*** New Thread at Firedoglake.com- Libby Live: Jill Abramson

Just a reminder of some of the background here. When Fitz subpoenaed Judy and Cooper, he also subpoenaed their employers. Time eventually handed over Cooper's emails. But NYT said they had nothing. So whatever Abramson says today, she is going to say there was no documentation from this purported Judy Miller meeting. Who knows, though, whether we'll finally get a description of what status Judy was in July 2003, when she couldn't serve as a cut-out for Libby's leak of Plame's identity. Remember, they had a big knock down discussion to get to Judy's severance agreement, so Abramson may not be able to explain that in detail.
Here goes. I'm not entirely sure that Abramson is first (the NYT folks don't know either).

Walton sounds sick—a bad cold or flu or something.

Walton: Addresses issue of whether Fitz can introduce Plame's CPD status.

Fitz: Sorry for your apparent cold. I apologize for failing to bring this to your attention yesterday. First, your honor had ruled that way at the prior CIPA proceeding. Your honor had clearly indicated

Walton as it relates to this witness?

Fitz Yes. February 5 at page 21. The court said, if the govt is going into rebuttal. It's only fair for the govt to bring that out. Then your honor said is the govt prepared to stipulate that she was not in WINPAC to introduce this.

Walton How was the issue presented to me?

Fitz I said she understood the term bureau meant nonproliferation.

Walton Did she say that the word he used was bureau and she construed that?

Fitz The only discussion is in the record here. She understood this. I would point out additionally, we understood, throughout the case, that unless the Defense did something, we couldn't introduce her status. But if they did, we would have put up a witness to explain that she was CPD, both for Judy and for Fleischer. If it's off the table that we can talk about her status, I think it's perfectly appropriate to say she doesn't work at WINPAC but at CPD. The protection that we not discuss Plame's employment was a shield, and now it's being used as a sword.

Walton Maybe you're right in the broader context. If he did tell other people that she worked at CPD, Mr Libby did provide info on where she worked. From a broader perspective I might agree with you.

One more note: in (dis)honor of John Hannah's bellicose statements of late, I will not follow my normal practice of referring to witnesses by their initials. Instead, I will refer to him as "The Year of Iran."

Cline up, C and The Year of Iran

The Year of Iran: John Hannah, I work at OVP, currently VP's NSA. Advising VP on all matters concerning national security, foreign policy, writing an awful lot of memos for him.

C When begin duties as NSA

The Year of Iran End of October 2005. Mr Libby preceded.

C When Libby had position as NSA, did you work with him

The Year of Iran Very closely

C What was your position

The Year of Iran I served as Mr Libby's principal deputy for Nat Security Affairs, prior to that responsibility for Middle East.

C Describe duties then

The Year of Iran Trying to keep Mr. Libby and through him VP informed on all matters relating to foreign policy in ME

C Can you give us sense, unclassified level, on those issues

The Year of Iran Iraq, Iran, palestinian, Saudi Arabia, AQ My responsibilities touched on all those areas.

C Other deputies

The Year of Iran He certainly had a principal deputy, Eric Edelman, two other, one responsible for Asia, one responsible for strategic planning.

C All reported to Libby, each had particular areas of responsibility, Libby responsible for all those areas. You mentioned Edelman. Do you recall that Edelman left on June 6, 2003

The Year of Iran Don't recall exact date, but that time frame.

One more note: in (dis)honor of John Hannah's bellicose statements of late, I will not follow my normal practice of referring to witnesses by their initials. Instead, I will refer to him as "TYOI."

Now on Al Qaeda.

TYOI, trying to prevent another 9/11 on American homeland.

C During this period Libby was concerned with threatened attacks on US interests by AQ and other terrorist groups. During June-July, Libby sought to prevent terrorist groups, incl AQ, from carrying out attacks.

TYOI I'd qualify it, I'm not sure how much my own knowledge goes to time frame. It was a very intense focus from 9/11 on.

C I don't mean to exclude other periods.

C Libby trying to prevent terrorist attacks. Concerned that AQ trying to attack US with WMD.

C Concerned that AQ trying to get anthrax, trying to inflict mass casualities

TYOI A continuous concern.

C Talking about these issues, Libby dealt with. That concern manifested day to day?

TYOI Yes. My involvement in specific AQ WMD attacks on homeland was episodic, often as observer, but intensity and regularity of his involvement in those issues very high and very continuous. He was a leader in US govt in all the issues I was concerned with.

11:47

C Libby also had responsibilities in domestic arena.

TYOI Correct.

Fitz up!!!!

Fitz: Scope of COS as you understood it. Part of it was to protect OVP and VP from public criticism.

TYOI It's not the formulation I would use, Need to go out and truthfully defend office from unfair criticism.

Fitz Especially important if it was directed at integrity of VP or OVP, and integrity of Admin, OVP, VP, in terms of Iraq.

TYOI It would be important pushback, yes.

F Best time to see Libby was evening, particularly if you focus July 6. Fair to say during that week, if you said tomorrow morning take an hour or two to go out for coffee, he wouldn't take that time.

TYOI It would be harder.

F If he gave someone an hour or two, it was something Libby thought important.

TYOI WRT me, yes.



F We talked before about these documents. You have no actual knowledge whether these were read by Libby and if so read by Libby

TYOI I don't know that

F If we focus on that time frame, following June 9, Libby asked you to focus on researching what it was OVP knew about a trip by former Amb to Niger. You went and canvassed people about the trip, people didn't know about it prior to that time.

TYOI Nobody had seen a report, nobody was aware of report.

F You came across a report not written by but about Wilson's trip. You brought this to Libby. When you brought it to Libby. When you went to describe contents of report, Libby already knew what was in the report. Your recollection, by the time you got an answer, he had found answers somewhere else. At time you discussed the report, one of the things foremost was content of report, where it discussed 1999 trip by trade delegation to Niger.

TYOI That caught people's attention.

F When you went to discuss this report, Libby was discussing with you contents of report that focused on 1999 trip. Early June

TYOI Second week of June

F What was important to VP was important to Libby

TYOI Yes.

Cline Report didn't say anything about Wilson's wife.

TYOI No.

Juror questions.

9:58

Hey I was right!! It is Jill Abramson (I'll use J and JA)]

JA I work at NYT, I'm managing editor. I worked for many years in Washington, EdInChief of Legal times, almost a decade at WSJ as reporter and editor,

J In addition to being Mg Editor, do you teach journalism

JA Once a week seminar at Yale

J July 2003 were you working at NYT, duties?

JA Washington bureau chief. Supervise bureau of reporters and editors about 50 journalists.

J Did you have "working relationship" with Judith Miller

JA I did, I was not her main editor, she did not report out of the bureau

J In July 2003, were you working with Ms Miller on a story

JA She was doing companion piece to larger investigative effort by bureau reporters on flaws in pre-war intell, and Judy Miller was working on companion piece on fruitless search in Iraq. I was editing that.

J Recall that July 6 NYT carried op-ed by Wilson? Did that article cause something of a stir.

JA It caused a stir, in the ensuing week we had reporters chasing that story.

J Did Judith Miller come to you to recommend NYT pursue story.

JA I have no recollection of such a conversation.

Bonamici In your dealings with Ms Miller, did you sometimes find your self tuning out of conversations.

JA It's possible that I occasionally tune her out.

Witness dismissed.

Laughs all around in the media room.

There's a rumored snowstorm hitting DC, so much of the Federal government is shutting down. Apparently, they're going to let the jury go home. But we're going to stay here and let Wells and Fitz wrestle out the CIA breifer testimony.
Walton: I wanted to get the jury out of here, the Federal government has shut down. Then we can go over any legal issues so we don't have any delays tomorrow. I assume that we're not going to need the jury on Thursday.

Wells: Prior to lunch I indicated to the court that I would be making recommendations to Libby wrt the progress of his case. Over the lunch hour Mr Jeffress and I advised Cheney's lawyer. If we had called he would have been available on Thursday. We have released the VP as a witness. Jeffress and I recommended to Libby that subject to putting on the briefers and some documentary evidence, he should rest following that. After consulting with us and his wife, he indicated he would follow this advice.

Walton: asks how long it will take–wants to bring the jury in late.

Cline: Briefers no more than 15-20 minutes each, possibly less.

Wells; Certain readings, stipulations, newspaper articles, I wish to play a certain tapes to the jury to show that Russert gave in accurate testimony to the jury when he testified. If we get the legal arguments out of the way, in terms of what we have to do, it can be done in less than a half an hour–assume an hour and a half.

Walton, my inclination is to bring them in at 1:30.

2:43

Walton Closing arguments on Tuesday.

Walton I believe I do have an obligation to inquire of Mr Libby about not testifying. I'm sure you understand that you the absolute to testify in your defense. Is it your decision not to testify in this trial.

Libby Yessir.

Fitz I think your honor said we'd submit something.

Walton If there are any modifications get them to me by tomorrow morning. We may be able to finish those discussions tomorrow. In any event, we won't do those arguments until Tuesday.

Fitz In terms of scheduling? Um. I'll tell you later.