Michael McMenamian, a media defense lawyer in Cleveland, sums up the case against Scooter Libby - or lack thereof.
The central element in the case against Libby—who at least got to see all the evidence against him—was not that he lied about leaking Plame’s name. After all, he was not the first nor the only Bush administration official to do so. Richard Armitage (who was the first), Karl Rove and former White House Press Secretary Ari Fleischer did so as well. Besides, Libby admitted leaking her name to several journalists, including Miller, Matt Cooper of Time and Glenn Kessler of The Washington Post.
No, the key count in the perjury case against Libby concerns from whom he first learned that Plame worked for the CIA. In fact, he first learned it from Vice President Cheney, as he later testified. But initially, he testified he learned it from NBC’s Tim Russert. So what’s the big deal? That’s perjury, Fitzgerald said, because Libby was afraid he committed a crime and attempted to cover up where he first learned her identity.
A crime, of course, which Fitzgerald knew had never been committed...
Russert at trial said it was “impossible” that he and Libby discussed Plame. Really? When the FBI first interviewed Russert, he told them he couldn’t completely rule out the possibility he discussed Plame with Libby because he didn’t take notes and he talks to so many people. Time’s Matt Cooper did take notes which indicate Libby might have told him that he was not even sure if Joe Wilson’s wife was with the CIA.
Via JustOneMinute.
What a load of piffle Fitzi did a justice for American democracy. The fact is Libby lied pure and simple
Posted by: Gerry | March 07, 2007 at 02:52 AM