Libby Indicted

Lewis "Scooter" Libby was indicted for obstruction, false statement, and perjury in the CIA leak case.

No charges were brought for "outing" Valerie Plame or for leaking classified information.

Pat Fitzgerald analogizes that Joe Wilson’s wife got hit in the head with a baseball, and Libby’s alleged lying obstruction threw sand in umpire Fitz’s eyes, thereby preventing Fitz from determining intent of the leaks.

Fitz doesn’t know what Libby’s motives were, therefore he cannot charge Libby (or apparently anyone else) with “outing” a classified CIA officer.

So, Fitz can’t prove INTENT to knowingly “out”, and he’s left with what some categorize as “technical” crimes, by only one person, against the investigation.

But, to Fitz, Libby’s conviction for the indicted “technical” crimes will “vindicate the public interest” regarding the leak itself. Fitz said: “…it doesn't really, in the end, matter what statute you use if you vindicate the interest”.

Fitz believes a classified CIA officer’s cover was “blown”, and the public interest needs to be vindicated.

We know where Fitz is coming from -- any statute will do -- he’ll go with what he thinks he can prove, and it looks like a convincing case that Libby lied. However, there is always a presumption of innocence.

Karl Rove escaped indictment altogether to the dismay of the media and other Bush bashers. No charges for lying or “outing”. Evidence against Rove had to be very thin despite Rove’s identification as “Official A” who chatted with Bob Novak and then Libby.

If Fitz could have indicted Rove, he would have indicted Rove. At this point, it seems remote that Rove will ever be indicted.

Yet, Fitz said “the bulk” of the investigation is over, later “it’s not over”, and the investigation is ongoing.

It looks like Rove is off the hook UNLESS something comes out in the process of Libby’s prosecution -- trial testimony, plea copping, etc. -- and Fitz will pounce on anything close to intent or lesser charges.

After two years, the investigation produced no proof that a classified CIA officer was intentionally “outed”.

I believe there was no intent to “out”. The intent was to discredit a critic, Joe Wilson.

Libby Indicted
The Indictment
Press Release Describing the Indictment
Fitzgerald Press Conference
Libby Resigns
Cheney Statement
Statement by Counsel for Lewis Libby
Libby Defense Outlined
Charges Don't Address Leak
Rove Identified as "Official A"
Probe Not Over
New York Times take -- Fitz did say the indictments are not about the debate over the Iraq War.
Is That All There Is

"nothing in this indictment suggests a broad-based conspiracy" that requires endless further investigation by Congress or others.

Contradictions Between Testimony

Regarding Rove: clear him or indict him

Bush's Remarks on the Resignation of Scooter Libby:
"I got a job to do, and so do the people who work in the White House.

--LynZee