Why a Libby Indictment is Crucial (by Steve Gilliard)

Steve wrote this BEFORE Libby's indictment was announced, and I think the strategy and analysis are right-on:

Why a Libby Indictment is Crucial
by Steve Gilliard

http://stevegilliard.blogspot.com/2005/10/why-libby-indictment-is-crucial.html

Everyone is chomping at the bit over a Rove indictment and missing the point.

Yes, everyone would like to see that turd get his comeuppance and be frogmarched out of the White House. It would make for great theater.

But after the emotional satisfaction, what we really have is a man protecting his boss. He would have smeared you if it was to protect Bush. He wasn't plotting to run Iraq, he didn't care who ran it unless it made Bush look good. Jail would suit him fine, but he's only a part of this.

Nailing Rove doesn't nail the neocons.

I. Lewis Libby, otoh, is more important. Far more.

This is not the election, this isn't about us winning, this is about national security, and while I know a lot of people want to hammer Bush through Rove, the stakes are much higher than that. Bush is well on his way to collapse, trial or no trial.

Why?

First, Libby was part of the neocon circle. He knew all of the key players, and thus, as his boss's factorum, he was representing Cheney directly. When people from Bolton's office got Plame's name, that's who it went to.

If there was any need to get Joe Wilson, that's where it came from, Rove came in afterwards. This whole thing started with Scooter Libby and his boss, not the Oval Office.

Can anyone honestly imagine Karl Rove plotting to get us to go to war in Iraq if Cheney didn't have the idea first?

Of course not.

Which is why Libby's bound to be indicted by Fitzgerald, if he has a case against anyone.

Second, if you eventually want to get to the forgeries and the lies which led us into war, the route lies through Dick Cheney and his man Scooter and not Rove and Bush. While Bush may have wanted war, he contracted the work out to Cheney, who then went to Libby, who was obssesed with the subject.

Remember, it was Cheney leaning on the CIA for positive words, it was the neocons like Wurmser and Flietz who challenged the CIA. People who worked for John Bolton. Is Karl Rove tied to these people? No. But Scooter Libby is and so is Dick Cheney.

Word is Rove was already offered a plea and rejected it. Why? To protect Bush. The only reason to offer a plea is to entice a flip.

The thing is that Libby has a lot more to lose than Rove, and an indictment may get him to flip on other people.

Why? Libby is a lawyer and a defense against a federal prosecutor could run him a million dollars or more. A conviction for perjury would get him disbarred. Anything turned up at trial about unethical behavior could get him disbarred.

In short, Libby could face jail and barnkuptcy, regardless of a verdict.

Rove, even if he did jail time, doesn't have those worries. His evil genius will always pay.

It would be nice to leave Rove hanging, as the Times suggests, and while passing him by would be emotionally unsatisfying, it's Libby and friends who are a mortal danger to the Republic.

It was the neocons who led this country into war, with their man Cheney at the helm. Bush was an eager client, but they were the sales team, And as long as they have power, this country is in danger.

We all know Chaney runs this country aand getting Libby is much more important.

Someone posted that on the BBC 'talk' discussion site and I had to use it !

The least they can do.

I hadn't thought about the case this way, and it makes a lot of sense - the neocons were the braintrust on the war run-up, so it makes sense that Libby would have more connections here than Rove.

AND Libby has a lot more to lose it seems, so here's to hoping this bird sings long and loud!

Thanks for the post! :)

this.

:thumbsup:

I've been reading some Libby bios - he was a student of Wolfowitz and worked for him under Reagan.

And they were the ones who came up with the aggressive war idea in the early 90's - that led to the PNAC (where some of their ideas were toned down for publication).

Bold emphasis mine.




Is this why he wasn't indicted improper disclosure? Was he given authorization to do so (by Cheney of course)?

Is this the information Fitzgerald is trying to elicit from him? Otherwise why put this in the indictment, he isn't charged with improper disclosure.

earlier today - that Rove is about stealing elections, Libby was about Treason and Illegal War. Fitz got the right guy.

Daddy Bush wants the neocons cleaned out.
Besides if we get one indictment the rest start to crawl out of the bushes

Yeah baby!

I think this is an important article.

Thank you, Steve Gilliard!

I mean doesn't everyone think that at the end of his term (unless of course, hope of all hopes he finds his term ending sooner than expected) that he'll pardon Libby? And don't you all think lawyer or no he'll find some consulting job with, oh, i don't know, maybe Halliburton or something that pays 100 times more than any of us for getting back up to his old tricks? Aren't there formerly prosecuted/suspected criminals in the administration today? (Negroponte, Abrams(?), etc)
not trying to be a downer i swear....

personally i think we should all write to every pundit and rep. we've got to make sure the root of this all is pulled...

i'm willing to advocate taking to the streets to make sure the investigation goes further...
we'll see
meantime i'll hope for peace and justice to come soon...

I don't know what the federal sentencing guidelines are but they are where we need to look for the answer

is the term used when all counts are served at the same time... i believe the obstruction charge has a max of ten years, so i think in the end that's "what he'll get"... i ain't no lawyer though... so if someone wants to pipe in and correct me that's fine...

That adds up to about 30 and is what the media is talking about.

I don't know if the sentencing guidelines recommend consecutive or not.

Have you ever sat in a jail for even one day? Even just three years is a long time for a man use to the finer things in life. Besides it's not just the jail time. Libby's life is ruined. As of yesterday, the WH told everyone on staff not to talk to Libby anymore. Libby is now radioactive.

The big question now is can Fitzgerald get the neocons to turn on each other. From the sounds of it, he has turned at least one or two. He's got them by the balls and now is the time for another little twist. It will be interesting to see what apples fall out of the tree this time.

Hmmm, maybe i shouldn't answer that question... suffice to say that a "regular" jail and it's atmosphere is nightmarish. But i've seen footage and heard stories about federal prison (white collar) detention centers that, granted are no country clubs, can be modified to the tastes of important individuals... re. mobster, S & L scandal perps, and other well connected folk. Of course Libby is radioactive right now, let's hope that 6 mos., ayear from now, people are still paying attention... only the veils of time and circumstance will tell.
I hope he squeals, but whether it's cuz he's the squeamish JudyM type, i don't think we'll ever know..

One indictment, 5 counts, equal one GOOD turn! Lots of cards left in the deck.


:kick:

Here's my own thoughts, ties in somewhat:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=104x5211547

We got a crack in the neo-cons. We got one down. He resigned. He's Cheney's right hand man! How close can we get? Yeah I want the world and I want it now too (plus Rove) but Libby is the key to Cheney which is the key to the whole evil cabal-and lies we only think we know that may yet be proved to the entire country. (faked documents for starters)

Rove is the chimp's #1 man. So who would you rather be indicted?

Bush's assistant too. Check out Josh Marshall on this.

gotta luv it! K&R

The word came into English from Old French contumelie, which in turn derives from Latin contumelia. That seems most likely to be a combination of con-, with, plus tumere, to swell. The link is that the swelling up was with misplaced or ill-judged pride, leading to arrogant behaviour.


edit for definition

I know, it sounds like it should be "chomping," but the correct usage of this rather archaic turn of phrase is "champing." Common error, unfortunately.

Good article and is right on the mark in my opinion.

in the works.

By the time Fitzgerald is finished with Rove, KKKarl is going to wish he'd finished that degree.

Once congress has the power to outnumber Bush's lock stepping drones in the House and the Senate, the chase would be on. Stealing elections might be a good place to start turning over some stones. Karl had to have at least been involved, in a conspiracy to commit war for political reasons. Karl will probably get busted for something yet, IMO.

If enough GOPers in congress would become afraid of Bush's coattails, enough to agree to some serious investigations into many other shady deals, besides the CIA outing, they may impeach Bush. We sure don't want Cheney to be president, if Bush gets busted for his high crimes and misdemeanors. If Fitz nails Cheney's crew, then he's done his share for sure.

There are a record number of political and legal storms, brewing in the White House this year, just as there has been record numbers of storms in the Gulf Coast states. And the political and legal storms surrounding Bushco Inc. may also cause some "RECORD DAMAGE" to the ENTIRE GOP. Bush might be the very first US president to end up in jail, before all is said and done.

Lord knows that we need some house cleaning and it looks more and more like, the trickle down misery Bush has created, might trickle down enough to wash all the dirt and sludge out of the US House and Senate too.

It's the neocon agenda Bush has pushed all the way. Bush and Rove did as much to, "SELL THE WAR" as the rest of his crew did. Bush lied to the entire country in his State of the Union speech in 3000. Powell lied to the UN and knew he was lying when he did it. It's time the faith based fakes in the White House finally learned what you and I learned as children. "Lying can get you into even bigger trouble, when you get your lies mixed up."

I think Wilson will be satisfied when this investigation is completed; he'll have his man.

The families of 2,000 servicepeople should read your post. It would change a lot of the minds of those who still support these crooks.