Is Cheney Next? Probably Not, Experts Say
EmailNewly-minted felon and former vice presidential aide Lewis "Scooter" Libby has an inside line on a White House pardon, which makes it unlikely he’ll cooperate if prosecutors squeeze him for more details about who was involved in leaking CIA officer Valerie Plame’s identity, experts say. As a result, it’s less likely special prosecutor Patrick Fitzgerald will succeed if he pursues further charges against top Bush administration officials, including Vice President Dick Cheney. A jury today found Libby, Cheney’s former chief of staff, guilty of four counts of obstructing justice, perjury and making false statements in connection with the leak of Plame’s identity. "Mr. Libby is like any other defendant," Fitzgerald told a reporter outside the E. Barrett Prettyman courthouse in Washington, D.C., who asked if he’d request a reduced sentence for Libby if he gave up new details in the case. "If his counsel or he wish to pursue any options, they can contact us." But Libby isn’t like any other defendant, said Murray Waas, a journalist who has covered the investigation from its start. "He has access to a giant legal fund raised from supporters of the administration which can pay for appeals or a new trial, and he has a chance at a White House pardon. He has advantages an ordinary citizen doesn’t have." That makes him a tough guy to squeeze, agreed William Treanor, dean of the Fordham School of Law in New York City and a former associate independent counsel for the Iran-Contra investigation. "What he’s calculating now is the way he’s going to avoid jail, which is through a pardon," Treanor speculated. "Is the cooperation worth the risk that it would undermine the likelihood of a pardon?" Click Here for Full Blotter Coverage. The White House today called talk of a Libby pardon "wildly hypothetical." Cooperation from Libby is virtually the only way Fitzgerald’s investigation could continue. In his comments this afternoon, Fitzgerald said that the investigation was all but closed — "we’re all going back to our day jobs" — and downplayed the possibility that his investigation might continue. "I do not expect to file any further charges," Fitzgerald said. He added, however, "If information comes to light or new information comes to us that would warrant us taking some action, we’ll of course do that."
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When will ABCNews step up to the plate and explain who Valerie Plame was at the CIA, so that all these folks who have been convinced she was practically unemployed can be given the full scoop?
What has failed here is the “journalists” role in telling the full story, not the bleeds it leads headlines.
Was Valerie Plame a chief analyst for CIA operations related to Iraq, if so how does it tie in to the Iraq war, counterproliferation, and the pursuit to remove Saddam?
Posted by: Chris | March 6, 2007, 4:12 pm 4:12 pm
So, according to this article, if Libby wants to get a pardon, he’s simply got to shut up, which is what the Bush Administration wants. But it seems to me that they’ve screwed him over already. Hypothetically, once Libby is given a pardon, he’s free to talk; pardons can’t be “undone”. So the Bush Administration will dangle a pardon over his head but not give in, and he’ll end up serving time. Sounds like either way, Libby would have an interest in talking. That is, of course, notwithstanding that he really is the culprit.
Posted by: Andrew E. | March 6, 2007, 5:07 pm 5:07 pm
Except for diehard syncophants, most Americans believe the decisions to manipulate the Iraq war, lie an out a CIA agent go all the way to Bush and Cheney. anal micromanagers such as they, no doubt not only thought the entire debacle up, but told Scooter what to say, when to say it and even to take the fall. No one would be surprised at a Bush Pardon–for most Americans what would be surprising is if Bush and Cheney let the verdict stand. Just like no one will be surprised if Abramoff “commits suicide” instead of continuing to cooperate with the prosecution. Some things never change…including the dynamics of corruption of power.
Posted by: memyself and I | March 6, 2007, 7:24 pm 7:24 pm
Libby’s only down fall was being affiliated with the Republican Party. Had Mr. Libby been affiliated with the Democratic Party, he would be a free man just as Bill Clinton and Sandy Burger! This is how our justice works in the political world!
Posted by: Christine | March 6, 2007, 7:58 pm 7:58 pm
Someone (Armitage, his bosses, whoever showed him a classified CIA memo with Valerie Plame’s name in it) ought to suffer some consequences and some changes need to be made to make sure that such leaks don’t happen in the future. You can bet that if Joe Defense Contractor let leak classified information, he would be punished severely.
Posted by: Cathy | March 6, 2007, 9:33 pm 9:33 pm
” Is Cheney next?”
And can anyone make an intelligent argument as to why not?
Does anyone think for a minute Libby would have gone over or around a V.P. that has consitently shown obsessive tendencies toward having severe control issues?
You don’t get hired by Cheney or this administration at any level for being independent thinkers.
“Fughedaboudit!”
Libby was directed to do what he did.
Both he and Cheney are guilty at the very least of conspiracy in every legal sense of the word.
Posted by: Zach | March 7, 2007, 10:17 pm 10:17 pm
Here’s some clarification for Christine, Patrice, and others on the right who are having a little trouble distinguishing between various investigations and criminal cases: Sandy Berger reached a plea agreement in the case of the purloined papers (actually, copies of classified documents), which negates the necessity for a trial. Pres. Clinton was impeached by the House, but acquitted by the Senate. Scooter Libby was found guilty of 4 counts of perjury and obstruction of justice in a clearly provable case. Our justice system worked in all three cases. However, as conservatives find their power to be in it’s last throes, to borrow a phrase, I can understand why it’s easier to lash out angrily rather than to acknowledge facts calmly.
Posted by: Lisa | March 8, 2007, 2:52 pm 2:52 pm
I believe the White House needs to reshuffle the administration, In all areas of government there seems to be something wrong, like the vets not being treated on time, WMD,Health Insurance, NCLB, and on and on. No money for the soldiers and equipment. What are we doing overthere in Iraq? Get the troops home why waste time and energy until 2008. They do not have any thing for the wounded soldiers when they come home.
Posted by: Jimmy | March 8, 2007, 3:08 pm 3:08 pm
No. Cheney will get away with the story of his being in Australia when the Scooter Libby affair was in the court. After all the rich can afford the smartest lawyers who were the black coats and get the biggest criminal out innocent. Scooter Libby has hearing fixed in June. There is something very wrong with USA laws at time to find him guilt, you print this, show him in Medias throw mud at him then release him to go to discos. In the meantime the lawyers prepare the case of his innocence. HE WAS IN THE PUB SIR?!!!
Firozali A.Mulla MBA PhD
Posted by: Firozali A.Mulla MBA PhD | March 9, 2007, 3:07 am 3:07 am