Smoking Guns
There are smoking guns all over the place in the Libby indictment.
1. p. 7 - 19. "Not earlier than June 2003, but on or before July 8, 2003, the Assistant to the Vice President for Public Affairs learned from another government official that Wilson's wife worked at the CIA, and advised LIBBY of this information."
Assistant to the Vice President for Public Affairs from 2001-2004 was Catherine Martin. From Seymour Hersh's New Yorker article, 10/20/03:
In response to claims that Joe Wilson had circulated his Niger report prior to the State of the Union Address, Martin denied that Cheney had any knowledge of it. “The vice president doesn’t know Joe Wilson and did not know about his trip until he read about it in the press,” said Martin.She learned from ANOTHER governmentn official? Whole lot of people got some 'splainin to do.
2. p. 8 - 21. "On or about July 10 or July 11, LIBBY spoke to a senior official in the White House ("Official A") who advised LIBBY of a conversation Official A had earlier that week with columnist Robert Novak in which Wilson's wife was discussed as a CIA employee involved in Wilson's trip. Libby was advised by Official A that Novak would be writing a story about Wilson's wife."
Who is "Official A?" Rove?
3. How many friggin' people told Libby that "Wilson's wife worked for the CIA?" In addition to Catherine Martin:
. The Vice President (June 2003)
. "a senior CIA officer" (June 11, 2003)
. Undersecretary of State (Bolton? Grossman?) June 12, 2003
Can you spell "conspiracy?"
Fitzgerald coming on TV now with Jack Eckenrode. One of the Chicago Trib people who covers him told me he never needs to look down at his notes and speaks from memory, even when reciting complex charges. Looks to be true (no Bushian bozo teleprompter here).
Update: John over at C&L will have press conference & questions up as soon as Fitz is finishd.
Update 2: Think Progress has the PDF of the indictment.
Update 3: Digby: "This is the first time in 130 years that a sitting White House official has been indicted. The last time was in the Grant administration. Honesty. Integrity. Honor. Dignity."
Update 4: Gergen on MSNBC -- "I feel like the prosecutor feels he hasn't gotten the truth from [Libby] yet and he's going to squeeze him."
(graphic by Valley Girl)
posted by Jane Hamsher @ 10/28/2005 10:51:00 AM
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