Strategy of Indictment
So I just finished reading the indictment for Scooter Libby. If you're one of those who has bought the line Democrats are spreading about widespread corruption in the White House, plus the whole idea that it proves Joe Wilson's claim that there was no truth to the Iraq uranium story out of Niger, that's all completely bogus.
What actually happened is right there in the indictment. The original editorials sourced to Wilson, then later written by Wilson himself, caused Scooter and others in the White House to say, "What the heck is this all about, and who is this clown going around saying we sent him to Niger?"
So he found out, and along the way discovered that Wilson was sent by the CIA (not the White House) to see if he could corroborate reports that Saddam had tried to buy uranium from Niger. And he was sent at the recommendation of his wife, who worked in the CIA. And he lied about the mission, who sent him, what he found out, and how he delivered his report upon returning. How does that translate into Libby getting indicted for trying to get the truth out?
So Libby's being charged, not with purposely disclosing the name of a covert CIA agent, but with misleading the press and the FBI about it. Because, you see, Valerie Plame-Wilson, the CIA agent who got her husband the job in Niger, wasn't and isn't covert. So the entire premise of the original investigation turns out to be bogus.
From my reading of the indictment, it isn't completely clear whether Libby was even the original source of the information about Valerie's involvement. It suggests that he may have been. The indictment also can't state for a certainty that Libby knew whether or not her status was classified when he discussed her with reporters. What it does suggest is that Libby may have slipped the initial whisper about Mrs. Wilson to Judith Miller, then pretended to be hearing it for the first time when other reporters called as the story began to spread.
So, the guy may or may not have lied to reporters and the FBI. Or he may just have had a slip in memory about exactly what he said to whom and when. And that's what got him indicted. Again, lying is not good, assuming he lied on purpose. But it certainly is strange that Libby's about to face a firing squad for lying about who he told when about somebody who works for the CIA, when Wilson told a series of whoppers and nobody even seems to notice.
He has to resign. Big deal. Even if he's 100% guilty, the actual offense seems so minor as to not be worthy of more than a slap on the wrist. So he got the whole story started on Valerie Plame and the fact that she was responsible for sending her husband, an avowed enemy of the administration, on a mission that gave him an opportunity to try to discredit his hated presidency. So what? As far as I can see, his only mistake is in either trying to cover up his involvement in the story or in failing to take good notes to make sure he can be perfectly accurate when answering people's questions about the whole ordeal.
Everyone calm down and go home. There's no story here.
What actually happened is right there in the indictment. The original editorials sourced to Wilson, then later written by Wilson himself, caused Scooter and others in the White House to say, "What the heck is this all about, and who is this clown going around saying we sent him to Niger?"
So he found out, and along the way discovered that Wilson was sent by the CIA (not the White House) to see if he could corroborate reports that Saddam had tried to buy uranium from Niger. And he was sent at the recommendation of his wife, who worked in the CIA. And he lied about the mission, who sent him, what he found out, and how he delivered his report upon returning. How does that translate into Libby getting indicted for trying to get the truth out?
So Libby's being charged, not with purposely disclosing the name of a covert CIA agent, but with misleading the press and the FBI about it. Because, you see, Valerie Plame-Wilson, the CIA agent who got her husband the job in Niger, wasn't and isn't covert. So the entire premise of the original investigation turns out to be bogus.
From my reading of the indictment, it isn't completely clear whether Libby was even the original source of the information about Valerie's involvement. It suggests that he may have been. The indictment also can't state for a certainty that Libby knew whether or not her status was classified when he discussed her with reporters. What it does suggest is that Libby may have slipped the initial whisper about Mrs. Wilson to Judith Miller, then pretended to be hearing it for the first time when other reporters called as the story began to spread.
So, the guy may or may not have lied to reporters and the FBI. Or he may just have had a slip in memory about exactly what he said to whom and when. And that's what got him indicted. Again, lying is not good, assuming he lied on purpose. But it certainly is strange that Libby's about to face a firing squad for lying about who he told when about somebody who works for the CIA, when Wilson told a series of whoppers and nobody even seems to notice.
He has to resign. Big deal. Even if he's 100% guilty, the actual offense seems so minor as to not be worthy of more than a slap on the wrist. So he got the whole story started on Valerie Plame and the fact that she was responsible for sending her husband, an avowed enemy of the administration, on a mission that gave him an opportunity to try to discredit his hated presidency. So what? As far as I can see, his only mistake is in either trying to cover up his involvement in the story or in failing to take good notes to make sure he can be perfectly accurate when answering people's questions about the whole ordeal.
Everyone calm down and go home. There's no story here.
posted by Dan S. at 10:41 AM
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