Who is Judy Miller Kidding?

[Jon8503]

By Arianna Huffington, AlterNet. Posted October 3, 2005.


Intentionally or not, Judith Miller worked hand in glove helping the White House propaganda machine sell the war in Iraq. Tools

Now that Judy Miller has finished testifying, finished spinning for the cameras on the courthouse steps, finished hugging her dog and finished eating that special meal she wanted her husband to prepare, she needs to do what Time reporter Matt Cooper did and immediately publish a full and truthful account of her involvement in Plamegate.

Because what she —- and the New York Times' publisher and editor —- have said so far just doesn't add up.

The story being pitched to the public —- that Miller was a heroic, principled martyr who sacrificed her freedom in the name of journalistic integrity, then fulfilled her "civic duty" after she "finally received a direct and uncoerced waiver" from her source —- is laughable.

Indeed, it's already been greeted skeptically by 1) my increasingly frustrated sources at the Times; 2) a chorus of voices in the blogosphere, and 3) (and much more significantly) Joseph Tate, Scooter Libby's lawyer, who told the Washington Post that he informed Miller's attorney, Floyd Abrams, a year ago that Libby's waiver "was voluntary and that Miller was free to testify."

http://www.alternet.org/story/26303/

[in_cog_ni_to]

1. She wants to write a book. THAT is why she went to jail. n/t

[deutsey]

2. That's what I've thought all along too

[Garbo 2004]

4. Well Arianna reports that Judy got her book deal.

Making Faux Martyrdom Pay: Judy Miller Lands a Book Deal

Sources tell me that Judy Miller is telling friends that she has made a $1.2 million book deal with Simon & Schuster. I’ve heard from senior editors at the publishing house that the deal is still so hush-hush that word of it has not appeared in the memos that circulate among the editorial staff, keeping them updated on pending deals and acquisitions. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/arianna-huffington/making-faux-martyrdom-pay_b_8268.html

[leveymg]

3. So, what does Judy know that she still doesn't want to reveal?

So, what does Miller know that she still doesn't want to reveal - and why did Fizgerald cut a deal with her, agreeing to limit Judy's testimony to her conversations with Scooter Libby. This is the deal that Miller offered to make a year ago,which Fitzgerald had refused up until now. http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20051002/ts_nm/bush_leak_dc

Put it this way, the belated deal likely benefits both sides. Let's assume that Judy is part of a bigger espionage and disinformation operation run on behalf of a foreign government. Her job as a NYT reporter gave her great cover and some legal protection from having to testify.

If the above is correct, U.S. intelligence and the FBI have likely known about Judy for a long time, but to prosecute her would require that they reveal what they know about other bigger fish in Judy's network. They're not ready to go after her handlers and the agency insiders yet, or don't want to burn bridges to the presumptive foreign intelligence agencies, with which the United States does a lot of business.

The deal here in the Plame case, limiting her testimony, continues to protect both sides. Fitzgerald didn't agree earlier because he wanted to keep a lid on the case until he was ready to issue indictments. That time is now, and the Administration is far weaker than if he had tipped his hand a year ago about what he already knew about Cheney and Libby's role in outing Plame and wrecking her CIA WMD investigations.

This explanation makes sense to me. What do you think?