches on a two-year criminal investigation that has involved
President Bush’s top political adviser, Karl Rove, and Vice President Dick Cheney’s chief of staff, I. Lewis Libby.

Lawyers representing White House officials expect Fitzgerald to decide this week whether to charge Libby and Rove. The lawyers, who spoke on condition of anonymity because the criminal investigation is at a highly sensitive stage, regard it as unlikely that Fitzgerald would seek to extend the life of the grand jury.

There was no word on whether the grand jury planned to meet Thursday.

Flap cannot believe that anyone will be indicted for a crime in this case. What crime?

And if Fitzgerald is to press for perjury or obstruction charges he will be laughed out of court.

It is time to end this WITCH HUNT.

There is NO THERE there.

Special Counsel Patrick Fitzgerald arrives at the E. Barrett Prettyman Courthouse in Washington, Wednesday, Oct. 26, 2005. Fitzgerald met with the grand jury investigating the leak of a CIA officer’s identity, putting finishing touches on a two-year criminal probe that may have ensnared two senior White House aides.

The ASSociated Press has Grand Jury in CIA Leak Case Adjourns.

The federal grand jury investigating the leak of a CIA officer’s identity met for three hours Wednesday with Special Counsel Patrick Fitzgerald and his deputies, adjourning for the day without announcing any action.

Fitzgerald is known to be putting the finishing touches on a two-year criminal probe that has ensnared
President Bush’s top political adviser Karl Rove and Vice President
Dick Cheney’s chief of staff I. Lewis Libby.

Away from the federal courthouse,
FBI agents conducted a handful of last-minute interviews to check facts key to the case.

After the grand jury left for the day, federal prosecutors conferred for about an hour in the grand jury area of the federal courthouse.

There was no word on whether Fitzgerald planned to make any announcement or when the grand jury planned to meet again.

Fitzgerald and the grand jurors entered the courthouse around 9 a.m. EDT, with just three days left before the jury’s term is set to expire. The timing on any decision is uncertain, however. It is possible for Chief U.S. District Judge Thomas Hogan to extend the life of the grand jury at Fitzgerald’s request. Such a step would be taken in secret.

22 MONTHS……..

A Plea Deal in the works?

An extension of the current Grand Jury?

Lawyers milking the system for fees?

The federal justice system on display………….like the Martha Stewart case…….

What a disgrace!