Criticism of Miller Could Complicate Case Against Libby

[hang a left]

Criticism of Miller Could Complicate Case Against Libby


WASHINGTON - A recent barrage of attacks on the credibility of a New York Times reporter, Judith Miller, could affect a prosecutor's decision about whether to bring indictments of White House officials in an investigation of the leak of a CIA operative's identity, according to legal analysts.

Attorneys closely following the case said the sharp criticism Ms. Miller has received from her editors and colleagues may discourage the prosecutor, Patrick Fitzgerald, from bringing perjury charges against Vice President Cheney's chief of staff, I. Lewis Libby.

According to Ms. Miller and others who have testified before the grand jury investigating the leak, Mr. Fitzgerald has shown significant interest in whether Mr. Libby or other White House officials testified truthfully about their involvement in an alleged effort to discredit a vocal critic of President Bush, Joseph Wilson IV, by disclosing that his wife is a CIA employee.

The prosecutor's intense interest in Mr. Libby may be related to an alleged discrepancy about how he came to learn that Mr. Wilson's wife worked at the CIA. Mr. Libby has reportedly testified that he learned of the link from journalists, but the Times reported on its Web site last night that the White House aide's own notes - obtained by Mr. Fitzgerald - indicate that Mr. Libby learned of the connection from Mr. Cheney on June 12, 2005, more than a month before the CIA operative's name appeared in the press.

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http://www.nysun.com/article/21975

[punpirate]

1. More wishful thinking from a Murdoch tabloid...

... and to not much effect. Libby is hog-tied and fuuuuuuuuuucked up because he lied in testimony. At the very least, Fitzgerald has him on perjury, probably obstruction of justice, and maybe on the original charges of outing an agent.

What the Times says about their own reporter has not a damned thing to do about it.

Nice try, Rupert. Not only did it not fly at all well, it just crashed. :P

[IndianaGreen]

2. This has nothing to do with anything

if nothing else, one could argue that Miller has been protecting Cheney all along and that it was Cheney who first told Judy about Valerie Plame.

[pacalo]

3. That's a good point about Miller's loss of credibility.

Regardless of her use as a witness, I doubt that Libby will get off the hook so easily. Fitzgerald may have other witnesses against Libby; no one outside the grand jury room knows.

[Garbo 2004]

4. Uninformed speculation from "attorneys following the case." Here's

another way to look at it. Miller's credibility as far as her testimony re: Libby might be strengthened by the fact she spent time in jail to avoid talking and that she neglected to mention her June meeting with Libby in which he told her about Wilson's wife and place of employment and failed to disclose related notes that had previously been subpoenaed.

She only testified about it after Fitz nailed her on it. While that doesn't mean Ms Judy is a paragon of virtue or candor, it does add credence to her second round of testimony re: Libby since she had to have the info squeezed out of her. A reluctant witness for the prosecution.

And as noted by an attorney who knows Fitzgerald, it's likely he's not relying solely on Miller's testimony. Apparently if I recall, reportedly Libby also neglected to mention his June meeting with Miller? oops.

[salin]

5. odd... as logic would suggest just the opposite

her loss of credibility is tied to her acting more as an administration, pro-war mouth piece - the Libby story, the "Flame" notes, the agreement to refer to him in an intentionally deceptive way to readers ("former capitol hill staffer") fits with this story - that she is one Libby would go to in order to get their story "out" - and do so because she was no longer objective as a reporter - but had proven herself willing to print what ever story they were pushing.

[Demeter]

6. I Hope Judith Miller Gets Indicted, Too.

She worked hard for this distinction, she earned it.