WSJ editorial: Unless Mr. Fitzgerald can prove beyond a reasonable doubt that Mr. Libby was lying, and doing so for some nefarious purpose, this indictment looks like a case of criminalizing politics. "Nefarious purpose"? No, idiots. He only has to prove that Libby intentially lied to the prosecutors and grand jury. What do you think? It’s okay too lie under … Read More
Really Not Too Smart
Matt Yglesius observes: Watching CNN it’s obvious that the conservative strategy on these indictments is the same old playbook: Slime and defend. Except they can’t slime Patrick Fitzgerald, so instead they’re going to attack … Joe Wilson. But why? Wilson has literally nothing to do with the allegations being made here. Scooter Libby said some things under oath to the … Read More
The Bar They Set
Standards Of Official Conduct MemorandumJanuary 20, 2001 MEMORANDUM FOR THE HEADS OF EXECUTIVE DEPARTMENTS AND AGENCIES SUBJECT: Standards of Official Conduct Everyone who enters into public service for the United States has a duty to the American people to maintain the highest standards of integrity in Government. I ask you to ensure that all personnel within your departments and agencies … Read More
Fitzmas
Libby indicted on five counts: (2) perjury, (2) false statement, (1) obstruction of justice. Here’s the Libby indictment in case you haven’t already seen it. Libby resigns. Fitzgerald says the probe is not over. But it’s clear that Libby himself was the leaker. Fitzgerald couldn’t indict him, it seems, because Fitzgerald would have to prove that Libby knew the … Read More
BREAKING NEWS IN PLAMEGATE!!!
Four trays of doughnuts have been brought in to the grand jury!!! Thank you, Fox News, for your masterful journalistic scoop!!
Indictment Update
It seems silly to post about indictment rumors today, especially since I’m kind of busy. So here’s the lowdown — plain and simple. Special prosecutor Patrick Fitzgerald will hold a press conference at 2 p.m. ET to announce his actions resulting from his investigation of the CIA leak. NBC News says Fitzgerald "is expected to release some documents in the … Read More
We STILL Didn’t Start The Fire
Shake’s Sister has gone to the trouble of adding more verses to Billy Joel’s 1980’s hit We Didn’t Start The Fire to include subsequent events. It’s very good: Bush and Cheney, voter fraud,9/11, war abroad,Condoleezza, Donald Rumsfeld, neocon cabal.Mushroom cloud, “Dead or alive,”More tax cuts, “Now watch this drive,”Rightwing pundits, propaganda, marches on The Mall. Swift Boat Vets, Rove takes … Read More
Bush Administration Withheld WMD Intelligence
One of the wingnut talking points re: Iraq is that Congress had access to the same pre-war intelligence as the White House, so they are just as much to blame as Bush for the no-WMD-in-Iraq fiasco. Not true. Not true. That talking point is now officially dead. The Bush Administration not only failed to fully inform Congress of all the … Read More
A Not-So-White Fitzmas?
The New York Times is reporting that Libby will be indicted. Not Rove. Certain wingnuts are already claiming victory, or at least taking pleasure in the fact that today was no massacre of the Bush Administration. Their celebration is way premature, since we still could see some surprises: Mr. Fitzgerald’s preparations for a Friday announcement were shrouded in secrecy, but … Read More
Even Karl Rove’s Mistress Is Distancing Herself
Because convicts make crappy boyfriends, I guess: [S]everal Texas political insiders say Rove’s longtime relationship with lobbyist Karen Johnson may be in jeopardy, too, if Johnson’s relatives have their way. In July we reported on the very close relationship Johnson, a single, Austin-based lobbyist, has enjoyed with Rove since they met over a decade ago in Texas. But now that … Read More
Plamegate Primer
A frequent reader of this blog emails to ask where she can find an unbiased account of what this Plamegate thing is all about. Well, Mom, I highly recommend this. Dig as deep as you like, or browse to get to know the basics.
Antici-pa-yay-tion Is Making Me Wait
Plamegate Prosecutor Fitzgerald gets more office space. Doesn’t look like he’s planning on going anywhere soon. (LATE AFTERNOON UPDATE: Oops. The office space story appears to be false.) The AP reports there will be no announcements today. Over at TPMCafe, Paul Begala speculates on "What It’s Like" in this White House under seige (having served with Clinton during L’Affaire Lewinsky). … Read More
Not Smiling Now
CNN reports: Rep. Tom DeLay failed to comply with House requirements that he disclose all contributions to a defense fund that pays his legal bills, the Texas Republican acknowledged to House officials. He wrote officials that $20,850 contributed in 2000 and 2001 was not reported anywhere. Another $17,300 was included in the defense fund’s quarterly report but not in DeLay’s … Read More
Well, Shit, John — No Duh.
John Kerry admits that his pro-war vote was a mistake, adding: I understand that as much as we might wish it, we can’t rewind the tape of history. There is, as Robert Kennedy once said, `enough blame to go around,’ and I accept my share of the responsibility. But the mistakes of the past, no matter who made them, are … Read More
The La Repubblica Revelations
Crooked Timber has the latest. Key summary: As best as I can piece this together, the timeline that La Repubblica is arguing for goes as follows. Italian intelligence collected [genuine] information that Hussein was trying to obtain raw uranium at the end of the 1980’s, before the First Gulf War. This information was stored by the branch of Italian intelligence … Read More