The charges

I realize there are bigger and more important things in life than this story, however I just can't help but remain interested in it. I think the outcome might affect us all down the line. So, here goes my WAG on the indictments. Correct me if I'm wrong--hey this is the blogosphere.

In reading the nine page overview it would appear Fitz pins most of the case on the veracity of the testimony of Time's Matt Cooper and NBC's Tim Russert. Libby tried to exonerate himself by telling grand jurists that the reporters kept asking him about Plame but he was purposefully evasive, or lied, since he wasn't sure of Plame's actual indentity. Now, this could be true since the indictment itself never alleges that Scooter was definitively aware of Plame's name beforehand, only that he knew Wilson's wife worked at CIA. Perhaps that's why he wasn't charged with outing an agent.

So, am I missing something here, or does it seem Fitzgerald believes the testimony of the journalists rather than the the advisor's? This seems to be presented as rock hard fact rather than allegation. Makes me wonder if any tapes exist.

In the first count of obstruction, Fitzgerald characterizes Libby's alleged crime by saying his GJ testimony doesn't comport with the reporters' versions:

when, in fact, Libby knew Russert did not ask Libby if Libby knew that Wilson’s wife worked for the CIA, nor did Russert tell Libby that all the reporters knew it.

I'm missing how, in fact, Libby knew Russert didn't say those things. As to Cooper,

when, in fact, Libby did not advise Cooper during that conversation that Libby had heard other reporters were saying that Wilson’s wife worked for the CIA, nor did Libby advise him that Libby did not know whether this assertion was true. Rather, Libby confirmed to Cooper, without qualification, that Libby had heard that Wilson’s wife worked at the CIA;

Same as Russert. Regards Miller, here we go again:

when, in fact, Libby did not advise Miller during that conversation that Libby had heard other reporters were saying that Wilson’s wife worked for the CIA, nor did Libby advise her that Libby did not know whether this assertion was true.

Is this not a he said-she said? Again, I wonder where the tapes are. And notice in all of this, nothing to do with outing Plame, just charges of lying about what he said the journalists said. The other counts all involve lying about Cooper and Russert.

It's fairly clear to me that Libby discovered who sent Wilson to Africa in May or June. He also appeared to know her position was sensitive. It's hard to believe he didn't know her name was Plame, but the WH might have had the smarts to cover their ears before actually learning her covert name, only to claim later they were told by journalists. Typical Washington politics. Kinda sleazy.

I think Libby might go to trial unless he wasn't offered a deal upfront. I still have many questions about the mess: Who sent Wilson? Who was complicit with Wilson in dealing with NY and DC journalists? Was Cooper's dem strategist wife Mandy Grunwald spreading any of this to others in the party? Did Aldrich Ames blow Plame's cover years ago, and why was she known as Valerie Plame in Who's Who?