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Report: Fitz Talked to Wilsons' Neighbors Today

By Jeralyn, Section Valerie Plame Leak Case
Posted on Tue Oct 25, 2005 at 05:47:51 PM EST
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The Los Angeles Times reports that Fitzgerald's team went out to interview neighbors of Joseph Wilson and Valerie Plame Wilson today to ascertain whether they knew she worked for the CIA.

CNN had more tonight (available on Lexis.com):

A neighbor of Valerie Plame has been interviewed by FBI agents for the second time. The agents asked Marc Lefkowitz on Monday night whether he knew about Plame's work at the CIA before her identity was leaked in a July 2003 column. Lefkowitz told agents he did not, according to his wife, Elise Lefkowitz. ...Lefkowitz said this is the second time FBI agents have asked whether the couple was aware of Plame's CIA work. She said the first interview took place several months ago.

FBI agents are looking into who leaked Plame's name to the press. Federal law makes it a crime to deliberately reveal the identity of a CIA operative, and special prosecutor Patrick Fitzgerald is heading a probe into the matter. (Posted 6:01 p.m.)

In an January 18 editorial in the Washington Post, Christopher Wolf, Ms. Plame's lawyer and a neighbor of the Wilsons, said even he didn't know she worked for the CIA before Novak's column.

The LA Times article also reports that Fitz was focused on Karl Rove today.

A deputy prosecutor called Rove's colleague this afternoon and interviewed him in depth about statements Rove may have made to reporters about the case, a lawyer familiar with the case said. "It appeared to me the prosecutor was trying to button up any holes that were remaining," the lawyer said.

< Paul Wellstone Remembered | Report: Fitzgerald Visited Rove's Lawyer Today >

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    Report: Fitz Talked to Wilsons' Neighbors Today | 8 comments (8 topical)
    Re: Report: Fitz Talked to Wilsons' Neighbors Toda (none / 0) (#1)
    by scarshapedstar on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:05:23 PM EST
    Clearly they're lying! Everyone knew it! /wingnut

    Re: Report: Fitz Talked to Wilsons' Neighbors Toda (none / 0) (#2)
    by squeaky on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:05:23 PM EST
    trying to button up any holes
    seems an understatement. To personally confirm the neighbors reports, already logged by the FBI, is over the top. What it says is less about Fitzgerald than his targets; he knows exactly how slippery they are.

    Re: Report: Fitz Talked to Wilsons' Neighbors Toda (none / 0) (#3)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:05:23 PM EST
    I think Fitz is making as much noise as possible. He's trying to flush someone out.

    Re: Report: Fitz Talked to Wilsons' Neighbors Toda (none / 0) (#4)
    by kipling on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:05:23 PM EST
    They're trying to pin it on the neighbours?!?!?

    Re: Report: Fitz Talked to Wilsons' Neighbors Toda (none / 0) (#5)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:05:23 PM EST
    Maybe it was the FBI and not Fitzgerald's office that was interviewing neighbors today. I saw the 'neighbor' in an interview and he said he'd lived near them for over 20 years and had no idea. They (FBI) probably talked to a few others too, the guy said. It sounded odd that his investigation would wait until now to do this but it would make sense that someone else would be checking now. Keeping the neighbors duped for so many years is a bad sign for all that ever worked with her in a covert status. Sad but true to form, it was spun as the SP grasping at straws in the 11th hour. Fitsgerald has been running multiple Grand Juries in more than one city and supervising a team of prosecuters. I find it hard to accept that he didn't send someone out before but maybe they were doublechecking.

    Re: Report: Fitz Talked to Wilsons' Neighbors Toda (none / 0) (#6)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:05:24 PM EST
    Yes, it was Fitz' team of FBI agents.

    Re: Report: Fitz Talked to Wilsons' Neighbors Toda (none / 0) (#7)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:05:24 PM EST
    Jeralyn (or any other criminal lawyers out there), Please correct me if I'm wrong, but it doesn't seem to me that any of these late-breaking interviews can yield evidence for this grand jury, as the product of these interviews would be naught but hearsay, unless the interviewees are brought before the GJ. If I'm right about this -- and these interviews were actually worth the candle -- doesn't it suggest the possibility that Fitz may empanel a new GJ?

    Re: Report: Fitz Talked to Wilsons' Neighbors Toda (none / 0) (#8)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:05:24 PM EST
    This appears to be due diligence, confirming the content of previous interviews. To his credit, Fitzgerald is a professional, methodical prosecutor; if he is intending to return indictments related to the leak, this would be important supporting evidence that Plame's status as a CIA Agent was unknown beforehand. Considering the nature of the case and the political environment surrounding it, the content of any indictments would be subject to great scrutiny, so this type of fact checking is merited.

    Report: Fitz Talked to Wilsons' Neighbors Today | 8 comments (8 topical)