CIA leak probe 'widening to include use of intelligence'

[hang a left]

CIA leak probe 'widening to include use of intelligence'
By Caroline Daniel and Edward Alden in Washington
Published: October 17 2005 21:39 | Last updated: October 17 2005 21:39

Enter Description for image here!Evidence is building that the probe conducted by Patrick Fitzgerald, special prosecutor, has extended beyond the leaking of a covert CIA agent's name to include questioning about the administration's handling of pre-Iraq war intelligence.

According to the Democratic National Committee, a majority of the nine members of the White House Iraq Group have been questioned by Mr Fitzgerald. The team, which included senior national security officials, was created in August 2002 to “educate the public” about the risk posed by weapons of mass destruction on Iraq.

Mr Fitzgerald, who has been applauded for conducting a leak-free inquiry, has said little publicly about his 22-month probe, other than that it is about the “potential retaliation against a whistleblower”, Joseph Wilson. After Mr Wilson, a former ambassador, went public with doubts about the evidence that Iraq was developing nuclear weapons, the name of his wife, Valerie Plame, a CIA official, was leaked to reporters.

The prosecutor has given no indication whether he will charge anyone in the case. At the weekend Judith Miller, the New York Times reporter jailed for 85 days after refusing to testify, provided new details about the scope of Mr Fitzgerald's investigation. She was asked “repeatedly” how Lewis “Scooter” Libby, chief of staff to Vice-President Dick Cheney, “handled classified information”.


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http://news.ft.com/cms/s/ff92e968-3f4b-11da-932f-00000e2511c8.html

[Roon]

1. Wow! eom

[Mike03]

2. Good

This would tend to confirm what many of us have suspected, or at least hoped for, and it comes from a very credible source, the Financial Times. God, I hope this is true. My hopes grow higher by the day...

[NVMojo]

3. And wasn't ms. judith one of those WMD educators??

[cassiepriam]

7. Exactly.

[AlCzervik]

12. and so was Mary Matalin, i'm pretty sure she was questioned as well

[burythehatchet]

35. I can just picture all of Georgie's angels in cell block W

Karen Hughes as the alpha female, of course. Oh of only Ann Coulter would volunteer to be the warden.

[Verve]

4. Great, if true! Yet, how do they know?

Are they privy to info the rest of us aren't?

"Mr Fitzgerald, who has been applauded for conducting a leak-free inquiry,"

[sendero]

5. It is possible...

... for insiders to leak unattributed stories about what is going on, without leaking any hard stuff like documents, transcripts etc.

There is really no way IMHO, humans being what they are, to have no information at all leak out.

Put me firmly in the "there will be indictments" camp. Fitz would not have let Miller go to jail had he not already been pretty sure there would be indictments, IMHO.

[berni_mccoy]

13. Additionally, Miller would not have gone to jail unless

she was hiding *something*.

[TheWraith]

51. Also, the gag rule applies to parties and jurors, but not to witnesses.

Those giving testimony aren't bound by confidentiality. If the people who were called spilled the beans about what they were asked, and the FT put it together, it wouldn't be a leak.

[cassiepriam]

9. Some are saying that Judy sang, maybe Libby too.

All their public talk is just a smokescreen, a cover.
I wonder if Fitz has set some traps.

[mzmolly]

6. JUSTICE may be served after all. And, at the hands of a "handpicked"

Republican at that.

[Im with Rosey]

23. I read a very interesting diary

at DKos this morning about the make-up of the *jury*, and the fact that the jury is what really matters in this situation. Most of the jurors are from the D.C. area, and most are Kerry voters. I don't know enough about Grand Juries to grasp the validity of the thought process in the diary, but most agreed about its importance.

[mzmolly]

24. Good to know. But I think FitzG deserves credit for his role in this as

well. I didn't realize they could find out who a person voted for on a jury?

[Im with Rosey]

36. I went back to see if I could find out more

in the diary, I didn't have alot of time, earlier,there was an interesting breakdown of voter info, it was something like 1% Nader, 90% Kerry. Sorry, don't remember others. The other point was that gj's can also do investigations themselves, the point being that they are reading all the same info we are, they(the comments) were amusing themselves about matbe they read DKos. In no way did I want to minimize the role of Fitz. I think it is clear he is running the program. My only point was that I find it interesting that they make-up of the jury is not one that I am sorry about!

[wryter2000]

37. Oh, man...

If this is true, I'm putting Fitzgerald in my Republican Heroes Hall of Fame. It's pretty lonely in there right now.

[mzmolly]

54. Ah yes, he'd probably be #2 then right?

;)

[wryter2000]

65. Maybe #3

Lincoln, Eisenhower, Fitzgerald.

[ShockediSay]

8. A Sun morning news show (ABC?) had several former special prosecutors

According to them there would be no 'report.' It was indictment or nothing.

[katty]

18. Amen to that

[bpilgrim]

10. phew

i was beginning to worry it was all just in my head...



peace

[petgoat]

29. What's with the toy hammer? They didn't trust him with a real one? n/t

[ClintonTyree]

40. Pretty funny, huh?

On KO's show last night they showed the fake cowboy/carpenter/president holding the hammer about one inch below the hammer head. He was hitting the nail "like a little girl" remarked KO. It was pretty funny. I doubt the nation's idiot has ever hammered a nail into a board in his life, it's just "not a bush thing" to do. :eyes: What a moron! :rofl:

[fearnobush]

44. May we all be touched by his noodley appendage.

<>

[AlCzervik]

11. oh wow!!! This is bigtime!!

[Truebrit71sbruv]

14. There you have it again...

... that use of "CIA" and "intelligence" in the same sentence.

Ye gods... from a European perspective... I hope they follow the trail all the way back to the source(s)... then lock him/them up in a recently rebuilt New Orleans Correctional facility and put him on permanent "Dropped-Soap-in-the-Shower" Duty.

[DoYouEverWonder]

26. We could even put you in charge

of running the prison. Sounds like you have some great ideas.

[Truebrit71sbruv]

61. is there an online...

...application form?

Ready and willing to sign up!

:evilgrin:

[many a good man]

49. Creative sentencing

They should give all these traitors a bar of soap and a toothbrush and lock them up in the SuperDome not to be let out until the place is sparkling.

[sofa king]

15. Oh, this could be big.

Take a look at the articles of impeachment drafted for Richard Nixon, particularly Article 1 section 6 and Article 2 section 3:

http://watergate.info/impeachment/impeachment-articles.shtml

"endeavouring to misuse the Central Intelligence Agency, an agency of the United States;" and

"He has, acting personally and through his subordinates and agents, in violation or disregard of the constitutional rights of citizens, authorized and permitted to be maintained a secret investigative unit within the office of the President, financed in part with money derived from campaign contributions, which unlawfully utilized the resources of the Central Intelligence Agency, engaged in covert and unlawful activities, and attempted to prejudice the constitutional right of an accused to a fair trial."

Others who know Watergate better than I will back me up on this, I think. The "manipulation of an intelligence agency" articles were considered by many to be the ones which would have sunk Nixon had he not resigned.

Something else to keep in the back of your mind. When George Tenet was testifying before the Senate on the failure of pre-war intelligence, I saw a single article which quoted him as saying the White House "manipulated" the CIA into delivering what the White House wanted to hear. I've never been able to find that report since, but I will not be surprised to see it come back some day soon.

[RaulGroom]

16. It's much bigger than big

This is the end of the whole mess. In two years we'll look back at this moment and remember what American politics was like before Pat Fitzgerald blew it completely apart.

Good riddance.

[Garbo 2004]

17. Nice, but unless I'm missing something, this is spin from DNC.

It's DNC spin/speculation on the WHIG's involvement in Fitz's inquiry into who was involved in the scheme to smear Wilson.

Naturally Fitz would go through the WHIGs during his investigation to see what role they played in attacking Wilson and blowing his wife's cover. That doesn't mean he would or even could get into the handling of prewar intel. As I understand it, that's way outside the scope of Fitz's charge as special prosecutor to investigate the Plame leak. The scope of his investigation is limited to the leak. He doesn't have independent prosecutor's Ken Starr's freedom to broaden the investigation.

I'd love for it to be true and be proven wrong on this, of course, but this article seems primarily based on political spin and speculation by the DNC and others rather than real news, much less "evidence" about Fitz's investigation.

[HereSince1628]

19. That's my read too, and I think it is a bad move for the DNC

for several reasons.

First no one really knows what is going on in the GJ.


Second, they place the credibility of the entire Democratic Party in jeopardy. What if Fitz' does nothing? Including providing no report of his activity?

Third, this gives the R's opportunity to claim the entire investigation is overzealousness supported by partisan voices in the community.

Fourth, because it falls back on the DNC it makes it look like anti-war Dean is pushing the anti-war agenda.

[Garbo 2004]

25. Besides all the other reasons, I think this approach may unrealistically

raise people's hopes about the potential breadth and outcome of the Plame investigation. Then if they "only" get indictments based on Plame leak, folks who were led to believe a wide ranging investigation was going on will feel screwed. (Unless that's the DNC's intentional tactic but it could backfire.) When in fact as far as I can tell the larger issues were from the beginning beyond the scope of Fitz's investigation.

[fearnobush]

47. I don't see any spin, only 1 reference made by the DNC, claiming

Fitz had brough 9 members of the Iraq group before the GJ.

"According to the Democratic National Committee, a majority of the nine members of the White House Iraq Group have been questioned by Mr Fitzgerald."

The existence of the WHIGS have been reported by just about all media for some time now.

[BikeWriter]

20. This is Hugh!!!!!11

[cascadiance]

31. Yup.. It will be hugh if it's Hugh!

[Independent_Liberal]

33. Are you series?

:D

[Demeter]

21. Cue the "Jaws" Music!

It's not safe for the Bush boys in the water anymore!

[MellowOne]

22. If true, it will be huge. n/t

[1932]

27. "a leak free investigation" -- yes, it's quite a contrast to Starr Chamber

that we endured during Clinton years.

There's probably a correlation between prosecutors leaking during investigation stage and the strength of evidence they're investigation. If the case has no legal merit, then the only mileage you can get is out of leaking to the media in order to destroy someone politically.

[Mountainman]

28. If there is criminality here does it extend to the talk show hosts who

repeatedly gave the WHIG's view of the Iraq WMD's? If they took orders from the WHIG to blast it's BS over the airwaves wouldn't that be criminal too? I would like to see all the wing nut talk show hosts who promoted the war in 2003 to go down too.

[natrat]

30. TREASON=jail

judith miller,sulzberger =jail
libby,rove=capital punishment
keep dreaming

[Triana]

32. Heard on NPR this afternoon...

...can't remember the guy who was being interviewed, but the guy thought there would be no indictments, and from Fitzgerald, no details as to why or as to what his findings or other decisions are in the case.

Of course, I hope the guy's wrong - Rover and Libby and Tricky Dick II (along with most of the rest of the bu$hco mob) ought to be locked up but I am not getting my hopes up for that.

[AussieDave]

34. Headline I'd like to see:

CIA leak probe results:

Indicted - Scooter Libby, Karl Rove, Vice-President Dick Cheney
Unindicted Co-Conspirator - President George W. Bush

Could it ultimately lead to this ??

[harlinnchi]

38. BTW, if 'use of intelligence' becomes the issue, how 'bout including...

...Sen. Pat Roberts who failed to complete the Phase II, or the Administration's Use Of Intelligence portion of the investigation into 9-11-01. After postponing it during the election he recently asserted that Phase II is on the back burner's

[fearnobush]

46. Excellent point. More attempts at political knifing of the CIA agent.

That report was so full of shit, the line about Wilson's wife sending him to Niger, it was a foot note written in at the 11th hr before no one had any time to read it.

[Lasher]

57. Phase II isn't even on the back burner.

Although Roberts initially said phase II would occur after the 2004 election, he said this year it would be "a waste of time". But when Democrats regain coltrol of the Senate, Rockefeller (D-of course) will assume chairmanship of the committee and phase II will ensue.

[are_we_united_yet]

39. HUGH! Very HUGH n/t

[Shine]

41. I only have one question....

Do you like yours buttered, or plain?

:popcorn:

[EVDebs]

42. Financial Time's Alan Friedman wrote book Spiders Web on WH/Iraq arms

http://www.namebase.org/books57.html

"Friedman, Alan. Spider's Web: The Secret History of How the White House Illegally Armed Iraq. New York: Bantam Books, 1993. 455 pages.
This is the story that Bill Clinton promised to investigate if he got elected, but now (January 1994) it appears that his handlers have other plans. It's about how the White House, with assistance from allies in London and Rome, violated the law in order to support Saddam Hussein. Then, following the invasion of Kuwait, George Bush compared him to Hitler, set up the American response, and he and Margaret Thatcher began covering up their past dealings. The story involves the Banca Nazionale del Lavoro (BNL), the Department of Agriculture's Commodity Credit Corporation, Iraq's nuclear procurement program, and the CIA and Carlos Cardoen (a Chilean arms dealer). Given this ten-year history, it was not unreasonable for Saddam Hussein to assume that U.S. ambassador April Glaspie was giving him the green light to invade Kuwait. And maybe she was; perhaps Bush thought he needed a quick-fix war to try out the Pentagon's new toys and crank up his popularity.

Alan Friedman is an American citizen who began covering Iraqgate while serving as the Milan correspondent for the Financial Times of London. His book includes 74 pages of reproduced bank and government documents, as well as extensive end notes."

Also, Amy Goodman's DemocracyNow! interview with Friedman

Wednesday, December 17th, 2003
Spider's Web: The Secret History of How the White House Illegally Armed Iraq
http://www.democracynow.org/article.pl?sid=03/12/17/1615235

can show light on the Plamegate scandal by showing that the WMD/precursorWMD materiel could only have come from .... US. Remember the HMX/RMX/PETN that came out just prior to the Nov '04, election ?

Tons of Iraq explosives missing
'Massive' facility also held large caches of artillery
Monday, October 25, 2004
http://www.cnn.com/2004/WORLD/meast/10/25/iraq.explosives/

Who's going to dig too deeply into the WMD's sources of origin ? And as Scott Ritter's new book shows, Iraq was destroying its WMDs. Any WMDs that would be found would have been US-sourced it seems. Why wouldn't Congress want to pick that scab ?

[Aviation Pro]

43. This is what happens when you eff....

...with the Central Intelligence Agency the way the Bush Crime Family has. All these turds are going to crowbar motel.

10 will get you 20 that former Director Bush had a hand in bringing down these bastards. (And behind closed doors he's disgusted with his idiot son).

[natrat]

45. yea i would like to think someone like that has integrity

but sadly i think not. And , sadly, i won't be too surprised if no indictments come down and the slog toward facism continues on schedule.

[are_we_united_yet]

48. Really folks

This is DU orgasm material here.

[The_Casual_Observer]

50. Are you as bored with this as I am?

Every week more speculation, every week more nothing. All the while, more money and lives are spent in Iraq for absolutely nothing but an Islamic takeover.

[Hardrada]

52. Yes, is there not a terminus ad quem

which will cause joy?

[DirtyDawg]

58. It may seem tedious...

...but if this guy's looking into this shit like we keep speculating that he is, it could lead to the thing that we all know is the only salvation this country has - getting these bastards the hell out of office now...sooner, if possible.

Our chances of turning the majorities in the House and Senate are pretty slim (and even then impeachment is no guarantee...and waiting for '08 probably would just result in another right winger in moderate's clothing.

Go Fitzgerald. Kick 'em in the gonads. Get 'em for tax evasion. Charge 'em with the deaths of 2,000 young men and women and 100,000 Iraqis. Anything. But get 'em.

[GOTV]

63. I've wondered if Fizgerald,...

... a Republican, is simply running out the clock.

A leak-free investigation could be an indication of an investigation which is discovering nothing that is leak worthy.

[savemefromdumbya]

53. No smoke without fire? WMD 'clearance'

Ms Miller seesm a little hazy on a lot of things>?

“The mission contained some highly classified elements and people, what we dubbed the ‘Secret Squirrels,’

"They turn in clusters, because their roots connect them."

seems a little clearer now?

http://rawstory.com/news/2005/Senior_Democrats_call_for_explanation_of_1017.html

[lovuian]

55. Theres procedures and protocols on handling secret documents

and people have to put their John Hancocks on those documents when seen. So it will be interesting to see who had their signature on that file???

[Beetwasher]

56. MUSIC TO MY EARS!!!!! This is What I Suspected and Was HOPING For!!!!!

It's the WHOLE ENCHILADA BABY!!!!!

Go Fitz GO!!!!! WOOOOOOOHOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!

[Stand and Fight]

59. Speculation. More speculation.

I'd like to hear some facts so we can fry all of these bastards.

[The Judged]

60. Searching for truth OR facilitating deception?

Projecting reality again?

I'll believe the "forthcoming" Libby, Rove, and Cheney indictments only when they are actually handed down by Fitzgerald.

Rather, I'll dare predict, here and now, that Fitzgerald has been forced to solicit vast testimony from a multitude of sources, that certain "rats" have put Fitzgerald in such a position of appearing genuinely interested in pursuing the truth, and that he is instead trying to find the least politically damaging way out of this scandal for those that are guilty.

Final prediction: Heart breaker for Democrats as the Special Prosecutor delivers crumbs where the order of the day was for a feast.

Leading into Election Day, another public bout of humiliation for the Democrats?

I hope I am wrong. <crawling back into the box>

[GOTV]

62. Conflicting leads?

What about all the other stories that hint that indictments could be handed down as soon as today?

Can the investigation be simultaneously widening and wrapping up?

Hopefully, if the investigation had widened, it widened quite some time ago and only recently have the hints of the widening leaked out.

If Fitzgerald thinks there's cause for it, can the investigation be extended?

[emald]

64. all this goddamned talk about

who might get an indictment is making me weary. No one knows what this GJ will do in the end. No one can predict the future. Here is the big factoid that is overlooked: IRAQ IS STILL HAPPENING, PEOPLE ARE STILL DYING FOR THIS IDIOTS DADDY ENVY WAR. While it would be great to see the monkey turd in prison for his lifelong crimes against humanity and country our country really needs to stop his illegal war. I mean really we will discuss to the nth degree who started what when but still bullets are flying and people are dying in Iraq for a madmans silly petulant actions. When will america wake up? STOP THE WAR. NOW.