Matt Cooper testified that Karl Rove told him that Joseph Wilson’s wife worked for the CIA.
Judith Miller apparently just testified that Lewis Libby told her something similar. (The exact details of her testimony have yet to be made public.)
Patrick Fitzgerald thought that both Cooper and Miller’s testimony was so critical to his case that he threatened them both with jail.
(This ties in with Robert Novak’s assertion that he learned about the identity of Joseph Wilson’s wife from “senior administration officials”.)
If either Rove or Libby were the lone source of the leak it could be argued that the leak was accidental. Both of them leaking the same information at the same time strongly sugggests that it was planned.
Is Patrick Fitzgerald preparing to indict senior members of the Bush administration on conspiracy charges?
Yeah, lost in all the Miller testifies hoopla was the fact that Novak claimed (I speak from memory) that ‘two sources’ told him about Valerie Plame. So it isn’t just Scooter Libby. (Though Novak never struck me as all that bright. Maybe Libby put on a fake mustache or something.)
If Fitzgerald is going to move I think it’ll be soon. His Grand Jury stands down at the end of October.
Just as a political watcher I’m on the edge of my seat here. The theater should be excellent.
Not only that - between them, they allegedly contacted at least two or three different journalists (Cooper, Miller, Novak) with the same story at roughly the same date. Other reports have suggested that the information was given to five or more journalists (Walter Pincus and Tim Russert, says this article, which also contains a handy summary of what’s known / alleged so far).
If this is true, there’s no way that a couple of political staff members expert in talking to the media let the information about a CIA agent’s identity slip to many different reporters, roughly simultaneously. The line that the mentions were accidental beggars belief.
If conspiracy charges are in fact in the works, this could potentially affect many more White House employees. Perhaps a US lawyer (Bricker, Minty Green?) could let us know what kind of evidence might be required to indict someone on conspiracy charges?
The crime of conspiracy is complete when two or more people agree to commit a crime. The individuals do not have to commit crimes themselves - although they may have to commit acts that further the agreement. And agreement may be inferred from acts taken. In other words, you don’t need to have specific evidence that Joe and Steve sat down and agreed to rob a bank: if you can show that Joe bought the disguises and Steve procured a getaway car before the bank robbery, that’s enough for a jury convict them of conspiracy, even though buying disguises and a car are both legal acts.
In this case, you have an end that is illegal: leaking information to discredit and retaliate against Wilson and reveal private, sensitive government information about his wife. And you have two people each taking steps that, by themselves, may have been legal, but together show that they were intended to further a criminal purpose.
So reaching an indictment is relatively easy. It requires only probable cause. Obtaining a conviction under these same facts is more difficult, because the fact-finder must be persuaded beyond a reasonable doubt that the charges are true.
Sit back, there will be no theater to watch. All involved will skate. I hate to be overly cynical but the history of this administration indicates to me that nothing will be done.
Fitzgerald probably doesn’t need one. The rumors I’ve read said that he may wrap up as early as this week. Apparently Judith Miller’s testimony was the last thing he was waiting for.
Plus, there would be political ramifications to asking for an extension. It would be sure to bring out the ‘he’s delaying for political reasons’ types. Fitzgerald should be immune to that stuff but who can tell?
If all involve skate, there will still be political consequences, because only the die-hard tighty-righties buy the notion that nothing wrong was done. Most Americans think it was treason, or something close to it. And they’re right.
Wouldn’t be surprised to see an indictment or two myself.