Five Agencies Review Libby Case Evidence

SFgate ^ | Monday, February 13, 2006 | By TONI LOCY, Associated Press Writer

[Perdogg]

Five government agencies are reviewing classified evidence that I. Lewis "Scooter" Libby may want to use at his trial to fight perjury and obstruction-of-justice charges, according to a court transcript made public Monday.

During a Feb. 3 hearing, Special Prosecutor Patrick Fitzgerald told a federal judge that the review of classified materials is being done by the CIA, National Security Council, National Security Agency, State Department and several components within the White House, including the offices of the president and vice president.

The outcome of those reviews will determine whether the case against Libby, Vice President Dick Cheney's former chief of staff, gets bogged down in a legal battle pitting the government's desire to protect national security secrets against a defendant's right to a fair trial.

Libby, 55, was indicted late last year on charges that he lied about how he learned CIA operative Valerie Plame's identity and when he subsequently told reporters.

[Perdogg]

ping!

[Peach]

Libby ping.

[Howlin]

Scooter ping! (Boy, they are coming fast and furious, aren't they?)

[nopardons]

Let's just hope and pray, that Goss has gotten rid of the shadow government types in the CIA, who have oversight on this one, now.

[Purrcival]

A big amen to that one. But has Goss had enough time to do that?

[STARWISE]

LOL .. BINGO! Dare I hold my breath that the case is looking deader by the day, as I thought initially? Looking like the branches are gonna tangle. The executive branch will not prudently release sensitive information, and the judicial branch will not be able to get it released to satisfy the constitutional rights of the accused. THANK God for Roberts and Alito on SCOTUS. And, by the time it gets to SCOTUS, W may have another seat warmed by his pick. Meanwhile, it looks like Fitzmas may be slowly on the wane, please God.

[nopardons]

Goss HAS been cleaning out the stables, but I don't know if it's enough...yet. He really hasn't had a lot of time to do so and even Hercules would have found this task to be long, hard, and laborious.

[PeskyOne]

Thanks for the pings, Howlin. I hope and pray it's proven that Libby did not say that Cheney told him to 'leak' anything, and that it can be proven he didn't. Poor Cheney is getting bombarded by the leftist press.

[STARWISE]

But if he's doing the lie detector tests, which is a provision of employment, and they see top people leaving ... the message just may be getting out.

[Howlin]

Libby and his lawyers have already denied that he testified to anything like that.

[nopardons]

I hope you're right, but never forget, these ( expletives deleted ) Dem operatives, in the CIA, believe that they are above the law.

[STARWISE]

I never underestimate the depths to which they go, but this isn't regular partisan stuff: this is revealing classified security information in a time of war. I would just like to see who among them would be willing to do serious jailtime for their alleged political or monetary goals.

I would bet Goss has people being bugged and followed as we speak. Having heard just a tad of what was in use 12-15 years ago, I'm sure our hair would curl at the technology available today.

[nopardons]

I trust Goss; it's just that I bet that there are still some very nasty Dem partisans embedded in the CIA. :-(

[Torie]

Good strategy on Libby's part to try to throw the case out on paperwork. But I would be surprised if it worked, the the gravamen of the case is prejury.

[Just mythoughts]

Maybe one of them will discover that Val gal was not a covert agent and the whole investigation has been a hoax.

[YaYa123]

What's really funny here...Fitzgerald needs Libby's help in deciphering Libby's notes, which Fitzgerald needs in order to successfully prosecute Libby. Doesn't this sound screwy???

[Mind-numbed Robot]

Plame's identity was published in July 2003 by columnist Robert Novak after her husband, former U.S. Ambassador Joseph Wilson, accused the administration of twisting intelligence about Iraq's efforts to buy uranium "yellowcake" in Niger.

This is an excellent example of a true statment giving a false impression. (The impression there is a cause and effect relationship.)

[AmericaUnited]

Poor Cheney is getting bombarded by the leftist press.

Cheney is an Iron Man. It's like peashooters pinging a tank.

[Just mythoughts]

This investigation has taken on a whole new life as a vehicle for leaking, now with 'five' agencies involved the potential for a steady stream of leaks looks to be endless.

Yes, one screwed up mess.