A Good Start

by
Larry C. Johnson

What do you call a thousand lawyers chained together at the bottom of the ocean? A good start! That old joke is apropos in light of today's indictment of Lewis "Scooter" Libby for perjury and obstruction of justice. The indictment makes clear, with no shadow of a doubt, that Valerie Wilson was an undercover officer until exposed by Robert Novak's column. According to the indictment,

Prior to July 14, 2003, Valerie Wilson’s affiliation with the CIA was not common knowledge outside the intelligence community.

As the prosecutor said at today's press conference, this ain't over.

Some interesting tidbits that will need to be clarified:

On page 4 we read:

On or about May 29, 2003, in the White House, LIBBY asked an Under Secretary of State (“Under Secretary”) for information concerning the unnamed ambassador’s travel to Niger to investigate claims about Iraqi efforts to acquire uranium yellowcake. The Under Secretary thereafter directed the State Department’s Bureau of Intelligence and Research to prepare a report concerning the ambassador and his trip. The Under Secretary provided LIBBY with interim oral reports in late May and early June 2003, and advised LIBBY that Wilson was the former ambassador who took the trip.

If you're looking to guess who this is your likely choices are Marc Grossman and John Bolton. My money is on Bolton.

Also on page 4:

On or about June 9, 2003, a number of classified documents from the CIA were faxed to the Office of the Vice President to the personal attention of LIBBY and another person in the Office of the Vice President. The faxed documents, which were marked as classified, discussed, among other things, Wilson and his trip to Niger, but did not mention Wilson by name.

Somebody asked for these documents. Who? Probably Libby but not necessarily. Clearly the CIA person who sent the fax is cooperating.

From paragraph 7 on page 4:

On or about June 11, 2003, LIBBY spoke with a senior officer of the CIA to ask about the origin and circumstances of Wilson’s trip, and was advised by the CIA officer that Wilson’s wife worked at the CIA and was believed to be responsible for sending Wilson on the trip.

Now it gets interesting. Who is the senior CIA officer? There are several possibilities. For example, John Bolton's Chief of Staff, Fred Fleitz is a CIA officer (no longer undercover) who was in a position to get information about Valerie. At the NSC there were several CIA personnel, including David Shedd, who is now on the staff of John Negroponte. It could also be someone from CIA Headquarters. We will probably have to wait for the trial to get some insight on this front.

A careful reading of the indictment shows beyond a reasonable doubt that there was an organized effort in the White House to go after Joe and Valerie Wilson. At a minimum, Vice President Cheney was witting of this effort. Too bad these guys did not work as feverishly in tracking down Osama Bin Laden. They only had time to attack two American citizens who were serving their country.

Finally, Patrick Fitzgerald, what a class act!

What do you call a thousand lawyers chained together at the bottom of the ocean? A good start! That old joke is apropos in light of today's indictment of Lewis "Scooter" Libby for perjury and obstruction of justice. The indictment makes clear, with no shadow of a doubt, that Valerie Wilson was an undercover officer until exposed by Robert Novak's column. According to the indictment,

Prior to July 14, 2003, Valerie Wilson’s affiliation with the CIA was not common knowledge outside the intelligence community.

As the prosecutor said at today's press conference, this ain't over.

Some interesting tidbits that will need to be clarified:

On page 4 we read:

On or about May 29, 2003, in the White House, LIBBY asked an Under Secretary of State (“Under Secretary”) for information concerning the unnamed ambassador’s travel to Niger to investigate claims about Iraqi efforts to acquire uranium yellowcake. The Under Secretary thereafter directed the State Department’s Bureau of Intelligence and Research to prepare a report concerning the ambassador and his trip. The Under Secretary provided LIBBY with interim oral reports in late May and early June 2003, and advised LIBBY that Wilson was the former ambassador who took the trip.

If you're looking to guess who this is your likely choices are Marc Grossman and John Bolton. My money is on Bolton.

Also on page 4:

On or about June 9, 2003, a number of classified documents from the CIA were faxed to the Office of the Vice President to the personal attention of LIBBY and another person in the Office of the Vice President. The faxed documents, which were marked as classified, discussed, among other things, Wilson and his trip to Niger, but did not mention Wilson by name.

Somebody asked for these documents. Who? Probably Libby but not necessarily. Clearly the CIA person who sent the fax is cooperating.

From paragraph 7 on page 4:

On or about June 11, 2003, LIBBY spoke with a senior officer of the CIA to ask about the origin and circumstances of Wilson’s trip, and was advised by the CIA officer that Wilson’s wife worked at the CIA and was believed to be responsible for sending Wilson on the trip.

Now it gets interesting. Who is the senior CIA officer? There are several possibilities. For example, John Bolton's Chief of Staff, Fred Fleitz is a CIA officer (no longer undercover) who was in a position to get information about Valerie. At the NSC there were several CIA personnel, including David Shedd, who is now on the staff of John Negroponte. It could also be someone from CIA Headquarters. We will probably have to wait for the trial to get some insight on this front.

A careful reading of the indictment shows beyond a reasonable doubt that there was an organized effort in the White House to go after Joe and Valerie Wilson. At a minimum, Vice President Cheney was witting of this effort. Too bad these guys did not work as feverishly in tracking down Osama Bin Laden. They only had time to attack two American citizens who were serving their country.

Finally, Patrick Fitzgerald, what a class act!

Comments

[pollyusa]

from also on page 4

"to the personal attention of LIBBY and another person in the Office of the Vice President."

Cheney??

[Andy]

Ryan Lizza at TNR has confirmed that it was Grossman.

[Curious]

Actually Laura Rosen got the Grossman name first.

http://www.warandpiece.com/blogdirs/002942.html

Point 4 is particularly interesting and has new information. On May 29, 2003, Libby asked Under Secretary of State for information concerning Wilson's trip to Niger. It doesn't name him but I believe* that was Marc Grossman. (Mark Goldberg at Tapped suggests it's Bolton. Hmm.) That led to the infamous State Department memo on Wilson's trip. . . . (still reading)

From the indictment, point 4:

4. On or about May 29, 2003, in the White House, LIBBY asked an Under Secretary of State (“Under Secretary”) for information concerning the unnamed ambassador’s travel to Niger to investigate claims about Iraqi efforts to acquire uranium yellowcake. The Under Secretary thereafter directed the State Department’s Bureau of Intelligence and Research to prepare a report concerning the ambassador and his trip. The Under Secretary provided LIBBY with interim oral reports in late May and early June 2003, and advised LIBBY that Wilson was the former ambassador
who took the trip.

[peteypuck]

I am waiting patiently for the link between the Franklin indictment and the Plame outing to be made.

It's all about the neocons, and the war they declared on the intelligence community of the United States, because they didn't like the answers they were getting.

click here for some Franklin background, note the naming of Feith, among others.

click here for the true bill on franklin's indictment.

How nice would it be, if fitzgerald can go to this Grand Jury for further indictments?

[gas freak]

Do you really think this will go to trial? I think Libby's lawyers will work out a plea agreement.

[GAUNTLET]

Fitz Knows what He is doing..

He is an experienced Prosecutor who Has good experience at Investigating Organized Crime Boss's..and getting Convictions..HE KNOWS HOW TO PLAY THE GAME..

That includes getting one of the Suspects to co-operate For a lesser sentence (The Plea Deal)
or in sending one of the Players Back who has Ageed to provide more Information and Be a "SNITCH" Informant.. or Co-operative Witness..

Mr. Rove has apparently cut a Deal..

Bush would be smart to Fire Cheney and Rumsfeld right now..od Course he can Play the Game like Nixon did..but the result would be the same..

Thanks Mr. Bush for restoring DIGNITY and INTEGRITY..to the White House,..

I guess "Screwing" the American people and Betraying the Public Trust is Just "POLITICS AS USUAL"

As Larry said, Sex between consenting Adults is one thing..

RAPE..is still a CRIME..

Where is the Outrage..??

Mr. President..When are you going to Learn to Think for Yourself..??

Your Duty is to ALL the American People..

And to the Constitution..

And to the Bill of Rights..

And to God..

NOT THE NEO CONS..OR THE NEO LIBS..

The PEOPLE elected YOU..

Not the HACKS and CRONYS who Control EITHER Party..

You ought to Read all the Letters and Opinions of Thomas Jefferson..on the Role of Government and the Office of the President..

Jefferson was a Humble and Honest Man..

It would be good Reading for You this weekend Mr. President..You might Learn something..

Maybe even How to think for Yourself..

And Become a Good, Peoples President..

If you really are a Man of God..

And if you Care about all the Sacrifices that have been made, Starting with Our Founding Fathers..to Get Us to this Point..

Were all those Sacrifices Made in Vain..??

Just so we would Wind Up with Influence Peddlers Running Our Government and Wasting the Taxpayers Money..??

You are still the President of All the People..

A Nation of the People, By the PEOPLE and FOR the People ..Mr. President..

PLEASE HONOR AND PRESERVE AND PROTECT THE CONSTITUTION..Mr. President..Not Influence Peddlers and Carpet Baggers..

Your DUTY is to the AMERICAN PEOPLE..To God and that Constiution..Mr. President..

I Hope you do some Deep Soul Searching, Praying and Meditation..

Without any Cronys in the Room..

All those Great Americans throughout History didn't died for Despots..

They died to preserve Our Freedom and Consitution..

We Rely on Honesty and Integrity in Government..

YOU Cannot serve TWO Masters Mr. president..

Your Choice..Search Your Heart..

Just as I Pray for America,
and its People..I will Pray for You..

I also Read the Bible Mr. President..

[Eric]

Interesting review of Andrew Bacevich's new book:

http://www.lrb.co.uk/v27/n20/liev01_.html

I'll park this here. Hopefully Mr. Johnson won't sic Pussy Galore on me with a poisoned cocktail fork or Lucretia Borgia with a glass of fortified dysentery.

Sounds like a very good book.

[ST]

Intresting blog post