Newsmax: Patrick Fitzgerald Quickly Asked for Wider Probe

[longship]

A little over a month after he was appointed as special counsel in charge of the Leakgate investigation, Patrick Fitzgerald asked Deputy Attorney General James Comey for the authority to expand his investigation beyond the original allegations that the White House had illegally leaked the identity of CIA employee Valerie Plame.

In a February 6, 2004 letter posted to Fitzgerald's official web site, Mr. Comey acknowledged Fitzgerald's request to broaden his probe into the areas that now seem most likely to yield indictments of senior White House officials.

<snip>

The brief five week period between Fitzgerald's appointment as special counsel and his request to widen the Leakgate investigation raises questions about whether he concluded early on that White House officials had broken no laws in leaking Plame's identity - the original crime Fitzgerald was charged with investigating.

Am I the only one who has a problem with the NewsMax conclusion that an early expansion of the investigation should be interpreted that no crime had been committed in the leaking of Plame's identity?

To me, it means that Fitz realized early on that a larger conspiracy was evident.

www.newsmax.com/archives/ic/2005/10/24/132317.shtml

[tridim]

1. It's Newsmax, what did you expect?

Reasoned logic?

[rosesaylavee]

2. It sounds like he found a veritable mares nest of

criminal activity. You are right. NewsMax is spitting talking points apparently.

[emulatorloo]

3. Fitz turned over the rock and found a bunch of worms

and Newsmax can't handle the truth

[AndyTiedye]

7. Fitz Was Expecting a Bunch of Worms, He Found

[Lancer]

4. Couldn't have said it better, longship:

To me, it means that Fitz realized early on that a larger conspiracy was evident.

[teach1st]

5. From Media Matters...

http://mediamatters.org/items/200510240012

Citing a February 6, 2004, letter from then-acting Attorney General James B. Comey, recent news stories have falsely reported that special prosecutor Patrick J. Fitzgerald asked for and received "expand" authority to investigate crimes, such as perjury and obstruction of justice, that may have arisen during the investigation into whether senior White House officials illegally outed CIA agent Valerie Plame. In fact, Comey's letter did not grant new authority to Fitzgerald; it provided clarification that Fitzgerald had the authority to pursue those crimes from the time he was initially appointed to investigate the case on December 30, 2003. The distinction is critical in light of the concerted effort on the part of White House allies to minimize the impact of any charges that are brought against Bush administration officials by depicting Fitzgerald as overzealous and by falsely suggesting that he might be exceeding his original mandate. His investigative and prosecutorial authority is, and always has been, plenary, as the Comey letter made clear.

[Mountainman]

6. Getting news from Newsmax is like asking a freeper for the story.

Newsmax is not news. It's propaganda.

[caduceus111]

8. Conspiracy

You hit the nail on the head.

The mainstream press is only parroting what the attorneys are spouting, which is that "perjury and obstruction of justice" are going to be the charges. Just listen to the pugs talking points about it.

I'm gonna be laughing my head off when these guys get hit with CONSPIRACY charges, as well as other charges that go far beyond perjury, lying to federal officials, and obstruction.

I'm convinced it's gonna be MUCH bigger than just the coverup felonies.

Fitz realized that people were trying to hide their activities early on in the investigation, hence the specific request for a broader investigation. Those charges aren't the MEAT, just the condiments.

=caduceus=