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Did Bush Order a Media Blackout on RoveGate?

By Jeralyn, Section Valerie Plame Leak Case
Posted on Thu Oct 27, 2005 at 05:53:00 PM EST
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We all know that Fitzgerald is a secretive guy, and it's to his credit that leaks haven't been coming from him or his office.

But has anybody noticed there has been no news and no leaks from anyone since yesterday -- actually since Tuesday. The only reporting in the media has been speculation on Fitzgerald's timeline and plan.

Given how the lawyers for those most likely to be indicted have used the media to spin throughout this investigation, I suspect there is a covert plan in place by the Administration that silenced everyone, so there could be a choreographed response tomorrow.

If Bush or Cheney didn't impose a silence order with some serious repurcussions attached for those who broke it, there would have been statements galore today by lawyers for those about to be indicted. They would have announced their clients have decided to fight the unwarranted charges that will be filed against them. They would have prepared the public for the specter of their clients being brought into federal court as defendants. If they had turned down Fitzgerald's plea offers, they wouldn't care a whit what he thought about them talking. Their PR machines would be out in full force.

I don't buy for one minute that Karl Rove was still unaware as of yesterday if he would be indicted. Today was the last day to make a plea agreement, and he and his lawyer are not out there making any statements. I think they have been silenced.

It is almost scary that no one in the media, even those who routinely break news and have double-secret sources, has been able to learn if Karl Rove or Lewis Libby have plea deals. It's as if Bush and Cheney have shut down the media.

Update: UPI reporter Richard Sale blogs that Rove has turned down a plea deal and the source the leak of Valerie Plame's identity to Lewis Libby was not Dick Cheney. Sale says it was a call from Bolton's office at the State Department - probably David Wurmser or Fred Fleitz. Flietz is on leave from the State Department. I don't know how much to credit this. Yesterday, Sale blogged:

An hour ago I was contacted by a U.S. government official close to the Fitzgerald case. This person told me that there WILL be indictments announced later this afternoon, and the Special Prosecutor will hold a press conference tomorrow.

He never came back on the blog to explain how he got that wrong. Even more troubling, although Washington Note has acknowledged it was wrong about its report that Fitzgerald re-upped his office lease, Sale repeats it today.

But, Sale is a seasoned reporter who has broken big stories before in this case, most notably, his Feb. 5, 2004 article naming John Hannah as a suspect.

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    Did Bush Order a Media Blackout on RoveGate? | 8 comments (8 topical)
    Re: Did Bush Order a Media Blackout on RoveGate? (none / 0) (#1)
    by squeaky on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:05:28 PM EST
    Most likely because of the Patriot act Rootin' out tootin' varmits provision, where Rove et al get to take control of the press. We are at wars you know.

    Re: Did Bush Order a Media Blackout on RoveGate? (none / 0) (#2)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:05:28 PM EST
    If Bush or Cheney didn't impose a silence order with some serious repurcussions attached for those who broke it, there would have been statements galore today by lawyers for those about to be indicted. But what if their clients HAVE accepted plea bargains? Would they be making noise then, or waiting quietly for Fitzgerald to seal the deals?

    Re: Did Bush Order a Media Blackout on RoveGate? (none / 0) (#3)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:05:28 PM EST
    I think there has to be at least one holdout. I just don't think Fitzgerald would have offered probation-eligible deals to all of them. The only way I see Rove as getting a pass on jail is if he handed Fitz a case against Cheney. Come to think of it, maybe he did. Maybe that's the reason for the news blackout.

    Re: Did Bush Order a Media Blackout on RoveGate? (none / 0) (#4)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:05:28 PM EST
    Where does Bolton fit into all this. Why did he visit Miller? I suppose it would be too much to ask that there is an envelope for him.

    Re: Did Bush Order a Media Blackout on RoveGate? (none / 0) (#5)
    by Edger on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:05:28 PM EST
    ...if he handed Fitz a case against Cheney. Now that would be Fitzmas!

    Re: Did Bush Order a Media Blackout on RoveGate? (none / 0) (#6)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:05:28 PM EST
    Or... We don't know what's going on yet, because nothing's happened yet.

    Re: Did Bush Order a Media Blackout on RoveGate? (none / 0) (#7)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:05:28 PM EST
    Is it plausible to believe that so many high powered Washington criminal attorneys would take orders from Dubya to shut up? These guys probably think they have an ethical obligation to spin...

    Re: Did Bush Order a Media Blackout on RoveGate? (none / 0) (#8)
    by chemoelectric on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:05:28 PM EST
    I don't find anything strange about the relative quiet. Nothing happening is worth making a noise over. Chatty lawyers would just be irritating. Also people distracted themselves Thursday with the Miers withdrawal, which was really a gift to everyone, so they could preoccupy themselves while waiting for the big events coming.

    Did Bush Order a Media Blackout on RoveGate? | 8 comments (8 topical)