Bad taste in my mouth....

[garybeck]

I feel like I was on the Price is Right and I just got handed one of those "consolation prizes" that they talk about at the end of the show. If I had won, I would have a trip to Bermuda. But instead I got a free game from Parker Brothers and a box of candies.



One guy I never heard of 2 years ago is going to jail.

The real folks who lied about the war and outed a CIA agent are whistling dixie.

Fitz is going home. He's done. The investigation is over.


I just don't get it, why this the end. There is so much evidence out there now, already given under oath. Libby admitted that Cheney was the one who first told him about Plame. And many others testified that there was a conspiracy to get the information out. We all know that now. But no one cares? We're all supposed to go home and be glad about this?

The real people who committed this horrible crime which exposed our undercover operations, and put many people in harm's way, not to mention, this was part of the bigger project to sell the war on lies, they are all walking.

Many are praising Fitzgerald. I'm lukewarm. He should have indicted more people.

OK, let the flames fly. I suppose many are going to jump on me for not being a Fitzgerald cheerleader and not rejoicing that there was a conviction. I am happy that there was a conviction but when I read the press conference and Fitz said the investigation is over, i got nauseous.

They can take these consolation prizes and shove them you know where... I wanted door number 1.

[Horse with no Name]

1. Is isn't over

It is just "inactive" which means that if they get more information, it will become active.
I'm holding out hope for this.

[garybeck]

4. They're not going to indict Cheney with an "inactive" investigation.

all the testimony is right there, just begging for someone to make an indictment. But they need something more than an "inactive" investigation.

[radfringe]

13. door is still open

during closing arguments - Fitz said (paraphrased) There's a cloud over the Vice-President's office and the White House because of Libby's obstruction/perjury

this says to me that there's wiggle room for Libby to work out a deal, i.e. tell the truth - which would then reinvigorate the investigation

[jackstraw45]

2. Congress NEEDS to investigage. Fitz needs EVIDENCE.

If the Dems in congress do their JOBS, like during Watergate, evidence can be found and crimes punished. I think the baton has been passed to Congress to provide more evidence that will result in convictions.

[NNN0LHI]

3. Thats cause you don't appreciate the seriousness of having convicted criminals working in the WH n/t

[garybeck]

8. OK, then explain it to me.

What exactly has changed? There are no convicted criminals in the WH. Libby resigned. What else has changed?

[Quakerfriend]

5. Once Libby's sentence is determined and the probability of a

pardon becomes clearer, things may shift in a big way. Let's hope so!

[RaleighNCDUer]

6. Don't be so sure there's nothing more to come.

Doesn't this perjury conviction open Cheney and/or Rove up to more serious charges about the leaking of Plame's covert status?

Perhaps "the investigation is over" means simply that - they have all they need. New indictments may yet be forthcoming.

[garybeck]

9. Fitz said there are no more indictments. n/t

[pampango]

17. We can dream about more indictments, but...

the jury didn't even rule on whether there was any underlying crime of outing a covert CIA agent.

Maybe Libby will squeal. I just wish the jury had had a reason to rule on her covert status and whether she was intentionally outed, not just that Libby committed felonies during the subsequent investigation.

[jobycom]

7. It's up to Congress to prove something, now. What we have at this point

is someone convicted of lying to cover up a crime for which no one has been convicted. Fiztgerald has done all he can, and has said ha can't do more unless some new evidence comes along.

As for Libby admitting Cheney told him Plame's identity, if I understand it properly, that wouldn't be a crime, since Libby also had the appropriate clearance. It would only be a crime if Cheney ordered Libby to leak the info, or knew that Libby was going to leak it, or some such thing. I think.

Our new Democratic Congress should grab the keys and take their new rod out for a spin.

[Norquist Nemesis]

10. Well, don't forget about the Wilson/Plame suit

More may be revealed.

[Missy Vixen]

11. Wow! It took less than two hours!

>Many are praising Fitzgerald. I'm lukewarm. He should have indicted more people.<

What he said is that the investigation is "inactive". If additional information comes forward, they will act accordingly.

He has left a trail of bread crumbs the size of baguettes all the way to the doors of Congress. It is now UP TO THEM. THEY have to investigate, bring forth articles of impeachment.

I am so tired of explaining this over, and over, and over. If Libby finally decides to talk, we may see the whole shooting match. If he goes to jail instead of talking, Congress are the only ones that can get any kind of justice.

Julie
president for life of the PFEB

[garybeck]

15. that's just your opinion.

many people, including John Turley, a Constitutional expert, said he was very surprised that more people weren't indicted. I agree with him.

[Missy Vixen]

19. Oh, yeah

Garybeck, just a question -- how long have you been following the CIA leak case? EVERY last analysis I have read said the same thing -- it's time for Congress to act now.

Face it. If he'd gotten indictments and convictions on every member of the Bush administration, it wouldn't be good enough, would it?

Julie

[garybeck]

20. since it began. n/t

[Missy Vixen]

21. Obviously, if you'd been following the case from the beginning,

you would know that to charge the original crimes was to have the case graymailed out of court before the ink even dried on the filing paperwork. To gain even a conviction on the narrowly drawn indictments is a miracle, considering the two-and-a-half month CIPA battles in Judge Walton's courtroom -- which all went for naught after Wells went back on his word to call Cheney and Libby to testify.

The insistence that Libby's conviction just "isn't good enough" and Patrick Fitzgerald "didn't try hard enough" is laughable. Mr. Fitzgerald has left a trail of bread crumbs the size of baguettes to the evidence he holds, to the crimes themselves. The only way any of us will get satisfaction over what happened to Valerie Plame is to have CONGRESS investigate. This is what he is asking them to do. He can't make it clearer -- this will have Constitutional ramification. It is THEIR job.

Does he have to get down on his knees and beg?

Julie

[Ganja Ninja]

12. It's not over by a long shot.

This is going to drag on for years with the civil trial and congressional investigations. This is only an appetizer. Desert is still years away.

[pinto]

14. Fitzgerald's comments on prosecutor's role, decision on charges, etc:

A transcript (paraphrased somewhat) of his post verdict comments/press conference are here:

http://www.firedoglake.com/2007/03/06/fitzgerald-post-trial-press-conference/

(aside) I see your point, but Fitzgerald played it by the book as a prosecutor. His comments, in that light, seem reasonable.

[The Straight Story]

16. Maybe because I ate really spicy food last night

:evilgrin:

Seriously though - yeah, I am glad one goon is down, but it is like busting a pot dealer who sold to two people while the big dealers who supplied him walk and smirk.

[IWantAChange]

18. The American public was given a long look at Cheney's complicity in this.....

it's going to matter in the long run. Congressional oversight is starting to build some momentum - let's be a bit more patient and see what develops.