Ah, Orchid blogging!

Geez, so busy with corruption, so forgetful of the orchids.



This is an assortment of paphiopedilums. I don't own these in the photo, took this shot at a local greenhouse. I just love these kinds of orchids - paphs - and have many. They require low light, which means they're relatively easy to grow and flower, but still, they tend to prefer to be somewhat moist all the time, not sopping wet, but moist, so they can require a bit more attention. Anyway, I think they're cool - I love the colors on the red ones.

Enjoy. Read the rest of this post...

The way Fitzgerald is talking about Rove is the same way he talked about corrupt former IL Governor George Ryan, right before he indicted him

Fitz even called Ryan "Official A". :-)

Hat tip to Jonathan for finding this.

More on Official A here. Read the rest of this post...

It's confirmed: Rove is STILL under investigation

I'm finally watching ABC News' World News Tonight and they're describing how Patrick Fitzgerald caught Scooter Libby lying. Scooter said that Tim Russert told him about Plame and that Scooter did not mention Plame to Matt Cooper of Judith Miller.

Then they show a clip of Fitzgerald say the following about Libby:

He was at the beginning of the chain of the phone calls [to the reporters], the first official to disclose this information outside the government to a reporter.

Did you catch that? Libby was the FIRST official to disclose Valerie Plame's identity outside the government to a reporter. So Fitzgerald sounds like he just confirmed that he did in fact find evidence that a second US government official disclosed Plame's identity to a reporter. We assume that the second official, of course, would be Karl Rove.

Whether or not we all just "know" that Karl disclosed her identity to a reporter, especially because the papers say his lawyer told them as much, it's quite another thing for the Republican special prosecutor to confirm that fact.

Then take a look at tomorrow's Washington Post story that just came out minutes ago (I was literally about to publish this point when Joe called to alert me to the Post article):

Karl Rove, the president's top strategist, narrowly escaped indictment after providing new information during eleventh-hour negotiations with Special Counsel Patrick J. Fitzgerald but could still be charged in the case, according to three people familiar with the talks. A source close to Rove said the senior strategist's fate will be known soon....

The 22-page indictment leaves open the possibility of more bad news to come: the specter of a public trial featuring top White House officials and the chance of more indictments in the weeks ahead....

If he decides to seek charges against Rove, Fitzgerald would present the evidence to a new grand jury because the one that indicted Libby expired yesterday and its term cannot be extended.

"The Special Counsel has advised Mr. Rove that he has made no decision about whether or not to bring charges," Rove's attorney, Robert Luskin, said in a statement....

A source close to Rove added, "There is still the chance that Mr. Rove could face indictment." Lawyers involved in the case said Fitzgerald is likely to put pressure on Libby to provide evidence against Rove or other potential targets.

That melds perfectly with Fitzgerald talking today about the "first" official.

And finally, why were other government officials today referred to as "the vice president, someone from the White House press office, an undersecretary at State," while Karl Rove was refered to in the indictment as "Official A." That sounds like the kind of term you use for a co-conspirator who you don't want to mention yet.

I'm not counting my eggs yet, but this is getting very interesting. Read the rest of this post...

More on Judith Miller coming clean, or not, a year ago

QUESTION: In the end, was it worth keeping Judy Miller in jail for 85 days in this case? And can you say how important her testimony was in producing this indictment?

FITZGERALD: Let me just say this: No one wanted to have a dispute with the New York Times or anyone else. We can't talk generally about witnesses. There's much said in the public record.... I would have wished nothing better that, when the subpoenas were issued in August 2004, witnesses testified then, and we would have been here in October 2004 instead of October 2005. No one would have went to jail. Read the rest of this post...

Open Thread

What a day. Anyone watching Tom Brokaw's special on Evangelicals, "In God They Trust"? Yikes. If they have to say they aren't theocrats, they are. And they sure think they control both the White House and the GOP. Read the rest of this post...

AP's sources say "Official A" is Rove

Karl Rove has been identified by AP's sources as "Official A" who is a prominent player in the Libby indictment:

Friday's indictment says "Official A" is a "senior official in the White House who advised Libby on July 10 or 11 of 2003" about a chat with Novak about his upcoming column in which Plame would be identified as a CIA employee.

Late Friday, three people close to the investigation, each asking to remain unidentified because of grand jury secrecy, identified Rove as Official A.

Read the rest of this post...

Don't Forget: Dick Cheney Lied

One-time political strategist Dick Morris makes a good point in his NY Post Op-Ed: whatever the outcome of the indictments, Dick Cheney has some explaining to do. If the NYT and the grand jury is right (and there's certainly a preponderance of circumstantial evidence), Scooter's source for the info on Joe Wilson's wife was not the media but officials in the Administration and the Vice President himself. Cheney knew this and kept quiet about it for two years -- misleading the public and possibly the President.

Assuming the Times has its facts right, the burden of proof shifts to Cheney. It is incumbent on him to explain why he let his chief of staff mislead the public — for two years, including the entire 2004 presidential campaign.

There may be an innocent explanation for the veep's silence, or the Times may be wrong. But Dick Cheney owes us all an explanation.

So, Dick, got anything to say? Not to mention Scottie and the President himself. What did they know and when did they know it? Read the rest of this post...

Had Judith Miller come clean a year ago, Kerry would have won the election

I just got a call from a friend whose wife came up with a very interesting point. Fitzgerald today said that he could have been having this press conference last October, if Judith Miller had been more forthcoming. And last October would have been right before the presidential election.

With the 2004 presidential election as close as it was, this could have easily - would have easily - swung the election to Kerry's favor. But Judith Miller didn't come forward, and Bush wasn't damaged BEFORE his re-election.

Very interesting indeed. Read the rest of this post...

Scooter speaks

Reuters reports that Libby has issued a statement:

"I am confident that at the end of this process I will be completely and totally exonerated," Libby said in a statement issued by his lawyer, Joseph Tate.

Can't you just hear him blaring that old Billy Joel song "I am an innocent man"? His lawyer weighed in, too:

"To say we are disappointed is an understatement. Mr Libby testified to the best of his honest recollection on all occasions," Tate said in a separate statement.

Hmm, the best of his honest recollection seems to be what got ole Scooter in trouble in the first place. Scooter apparently has a different standard for "honest recollection" then most people. No surprise, he works for Dick Cheney and George Bush. Read the rest of this post...

Open thread

Have at it Read the rest of this post...

Bush speaking now

Accepted resignation of Scooter

He's worked hard on behalf of the American people. Investigation is "serious." Now process moves into new phase. In our system each individual is presumed innocent. We're saddened, remain wholly focused on issues facing country. I got a job to do (that's quote).

That's it. Then he left without taking any questions. Read the rest of this post...

Joseph Wilson's statement

Joseph Wilson's lawyer, Chris Wolf, just read a statement from him in front of the Federal Court Building. CNN covered it live. Key paragraph:

Today, however, is not the time to analyze or to debate. And it is certainly not a day to celebrate. Today is a sad day for America. When an indictment is delivered at the front door of the White House, the Office of the President is defiled. No citizen can take pleasure from that.

He also asked for people to respect the privacy of his wife and family. Read the rest of this post...

Open Thread

Now that the press conference is over, what do you think? Read the rest of this post...

Fitzgerald: GOP Talking Point "Won't Fly"

Fitzgerald was asked about a GOP talking point that the crimes charged are technicalities. He hit it out of the park: "That talking point won't fly." He said described just how serious the charges are against the Chief of Staff to the Vice President of the United States and noted this is a "very, very serious matter."

He also said "truth is the engine of our judicial system."

Take that, Ken Mehlman. Read the rest of this post...

So, heads or tails on this press conference?

It's not clear at all what this means for Rove or anyone else. Read the rest of this post...

Fitzgerald press conference now

Chic-AH-go. Great accent.

Federal grand jury returned the indictment 5 hours ago.

Charges libby with 5 crimes.

Context (paraphrase): Valerie Wilson CIA officer status was classified and not widely known. Her friends, neighbors, college classmates had no idea. The fact that she was a CIA officer was not well known for her protection and for the benefit of all of us. Cover blown in July 2003. Novak not first reporter to be told. Several others told. Libby was first official known to have told a reporter when he talked to Judith Miller in June 2003.

"National security was at stake" in this case.

It's important that witnesses before a grand jury tell the truth, it's especially important in the national security area.

Fall of 2003. Clear Valerie Wilson's cover blown, investigation begins. Oct 2003 FBI interviews Libby. Focus of interview was what was it that he knew about Valerie Wilson, what he said to people. Libby gave the FBI a compelling story. Said Russert told HIM "hey do you know that all the reporters know that Wilson's wife works at the CIA." Later on he passed it on to other reporters, he said. He told the FBI he told Novak info he got from a reporter and didn't even know if it was true - he made clear that he didn't know if it was true, it was something all the reporters were saying - he said.

Later Libby went to Grand Jury, oath and testified, essentially said the same thing. Learned from VP info about Wilson's wife, but forgot. He learned it from Russert as if it were knew, he said. When he told Cooper and Miller he was just passing gossip, he said.

Would be compelling story if only it were true.

In fact, Libby discussed the info about Plame half a dozen times before his call with Russert. He didn't learn it from Russert, and it wasn't new info to him at that time.

Libby learned info about Wilson at least 3 times from govt officials.

4 US government officials told Libby about Plame, including an undersecretary of state (who was that?) and Cheney.

Basically, Libby lied about everything to the grand jury.

----------

Q&A; from reporters

Q This began as leak, yet no one charged with leaking, is it finished?

A It's not over. But the substantial work is concluded. Grand jury won't be continued. But we'll keep a grand jury open to consider other matters. In this cae, the damage was done to all of us. Why was this info going out? Was the damage intended? I can't tell you Scooter's motives - it prevents us from finding out why this leak happened. Compromising national security information is a very serious mater, and the need to get to the bottom is extremely important - anyone who would go into a grand jury and lie and impede the investigation has committed a serious crime. If what we allege in the indictment is true, he is charged with a very very serious crime.

Q Any evidence that Cheney encouraged him to leak it, or encourage him to lie?

A I'm not making allegations about anyone not charged in the indictment. We don't talk about people not charged in the indictment. Not going to comment on anyone not in the indictment.

Q Who is official A in the WH who talked to Novak, why weren't they charged?

A If we're not going to charge someone with a crime, we can't prove it, they didn't do it, or whatever, we don't talk about them. (This means that by not naming someone, that doesn't mean he found them innocent, it also means he may not have been able to prove anything).

Q Is Rove off the hook.

A Same answer as before. Not going to comment on any one name.

Q What are you still working on?

A I can't say. Then he said something about making intelligent decisions about when to end the investigation - meaning, it's not ended yet.

Q Damage to the entire nation, like what?

A Can't say. For people who work at the CIA, have to expect that classified info will be protected, info about their affiliation will be protected. They run a risk.

Q Grand jury?

A Grand jury expired. It's routine in long investigations to have a new grand jury if you need to go back to them. That's an ordinary practice.

Q Plans for a final report?

A No. Read the rest of this post...

My take

Hat tip to http://soyblue.typepad.com/ Read the rest of this post...

I think I have the analogy

If you're going to try to murder someone with a gun, the GOP will applaud that murder so long as you DON'T check whether the gun's safety is on or off. Why? Because so long as you DON'T check the safety, you have no way of knowing the status of the gun. The gun could be lethal or it could be benign as can be. And so long as you don't know for sure that it's lethal, you can't be held responsible.

My point?

If you're going to out a CIA agent and risk US national security, just make sure that you don't check in advance whether that agent is undercover. So long as you don't check, you don't know for sure whether outing her will risk the lives of every CIA agents, our soldiers, and every American. Maybe she just sweeps floors at the CIA, who knows? So long as you don't know for sure that she's a covert agent, you can't be held responsible. Read the rest of this post...

Newest GOP talking point

Republican hack Joseph di Genova is now saying on TV that the indictment "proves" that no one in the White House knew Valerie Plame was an undercover agent so they've been exonerated.

Interesting.

1. You know someone is CIA.

2. You know people have no idea that this person is CIA - that's per se, since Scooter was intentionally trying to LET people know. If he thought people already knew, he wouldn't have been trying to spread the word.

3. You also know that you have no idea WHAT this person's status is - covert or overt agent.

4. You know that you have no way of KNOWING whether this person might actually be a covert agent since even if you think she's overt, she might actually be covert because that's the way these kind of sneaky things work in the world of spies.

5. So Scooter and Rove did not know for sure whether Valerie Plame was an undercover CIA agent, yet they outed her anyway. What di Genova seems to be saying, and any other Bush defenders would be saying, is that it's okay to out a CIA agent so long as you make super duper sure that you DON'T find out that agent's status, overt or covert.

So long as you don't do your due diligence, so long as you don't try to find out whether this agent might be an undercover agent and that your blowing her cover might seriously damage national security, so long as you do NOTHING of the kind to try to find out if what you're about to do may literally kill people, then there's no problem at all in your doing it.

In other words, if you want to out CIA agents and risk the lives of countless Americans while our country is at war, just make sure you don't inquire first as to whether it might be a problem. So long as you're negligent, you're a Republican hero.

I've said it before and I'll say it again. I've worked with a lot of CIA agents from my time working on arms control issues in the Senate, to my stint with the US embassy in Argentina, and beyond. I had security clearances way beyond top secret. The cardinal rule is that you do NOT tell ANYONE that they're CIA, regardless of their status. And if you aren't sure about their status, you sure as hell don't tell anyone that they're CIA. Scooter Libby and Karl Rove have lived in this town long enough to know that loose lips sink ships, especially when talking about CIA agents. To suggest that somehow they simply made an oopsie is an insult to everyone who has ever put their lives on the line for our country.

Amazing. Read the rest of this post...

Text of indictments are online here

Read them and report in. Read the rest of this post...

Open thread

UPDATE: CNN has confirmed that Libby has resigned.

Feel free to report on what you hear, what the press is saying, the pundits, etc.

And remember, a recent wire story had a title something like, Cheney is Bush's brain, Scooter is Cheney's brain.

The chief of staff of the REAL president of the United States just was forced to resign. That's a big deal. Read the rest of this post...

Scooter has been indicted

5 counts for Libby:

1 count obstruction of justice
2 counts of perjury
2 counts of making false statements

Lied to FBI agents on Oct 14, Nov 26, 2003.
Committed perjury on March 5 and 24, 2004.
Engaged in obstruction of justice by impeding investigation.

Summary of indictment:

Beginning in late May 2003, two months before actual column by Novak in July 2003, Libby began acquiring info about trip to Niger by Wilson. The CIA decided on its own initiative to send Wilson to Niger after an inquiry by the VP. Libby lied about conversations he had with Tim Russert, Matt Cooper and Judith Miller. Prior to July 14, 2003, Valerie Wilson's employment status was classified, her affiliatilon with CIA was not common knowledge. Revealing the agent's status has the potential to damage the national security, risk lives of that agent and other agents, damage national security.

Scooter Libby endangered national security.

"Without the truth our criminal justice system cannot serve the nation or our citizens." - Patrick Fitzgerald, today.

Alleged false statements and perjury:

Misrepresenting what it is he actually did and said with relationship to Tim Russert and Matt Cooper.

On the first false statement count:

Knowingly lied to FBI agent. Libby said that during a conversation with Tim Russert of NBC News Russert asked Libby if Libby was aware Wilson's wife worked for CIA. Libby well knew this statement to the FBI was false. When Libby spoke to Russert, Russert did NOT ask Libby if he knew the wife worked at the CIA or that reporters knew it.

Second false statement count:

Libby knew his statement about Matt Cooper was false, Libby confirmed for Cooper that Wilson's wife worked for CIA.

Perjury 1: ?

Perjury 2: Matt Cooper

I'm typing this while watching TV, so might have some of it a bit off. Read the rest of this post...

FOX: Libby has Resigned

Fox News (via Wonkette) reports I. Lewis "Scooter" Libby, Chief of Staff to Vice President Richard Cheney, has resigned. Read the rest of this post...

Wilson/Plame lawyer making statement today at 3pm Eastern

Just got this from the Wilson/Plame's lawyer Chris Wolf, a friend of mine.

Christopher Wolf, counsel for Ambassador and Mrs. Joseph Wilson, will be making a statement on behalf of Ambassador Wilson at 3 PM in front of the U.S. Courthouse, 333 Constitution Avenue, N.W.

Remember, there were press accounts earlier this week that they were considering filing a civil lawsuit against White House officials.

So that means the documents should be released momentarily, we hope. At 2pm Eastern Patrick Fitzgerald has a press conference. And at 3pm Eastern the Plame/Wilson's lawyer is doing a press conference. Read the rest of this post...

Bob Barr blasts Bush administration over CIA leak

Wow, he's doing an interview on CNN with Wolf Blitzer and he's painting a clear picture of why outing CIA agents is a problem. It not just makes the administration look bad on national security issues, but it tells foreign intelligence services not to trust us. He's really letting them have it. Wow. Bob friggin' Barr, a very conservative, rather nasty Republican former congressman. Read the rest of this post...

Don't mess with The Onion

This is on The Onion's Web site today:



And it's in response to this. Read the rest of this post...

Bush gives speech on national security while waiting for indictments of staff who violated national security

Just watched Bush on CNN giving the same old tired speech in Norfolk. How ironic that Bush is speaking about Iraq and national security on this day.

George Bush can give all the speeches he wants, but national security begins at home. In fact, it should literally begin in his house. Yet, today, we are going to get some facts on a major national security breach that occured on his watch. It looks like one of the chief architects of Bush's war in Iraq is going to be indicted today. His staff was willing to smear an undercover CIA agent for partisan political purposes. Any other president who cared about national security would consider that treason. And, let's not forget that his people smeared her because Bush and Cheney lied about the war in Iraq.

And how maddening is it that he just keeps saying that Iraq is the central front in the war on terror, without realizing that's his fault. Read the rest of this post...

Announcement at noon, press conf. at 2 pm on the story that "won't go away"

So we get the info. at noon:

The Justice Department was scheduled to make an announcement ``regarding the status of the special counsel's criminal investigation'' at noon Washington time. Fitzgerald will hold a news conference at 2 p.m.

Also, CNN's Dana Bash just read what she called a "carefully worded" statement from Rove's lawyer that said basically they've been told the Special Prosecutor made no decision on whether to bring charges and his status has not changed. Apparently, Rove is happy that he is not being indicted today. But Miles O'Brien responded that means "the story won't go away." The cloud stays over Rove and the White House as long as Karl stays there. Read the rest of this post...

Ann Coulter says this is the worst case scenario

An indictment AND a continuing investigation.

See..... not so bad after all. If Ann is pissed, can things be that bad? Read the rest of this post...

Fitzgerald holding news conference at 2pm Eastern today

And that's the latest Read the rest of this post...

Today we may find out if Karl Rove and George Bush are liars

Karl Rove and George Bush said that no one in the White House was involved in outing Valerie Plame. George Bush said anyone involved would be fired. Whether or not Karl is ever indicted, Fitzgerald, by all press accounts and by the account of Karl's own lawyer's, already knows that Karl is a liar, that Karl lied to the president, and that the president lied to the nation.

Soon we will find out whether George Bush is a man of his word or whether he lies to the nation and tolerates liars at the most senior levels of the White House.

Maybe Bush will tell us it all depend what the definition of "treason" is. Read the rest of this post...

Scooter is Cheney's Rove

I'm reading a lot of hand-wringing about Rove still only being under investigation. There is disappointment, sadness, etc. GET OVER IT.

Who runs the country? Dick Cheney. And Scooter is Cheney's Rove. Just because four years ago you didn't hate (or know) Scooter doesn't lessen the impact of today's probable announcement:

For the first time with this cabal, one of the top White House officials will FINALLY be held accountable.

With this bunch, any level of accountability is progress. So celebrate! It's just the first day of Fitzmas! Read the rest of this post...

Early AM Open Thread

Is it Fitzmas morning yet? My adrenal glands are going to burn out waiting much longer.

Open thread away! Read the rest of this post...

Exxon Mobil delivers 75% increase in profits for last quarter

Net income was $9.9 Billion for the quarter, despite production dropping by 4.7%. Yep, we're all in this together all right. The $9.9 Billion is a new record quarter amount for Wall Street. Read the rest of this post...

What's the Average Age Of The 2000+ US Soldiers Who Died In Iraq? 30.

The average age of the soldiers who died in Vietnam was 19. It's a sobering statistic -- you can't help but think about all those young lives cut short.

Thanks to the end of the draft, the story is quite different -- but just as sad -- in Iraq. After 2000 deaths (and 15,000 wounded), I added up all their individual ages to find out what the average was. It's 30. (Go here for the CNN rundown, which includes photos and -- for those who still believe the myth of an undercount -- a description of where they died, usually in Iraq, but sometimes in another country or back in the US. It's heartrending)

We know they're dying faster -- it took 18 months for the first 1000 casualties and just 14 months for the next 1000. The insurgency is getting stronger and more lethal. So if that continues, we can expect to hit 3000 dead next August. (And we WILL still be in Iraq ten months from now.)

But what does it mean that these soldiers are on average 30 years old? One thing is clear: these adults have left behind a lot more widows and children. So how old are you? Read the rest of this post...

My latest thinking...

UPDATE: This just in from the Wall Street Journal:

Karl Rove, President Bush's chief political adviser and deputy White House chief of staff, was informed yesterday evening that he may not be charged today but remains in legal jeopardy, according to a person briefed on the matter. Mr. Fitzgerald, who meets with jurors this morning, has zeroed in on potential wrongdoing by I. Lewis Libby, Vice President Dick Cheney's chief of staff, and is likely to charge Mr. Libby at least with making false statements. The testimony of reporters who have been witnesses in the case has contradicted Mr. Libby's public statements.

So, in response to points below, if this is true, then Rove is NOT exonerated tomorrow - on the contrary, they notified him that he's in the same legal position he was yesterday and last week and last year. The jury is still out, quite literally, on whether he is guilty or innocent of a crime, and they're going to keep looking at him. As I note in the end of my analysis, below, that ongoing uncertainty is NOT good news for the White House.
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I agree that at first blush, if Rove isn't indicted on Friday, it could appear a victory for Rove to the public, and I'd be lying if I said I'm not disappointed.

But, and it's a big but...

Rove wins tomorrow ONLY if Fitzgerald says Rove is NOT getting indicted AND the investigation of Rove is over, not if Fitzgerald says he hasn't decided yet and needs another grand jury to continue investigating.

Now, Fitzgerald may not indicate either way if he's still looking at Rove, but of course that puts the White House in a spot because they said they were waiting for the investigation to end before answering questions about Rove. If the WH surrogates crow tomorrow that Rove won, then it's now okay for Rove and Scottie to answer the media's questions, isn't it? After all Scottie said they had to wait till the special prosecutor is done, and if the GOP claims Rove "won" then he's out of jeopardy and can take our questions.

Also, I keep thinking of the Kay Bailey Hutchison fiasco earlier this week, her defense of treason comments - 80% of the public thinks the WH lied or broke the law here, I'm not sure they want anybody crowing.

Then there's the issue of the ongoing trial of Scooter. I was told you'll need another grand jury to keep preparing for trial. So the investigation continues.

And finally, I'm very suspicious as to why there have been practically no leaks for 2 years and now in the final 2 weeks they're non-stop. That's odd to me, and raises some red flags about what we're hearing. I'm still wondering if Fitzgerald isn't playing some fascinating end-game, and whether he might not seek some indictments tomorrow against Rove, and/or whether all of the leaks are just wrong.

Finally, the White House wanted this to be over. If Rove is not 100% exonerated tomorrow, then this isn't going away for the White House. Not unless Rove resigns. If he doesn't get a clean bill of health tomorrow, I really believe Rove may still resign. Think Harriet: This White House needs to move on. Read the rest of this post...

Open thread

Thought you might need one. Read the rest of this post...