[Perdogg]

It depends on what he's really looking at.

[sinkspur]

Bottom line: An overaggressive prosecutor seeking to make his bona fides after being embarrassed in a terrorism investigation two years ago.

[Txsleuth]

Ping...

I almost hate to recommend this....but it is very good...and bad, possibly, for Bush.

But, Toensing supposedly helped write this law..so she should know what is going on.

[SF Republican]

Because Ken Starr stayed on the job beyond the alloted task; this is payback

[syriacus]

Bookmarked. Thanks.

[EternalHope]

Good article. Thanks for posting.

Why would Fitzgerald pursue something this flimsy? Is there something else here entirely?

[Diddle E. Squat]

I sure hope that Fitzgerald isn't a Paleo...

[Diddle E. Squat]

Darn, missed it by 'that' much.

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[rhombus]

There now appears to be consensus that no one violated the 1982 Agent Identities Protection Act

Not if you listen to the legacy media. But only if you really have to.

[speedy]

Toensing is a serious and well-connected person. Her writing like this is not a good sign.

[leadpenny]

Yep, it's gone.

[syriacus]

Andrea Mitchell on Hardball just now. Mentioned that Wilson "exaggerated/lied" when he told everyone that Cheney sent him to Africa.

Andrea didn't look too well.

[right right]

He is riding the clock.
He may indict Wilson.
He may indict someone from the WH.
He may not do anything.
Either way he is riding the clock and we are paying the bill. Easy money!!!

[Para-Ord.45]

" One possible answer is that someone lied about a material fact when testifying before the grand jury or obstructed justice in some other way. If that is the case, the prosecutor should indict.

However, recent reporting, attributable to “lawyers familiar with the investigation,” points to a different prosecutorial tactic: Fitzgerald may be taking a “creative” approach to finding a legal violation. In other words, he may be trying to find a law other than the Agent Identities Protection Act that he might be able to apply to the factual scenario in this case even though it was never intended to cover such conduct. "

The SP has got nothing,he`s fishing for perjury,making people testify over and over hoping they`ll slip up.Or he`ll just dust off some convoluted law he found in a book somewhere.

All to save face.

[Cicero]

No one seems to have noticed a central point in this article, that the author of the law in question says that the White House seemingly was ignorant of the law. Sure, Wilson and the press spun it, but the danger of an indictment lies mostly in White House ignorance.

A perfect storm has gathered. It is the administration’s legal Katrina. The dark clouds are filled with Wilson’s spin spurred on by a media frenzy, a White House that did not have federal criminal law expertise, and a dogged prosecutor who appears willing to stretch the criminal law to get an indictment. The White House better get prepared for the aftermath.

Let me raise the appropriate question. WHY did the White House allow the President to go out before the cameras and make pledges that were legally ignorant? Wasn't Harriet Miers the person who should have been making those calls and giving legal advice, but apparently failed to do so even after having days and weeks of warning?

[sarkozy]

Toensig assumes a lot about where Fitzgerald is going and what evidence he might have.
Just because she helped draft the law doesn't give her any insight into what, by all accounts, has been a leak-tight grand jury process. Contrast that to the Starr investigation, which seemed more intent on influencing news coverage through leaks than on conducting a criminal inquiry.
Fitzgerald, from all we hear, is a stand-up prosecutor, who deserves respect from the whole political spectrum for how he's conducted himself here.
We'll find out soon what he's found, or hasn't found, whether he writes a report or not. If he secures no indictment in the next two weeks we'll know he hasn't enough evidence to convince the grand jury (and save the that tired "ham sandwich" defense).
If the jury indicts, let the chips fall where they may.
All of Toensig's blathering about the media has absolutely nothing to do with what's going on in the grand jury room.

[tet68]

Victoria is one smart cookie, this is a good read.

[bjc]

Two conclusions. The WH should immediately sign Victoria Toensing up for either defense (hopefully will not be necessary) or the mother of all payback sessions targeting Wilson, Plame, Johnson, Corn, Pincus, Cooper, CIA cabalists, and anyone else who provided knowingly misleading statements in this case.
Second, prevaricating critics of any administration of the ilk of Wilson should be exposed by direct and open attack from the most relevant Cabinet Member. (Toensing did it very nicely in what 3 lines!!) In this case it should have been Powell. His apparent silence speaks loudly. Add him to the list of cabalists!
It is not a hurricane, it is a whirlwind and the reaper is about to come calling. (IPTG)

[counterpunch]

The dark clouds are filled with Wilson’s spin spurred on by a media frenzy, a White House that did not have federal criminal law expertise, and a dogged prosecutor who appears willing to stretch the criminal law to get an indictment.

And just who was the incompetent White House legal counsel who didn't understand federal law?

Oh yeah... Harriet Miers.