Libby Defends Releasing Fitzgerald Letter [View All]

http://www.localnewsleader.com/elytimes/stories/index.php?action=fullnews&id=179703

Libby Defends Releasing Fitzgerald Letter

WASHINGTON - Lawyers for Vice President Dick Cheney ‘s indicted former chief of staff on Friday defended their decision to release a letter to the news media before it was filed in federal court, and they urged the judge in the CIA leak case not to react by issuing a gag order.

Libby‘s lawyers rushed out the letter to the news media because it was advantageous to their client. In it, Fitzgerald acknowledged making a mistake in one of his earlier court filings.

Libby‘s legal team expressed concern that such restrictions "would embroil the court and the parties in First Amendment litigation with news organizations that would distract us from the important issues" in the case.

Despite angering the judge with the letter‘s release, Libby‘s legal team called the disclosure "appropriate." The Libby team sent the letter to reporters the night of April 11. The letter appeared on the court docket the next afternoon.