Beware Congressional Immunity for Rove and Others
Senator Pat Roberts, chairman of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, announced that his commitee will be "reviewing" the criminal probe by special prosecutor Patrick Fitzgerald of the White House leak of the identities of covert CIA agents. If Roberts is serious and not just grandstanding, this may indicate that the White House is looking to give Fitzgerald's targets (Karl Rove, Lewis "Scooter" Libby, and others) congressional general immunity from prosecution in return for their testimony before Roberts' committee. This was the method by which John Poindexter and Oliver North were able to avoid jail time for their roles in Iran-contra, their convictions being overturned by a federal appeals court because of their previously granted congressional immunity.
Last Night in Little Rock warned about this weeks ago, in the context of a hearing being requested by Rep. Henry Waxman. So did Peter G in comments here.
John Dean wrote this column on the topic back in 2004.
Update: Joe Conasen writes in the New York Observer that the Right is getting ready to slime Fitzgerald:
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