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Official "A" as a Trial Witness for Libby

By Jeralyn, Section Valerie Plame Leak Case
Posted on Fri Oct 28, 2005 at 07:54:18 PM EST
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Official A is now identified as Karl Rove (see post below.) The Washington Post reports he could now be a witness against Lewis Libby.

I suspect that's one reason Karl Rove hasn't been charged. As I've speculated repeatedly, I think Rove has a deal. But, like most prosecutors, Fitzgerald isn't buying a pig in a poke. He wants to see how helpful Rove is in his trial testimony against Libby (and any future indictees) before agreeing either to give him a complete pass or ask the Court to give him probation if he pleads guilty.

If Rove has a deal in the works, I think it won't be finalized or made public until after he has finished cooperating. And that won't be until Libby's case is over. I still think Libby will never go to trial. It seems he has been intent on protecting Cheney, to the point of lying. His new lawyer may be able to work out a plea agreement that provides for a sentence reduction to an amount Libby can live with to spare Cheney from having to testify at his trial.

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    Official "A" as a Trial Witness for Libby | 14 comments (14 topical)
    Re: Official "A" as a Trial Witness for Libby (none / 0) (#1)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:05:30 PM EST
    Did he really need Rove to nail Libby with the charges he has? Is that all he ended up getting from him for his freedom? That does not seem right.

    Re: Official "A" as a Trial Witness for Libby (none / 0) (#2)
    by Strick on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:05:31 PM EST
    I haven't seen a transcript of Fitzgerald's press conference, but I heard him say that "Official A" was another person in the VP's office. That would exclude Rove, but it would put back into play a couple of names we've heard mentioned over the last couple of weeks.

    Re: Official "A" as a Trial Witness for Libby (none / 0) (#3)
    by TomStewart on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:05:31 PM EST
    If Rove testifies against Libby, even to save his own skin, doesn't that effectively end his carrer with the Republicans? Would they welcome back into the fold someone who sold out a fellow repub?

    Re: Official "A" as a Trial Witness for Libby (none / 0) (#4)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:05:31 PM EST
    Scooter will roll over, nobody is "thirty years loyal" A little verse by my namesake, that poor sainted man who was sentenced to two years hard labour, which was effectively a death sentence. All that we know who lie in gaol Is that the wall is strong; And that each day is like a year, A year whose days are long. The Ballad of Reading Gaol. Oscar Wilde. 1854-1900

    Re: Official "A" as a Trial Witness for Libby (none / 0) (#5)
    by cpinva on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:05:31 PM EST
    i don't think, in regards to cheney, it matters what libby does or doesn't do. cheney is already tainted goods, clearly unable to keep underlings on a leash. that said, don't get too excited, we aren't looking at a potential reprise of watergate: cheney won't be indicted, and bush won't be forced to resign. ain't gonna happen. realistically, at this point, we have such low expectations of this presidency, if bush manages to actually construct a complete, coherent sentence, we ooooh and ahhhh in admiration. to quote bill mahr: "the same way we do when a retarded kid does something normal."

    Re: Official "A" as a Trial Witness for Libby (none / 0) (#6)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:05:31 PM EST
    Fitz might be willing to trade Rove and Libby for a really big fish like Cheney. The way it works: Rove's testimony tightens all the bolts in the case against Libby. So Libby is facing guilty on all counts and a long stretch in the pokey, increasing the odds that he would give up Cheney.

    Re: Official "A" as a Trial Witness for Libby (none / 0) (#7)
    by DonS on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:05:31 PM EST
    His new lawyer may be able to work out a plea agreement that provides for a sentence reduction to an amount Libby can live with to spare Cheney from having to testify at his trial. . . . and then he gets the pardon.

    Re: Official "A" as a Trial Witness for Libby (none / 0) (#8)
    by mjvpi on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:05:31 PM EST
    What will be the time frame will Libby's trial? It would be polital suicide for Bush to issue a pardon pre end of term. Will this transpire over months or years?

    Re: Official "A" as a Trial Witness for Libby (none / 0) (#9)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:05:31 PM EST
    I would agree that Rove might have to testify against Libby, but it looks pretty clear to me that so will Cheney, Fleisher, Counsel to the Office of the Vice President and many others. Fitzgerald needs them all to establish what Libby was told and what he knew before he talked to Russert, Cooper and Miller. This is now a card game. If Libby pleas, will he testify against Rove and/or Cheney? It seems to me this is a game of chicken between Rove against Libby and Cheney. The investigation is done, the cards are all out, we are just betting now.

    Re: Official "A" as a Trial Witness for Libby (none / 0) (#10)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:05:31 PM EST
    Fitz is a bit of a creature of habit. Looks like Gov. Ryan of Illinois was also known as "Official A". Right up until he was indicted. Patience, people. Fitz is the very definition of meticulous.

    Re: Official "A" as a Trial Witness for Libby (none / 0) (#11)
    by DonS on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:05:31 PM EST
    It would be polital suicide for Bush to issue a pardon pre end of term. I do not understand why (a lot) of individuals assume this. The whole process, pardons included, is subject to political spin. For aa lot of Bush acolites, the prosecutor is (or will be seen to be) the villian. A pardon would be expected against this most grevious injustice to a patriot. Bush himself obviously has no political aspirations. He might consider how history will view him and, considering his skewed view of the universe, could easily convince himself that the pardon route -- why not before the end of his term -- is the way to go. The "loyalty" president and all that. How pardons would play out (if granted before)the '06 mid-terms is again a question that will be the subject of spin. I, for one, do not believe the pundits are the repository of all knowledge, though perhaps of conventional wisdom. Though we may see crimes being commite, and awful lot of folks can be convinced its just political sport. The thugs are far more adept at molding public perception -- even as thier whole house is aflame with corruption -- than the dems. The fact that the dems have not ben screaming this to the rooftops should be a clue.

    Re: Official "A" as a Trial Witness for Libby (none / 0) (#12)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:05:31 PM EST
    "The fact that the dems have not ben screaming this to the rooftops should be a clue." Clearly you mean representatives, while 'thugs' includes the corporate media, who are paid to do the job on us. There are several Dem representatives, such as Conyers, such as Waxman, who are screaming about this whole mess. The corpse-press just isn't delivering their voices to your ears. If you don't think this is being shouted from the rooftops, you aren't protesting much yourself. As for those who predict that X will never happen, clearly they have never met Y. History is made out of Zs that people chanting X will never happen, never saw coming. Bush Must Resign.

    Re: Official "A" as a Trial Witness for Libby (none / 0) (#13)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:05:32 PM EST
    I think Rove flipped and it lies within this. Obstruction Section, Paragraph 5
    On or about June 9, 2003, a number of classified documents from the CIA were faxed to the Office of the Vice President to the personal attention of LIBBY and another person in the Office of the Vice President. The faxed documents, which were marked as classified, discussed, among other things, Wilson and his trip to Niger, but did not mention Wilson by name. After receiving these documents, LIBBY and one or more other persons in the Office of the Vice President handwrote [sic] the names “Wilson” and “Joe Wilson” on the documents.
    If I interpret that correctly there is potential unresolved complicity. Fitz may have purposefully held "another person's" name out of that section. Surely he's got Rove on a short string with a few aces in his pocket. Too smart to not.

    Re: Official "A" as a Trial Witness for Libby (none / 0) (#14)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:05:33 PM EST
    As already noted here, Rove is not in the VP's office.

    Official "A" as a Trial Witness for Libby | 14 comments (14 topical)