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Judith Miller Released, Will Testify Tomorrow

Update: ABC News is reporting Miller will testify before the grand jury tomorrow.

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Original Post:

Via Atrios, the Philadelphia Inquirer reports Judith Miller was released from jail today.

She was released after she had a telephone conversation with the Vice President Dick Cheney's chief of staff, I. Lewis Libby, sources said. In that conversation, Libby reaffirmed that he had released Miller from a promise of confidentiality more than a year ago, sources said.

It could not be immediately determined whether Miller has now agreed to testify.

My guess: She has agreed to testify. Her sentence isn't up until the grand jury expires - sometime in October - unless they've finished early. There is no good time on these sentences. She must have made a deal with Fitzgerald who asked the court to order her released now. I wonder why the MSM missed it. Even if the motion and order were filed under seal, there'd be a record entry on the docket sheet that would say something like "sealed motion filed" or "order entered, sealed" that should have gotten the media's attention.

She had Libby's waiver a year ago. What's different now? The threat of a criminal contempt charge. Maybe she got a promise from Fitzgerald that he wouldn't ask about anyone other than Libby. Maybe she and John Bolton had more to talk about when he visited her than how she was holding up. Maybe she decided to tell that she told Libby, rather than the other way around. But then, she'd have to tell how she knew.

So, was the prospect of more jail just too much for her and she decided to give up her journalistic principles? Or was there nothing for her to fear all along? Hopefully, we'll know soon.

There should be lots of blogger reaction on this. I'll be curious to see their takes before coming to a more definite conclusion.

Update: Coincidence? The Philly Inquirer is the first to get the story. Libby's lawyer, Joseph Tate, is from Philadelphia. The article says he couldn't be reached for comment. Do you believe that? Did he give them the information as "background" meaning he wouldn't be identified as the source?

Update: Thanks to Digby for reminding me of this post, which I think spells it out.

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    And what lawyer is advising Libby? We already know the "defenses" these guys are cooking up, from "what wife?" to "the dog ate my homework." "Scooter" is a cute name for a guy doing hard time in an FCI. That will make him plenty of "friends." Gonzalez will make sure he gets a Club Fed for taking the fall.

    LNIR - very smart question - it's Joseph Tate of Philly. A coincidence? I just updated the post.

    Re: Judith Miller Released, Will Testify Tomorrow (none / 0) (#4)
    by squeaky on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:04:30 PM EST
    Looks like scandal week is upon us, can't wait to see what Fitzgerald is up to. Will we have a trifecta of Rove, DeLay and Frist? A great timeline is also at dKosopedia. link. And of course chock ful o' nuggets here.

    Re: Judith Miller Released, Will Testify Tomorrow (none / 0) (#5)
    by jimakaPPJ on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:04:30 PM EST
    Squeak - Remember the game aint over til it's over.

    Re: Judith Miller Released, Will Testify Tomorrow (none / 0) (#6)
    by DonS on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:04:30 PM EST
    and we're all rooting for the thugs, right Jim?

    Re: Judith Miller Released, Will Testify Tomorrow (none / 0) (#7)
    by squeaky on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:04:30 PM EST
    ppj-You are right. Miller has just finished her book, she is out for a long weekend and will be back in jail Monday to clean up the edits. All will be done by Oct 28 when the movie rights have been sold. The whole investigation was a smoke screen for Fitzgerald's real targets: Bill and Hillary Clinton. BTW the entire cast of characters that have been roasted in the news will be getting out of politics and become Movie Stars, Fitzgerald included, as he will be out of a job starting November.

    Re: Judith Miller Released, Will Testify Tomorrow (none / 0) (#8)
    by Molly Bloom on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:04:30 PM EST
    What are the odds that Rove independently of Libby decides to discredit Wilson with tales to Novak and Cooper of nepotism and boondoggels to obscure African countries and around the same time, Libby decides, independently of Rove, to discredit Wilson with tales to Miller of nepotism and boondoggels to obscure African countries? I think we can add conspiracy to violate the IIPA as well as IIPA for both Rove and Libby.

    Re: Judith Miller Released, Will Testify Tomorrow (none / 0) (#9)
    by squeaky on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:04:30 PM EST
    MB- Add Bolton, Leeden, Feith, Wolfie, Rich, Perle, Lauder, Et.al. to the list. And this
    Jonathan Randal got a 18 count Kitchen Sink kitchen sink" indictment... Most relevant for Karl Rove's situation, Court One of Randel's indictment alleged a violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 641. This is a law that prohibits theft (or conversion for one's own use) of government records and information for non-governmental purposes. But its broad language covers leaks, and it has now been used to cover just such actions.
    findlaw/dean

    Re: Judith Miller Released, Will Testify Tomorrow (none / 0) (#11)
    by squeaky on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:04:32 PM EST
    char-I do not know or care whether any of the people I mentioned are Jews. Whether they have dna from Abraham or are, practicing, non-practicing, converts or anti semites, they are all scum and should be held accountable for their war crimes against humanity. You once again prove yourself to be a usless bit of human tissue, so abort thyself henceforth.

    Re: Judith Miller Released, Will Testify Tomorrow (none / 0) (#13)
    by squeaky on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:04:33 PM EST
    char-he was Feith's assistant and a specialist on Iran, and certainly part of the 'cabal' you speak of. He is up to his neck in the whole neocon war agenda written about here. It is a US plan for world domination in the 21st century.