Fitzgerald Must Broaden Investigation

[cynatnite]

The Nation -- "The CIA leak issue is only the tip of the iceberg," Congressman Jerry Nadler told me when I ran into him on the street near our offices on Friday afternoon. He was quick to tell me of a call--led by Congressman Maurice Hinchey (D-NY) and Nadler, along with 39 of their House colleagues--for Special Counsel Patrick Fitzgerald's investigation to be expanded to examine whether the White House--President, Vice-President, and members of the WH's Iraq War Group--conspired to deliberately deceive Congress into authorizing the war. And, as Nadler reminded me, lying to Congress is a crime under several federal statutes.

This is the first call by members of Congress for an expansion of Fitzgerald's probe, amid mounting evidence that there was a well-orchestrated effort by what former State Department aide Larry Wilkerson dubbed last week, "the Cheney-Rumsfeld axis" to hijack US foreign policy and knowingly mislead the Congress in order to get its support for an unlawful war.

"We are no longer just talking about a Republican culture of corruption and cronyism," Nadler says. "We now have reason to believe that high crimes may have been committed at the highest level, wrongdoing that may have led us to war and imperiled our national security."

http://news.yahoo.com/s/thenation/730583

[whirlygigspin]

1. maybe he can find out who sent the Anthrax letters

Very convenient for the PNAC crowd that was.

[JanusAscending]

10. I'd like to find out who sent them too!!

My old Sunday School teacher,a retired 80+ yr. old woman from Oxford Ct. received an anthrax tainted letter at that time, and it killed her. A couple of our Ct. post offices were contaminated by the mail that was sent to her. Most of the state was afraid to open their mail for months. Not only did they terrorize people, but they killed at least one of them!! THEY ARE EVIL, and from THE DARK SIDE!!

[FreedomAngel82]

19. Oh wow

I'm sorry for the loss. :( :hug:

[stepnw1f]

16. Exactly!!!!

We know the GOP sent them. But who exactly is the question.

[FreedomAngel82]

20. It wouldn't surprise me

if it was the same people who outed Wilson.

[FreedomAngel82]

18. That would be nice

That just disappeared. Once we take back the House and Senate the democrats should do all types of trials of everything that has happened.
There are still so many unanswered question's such as that.

[alfredo]

22. The FBI is on the case. The FBI is in bush's pocket because they

have been the winner (so far) in the war against the CIA.

I hate to say this, but I trust the CIA more than the FBI.

[glitch]

30. Wasn't it a member of the FBI who told the archivist to destriy the record

going back 70 years, of who was shipped anthrax?

How come we still don't know that person's name?

[alfredo]

34. I don't know. I guess I have a natural bias because

I worked for a difference intelligence service. We were geniuses, and all other agencies were a bunch of stupid jack asses.

[lutefisk]

33. ...or find out more about the Wellstone plane crash

From The Nation May 27, 2002 issue:

"Paul Wellstone is a hunted man. Minnesota's senior senator is not just another Democrat on White House political czar Karl Rove's target list, in an election year when the Senate balance of power could be decided by the voters of a single state. Rather, getting rid of Wellstone is a passion for Rove, Dick Cheney, George W. Bush and the special-interest lobbies that fund the most sophisticated political operation ever assembled by a presidential administration. "There are people in the White House who wake up in the morning thinking about how they will defeat Paul Wellstone," a senior Republican aide confides. "This one is political and personal for them."

The man who began burning bridges with the Bush family when he challenged then-President Bush's Persian Gulf War preparations on their first meeting ("Who is this chickenshit?" Bush Sr. asked) may be the Senate's boldest foe of the Star Wars national missile defense program and of increased military aid to Colombia. "They have made it very clear that if they could beat one Democrat this year, it would be Paul Wellstone," says Minnesota political consultant Richman. "Paul gets under their skin." "When I first met the President, he called me 'Pablo,'" Wellstone jokes. "That lasted a day or two. Then they started trying to figure out how they were going to get rid of me."

"They have made it very clear that if they could beat one Democrat this year, it would be Paul Wellstone," says Minnesota political consultant Richman. "Paul gets under their skin." "When I first met the President, he called me 'Pablo,'" Wellstone jokes. "That lasted a day or two. Then they started trying to figure out how they were going to get rid of me."

http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/HL0211/S00013.htm

[nookiemonster]

2. Heh, the hits just keep on coming!

Merry Fitzmas to all!!!!

:)

[Trajan]

3. This is huge ....

There is NO DOUBT that the WHIG and their counterparts at State and DoD stooped to some dirty lies to promote their dirty war, and if Fitz could dig in that direction, we may see what might amount to justice for our nation .... The punishment of those who lied us into war, knowingly, would bring a measure of justice to our lives ....

[I_Make_Mistakes]

5. Please tell me who that 2nd grader radio host is, I saw that C-span

segment and I can't believe her emotional maturity is that of an elementary student. (I can't hear you, sticks and stones will break my bones but names can never hurt me) I have been wanting to find out the little girls name!

[Catherine Vincent]

6. That was right wing radio host Janet Parshall.

That segment was a blast. Randi Rhodes kicked butt with the truth!

[I_Make_Mistakes]

8. Cat we should start a I can't hear you campaign. I was like yo

grow up (I'm 45, so you get the meaning). Does she have a big market and if so, where. We should start a campaign to get the Little Girl a Little Gone.

Any educated Repub. would be embarrassed, trust me, I used to be one!

If she has any public, that picture, could sink her, no need to smear, just air.

[cynatnite]

9. Email it to all her sponsers :)

[Gregorian]

31. "I don't want to hear you" campaign?

I don't want to hear the truth.
I can't hear the truth.

The truth is too painful to hear.

Democrat speaks the truth, Republican refuses to hear the truth.


I don't know. I'm no Karl Rove. In fact, the overwhelming majority of my posts go unheard.

[Bernardo de La Paz]

13. Speaking Truth to the Once Powerful

Another take:

[TheMadMonk]

39. Please satisfy the curiosity of a furiner...

Who is that TWAT on the left? And did she really do that on National TV?

Whoopsee. Didn't read far enough. My bad.

[DanCa]

4. He must get Cheney and the Chimp together

Otherwise it's just a reshuffling (sp) of the cards. Is it me or does the words Cheney and the Chimp have the makings for a good upn sitcom title?

[the_spectator]

7. Come on man, have a heart!

Not ANOTHER extension! Fitzmas HAS to come next week!

[JanusAscending]

11. Excuse me , but

NO ONE KNOWS what Fitz knows or doesn't know ! (except what he wants us to know.) if he's as brilliant as we all believe he is, he more than likely has done his homework in 22 months, and KNOWS more than we think he knows. I really don't think he spent the whole time on the reporters, and Rove and Libby. I'm also sure he's connected all the dots by now, and there's no real need to extend his investigation. He has investigators helping him on this case,and not like he's having to do it all himself. Don't you think that anything Congressmen know,he knew long before them? Just my opinion, but I'll take odds I'm right! He's probably reading blogs and websites as we all are, and we're not even getting paid to do it!

[MADem]

14. I agree with you, if this was just gossip between Scooter, Karl

and reporters, he would have enough already. But he's got a couple of foot soldiers and techical types in his web as well. And they've flipped, apparently.

When Karl cancels appearances, Andy Card cancels an appearance, and they all huddle at Camp David, I'd say we are looking at Nixonesque fortress mentality...

And then, there's this:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/10/22/AR2005102201113.html

Letter Shows Authority to Expand CIA Leak Probe Was Given in '04

By Walter Pincus
Washington Post Staff Writer
Sunday, October 23, 2005; A05



Weeks after he took over the investigation 22 months ago into the unauthorized disclosure of a CIA operative's identity, special counsel Patrick J. Fitzgerald got authority from the Justice Department to expand his inquiry to include any criminal attempts to interfere with his probe, according to a letter posted Friday on Fitzgerald's new Web site.

Fitzgerald is nearing a decision on whether he will prosecute anyone when the federal grand jury term ends Friday. The letter specified that he could investigate and prosecute "perjury, obstruction of justice, destruction of evidence and intimidation of witnesses."

According to a lawyer familiar with the case, the current speculation about such charges eventually arising appeared to have occurred to Fitzgerald in the first months of his inquiry.

In a letter dated Feb. 6, 2004, then-Deputy Attorney General James B. Comey said that he was clarifying, "at your request," the added authority to investigate and prosecute "crimes committed with intent to interfere with your investigation." Fitzgerald's appointment as special counsel on Dec. 30, 2003, after then-Attorney General John D. Ashcroft recused himself, gave him specific authority to investigate "the alleged unauthorized disclosure of a CIA employee's identity," according to another letter from Comey posted on the Web site....

Keep uncovering those rocks, and see what crawls out.

[regnaD kciN]

12. Preaching to the choir, unfortunately...

Especially given the current political atmosphere, there's no way the White House or the Republican Congress will allow Fitzgerald's investigation to be expanded. They want as little damage as possible, and are quite willing to throw Scooter and even KKKarl to the wolves, if need be, if the investigation will stop right there.

Nadler and Hinchey are merely addressing us, the Democratic base, through the pages of a noted progressive magazine, to let us know that, if they had their way, this investigation would broaden and possibly lead to impeachment. That would be nice, however, there's no way on earth it's ever going to be allowed to happen, at least not during the term of Fitzgerald's investigation. An hypothetical future Democratic-controlled Congress may well choose to launch its own broad investigation, complete with subpeona power, but it will be a different investigation with a different leader.

[liberalcanuck]

40. My thoughts exactly. There is no way that a Republican Congress will

vote to expand this investigation. I suspect that the truth will not be known (to the sheeple at least) for many years to come. It has been obvious to many of us that the outing of Valerie Plame had much deeper, farther reaching implications than this bs "revenge" cover spouted by "media". The reasons for her outing are much, much, more sinister.

[yy4me]

15. If Fitzgerald is as brilliant as all say he is,

then we need not worry that he will not cover all aspects of this case. I cannot imagine him investigating all the way to the oval office and just standing at the door. If nothing happens to the top 2 dogs, I'm sure it is because he couldn't do it. Something tells me he will indict the whole bunch. If that happens, it might restore part of my confidence in this government. Then again, I'll have to see how it all pans out. Maybe I'll never trust this government again. I feel awful about that thought but how many lies, how much thievery, what amount of skulduggery is enough to push us over the edge. Heck, we're already over the edge. And falling fast.

[MellowOne]

17. Really?

"We now have reason to believe that high crimes may have been committed at the highest level, wrongdoing that may have led us to war and imperiled our national security."

As if no one in America doesn't already know this!

[Toots]

21. The whole purpose of WHIG is hard to explain

Why does an Administration have to "sell" a war? War is not "sold", it is a very last resort and only for the Defense of our Nation.

[emald]

23. Ya think?

Geeezzz. Nice to see truth being spoken. But it needs to be shouted at every street corner: * and his misadministration are criminals. As far as I'm concerned they should have been in jail long ago. * should be in prison for AWOL for heavens sake; counting what he has wrought with his stupidity in the present he shouldn't even be allowed anything beyond a 6x8 cell, no window, for life. "now we have reason to believe" uhhhh how about the reams of evidence up till now? Godamn this country has become a nest of uglieness, greed for power and money driving the morals.

[katinmn]

24. The Nation didn't do enough research on this one

Fitz already has broadened the investigation to include the lies used to sell the invasion to the American people.

It's been reported in corporate media for God's sake so it must be true.
:sarcasm:

[primative1]

27. If I had a (sledge) hammer

I need to start my post with a big hats off to all you DUers.
This website is my hands down first morning read, a must see for those of us who dont like our news "sanitized" by the keen hand of those who sensor what we see by deciding what we need to know.
I want to know it all, and when it comes to the blatent corruption that is destroying our American way of life DU does an excelent job at condensing the latest developments into a nice neat package.
As to this link to info on the Nadler proposition for an official expanded investigation.... EXCELENT.
I will support it with every ounce of my energy as should you all. I for one am not going to be satisfied watching the likes of Rove and Libby worm away with some purjury/obstruction charge while the greater issue gets shoveled off of the front page and back into the closet. Face it folks, we are in a war, a war started for pure ego and greed and one that was initiated by blatent LIES. America needs to be reminded of this FACT daily, at every consious moment or else the spinmeisters that have become the powers that be will simply brush it away.
On one of the Sunday morning shows, I forget which, I saw (R) Hutchinson phoo-phooing perjury charges and comparing the likes of Karl Rove to Martha Stewart, as if they would both be victims of circumstance and I for one will be outraged if we are left with a situation where Rove and Company are soft touched out of sight while Business as Usual continues with the same hacks likely pulling the same strings if behind the scenes instead of with official title.
Lets AIR IT ALL OUT NOW!!
Wouldnt it be nice to get the real story about 9/11 also? :)

[katinmn]

28. Welcome, Primitive One!

Glad you found DU!

:hi:

[peacebird]

29. Welcome Primative1!

Good post, nice to have you in the family!
:hi:

[SammyBlue]

42. Welcome, buddy.

Always good to see a new member of the family!!! Enjoy your time.

DU's resident cynic.

[Joe Chi Minh]

25. It would be nice if everything converged

on the 2004 election, and Fitz investigated that; with the miscreants under oath. After all, the scale of the fraud meant that it was like no previous American election, prone to fraud as they have been. And moreover all the subsequent crimes ensued from it, in fact, the whole shebang from the 2000 "selection" by the Supreme Court.

The more thoroughly the Augean stable is cleansed, the better the prospect for America and all its people of integrity to make a new start in the 20th-21st century, to bring the country in line with the "Old" Europe of France, Germany and Scandinavia. For that matter, I feel sure that, in less imperilled circumstances, Israel, too; definitively distancing yourselves from Blair's and Berlusconi's out-of-step, putatively new, but actually, 1920-30s, atavistically regressive, neo-fascist Europe.

[ClintonTyree]

26. This would seem to contradict David Brooks' opinion that.........

no one knows or cares about this investigation. :eyes: Brooks made me sick this morning spouting this meme. :puke: I believe he's as clueless about this issue as he is about his good friend Judas Miller's involvement in the Plame affair. He still insists that she's a victim of an over-zealous investigator, not an active participant in this crime.
Brooks should resign along with Miller. They're a drag on the credibility of the New York Times at a moment when they have very little credibility left to lose.
I sincerely hope the investigation is widened to cover the WHIG and their blatant distortions to Congress that landed our country in this most immoral and illegal war in Iraq. Our country has been hijacked by a cabal of miscreants that believe they answer to no one. We MUST demonstrate to them that they WILL be held accountable!

[glitch]

32. Whistling past the graveyard, is our spooked mr brooks. nt

[Carolab]

37. That meme has been showing up the last few days.

I heard it on Coast to Coast on Thursday, then Melanie Morgan said it on Hardball.

"No one outside of DC gives a rat's behind about this"....

OH SURE!

[Mark E. Smith]

35. This Really Is About So Much More Than The Casual Yuppie Treason

... of Karl Rove and Scooter Libby.

And since the GOP-led Congress is unwilling to try the bastards, it might as well be Mr. Fitzgerald.

[Carolab]

36. Can you say TREASON? C'mon now, rate it up!!! n/t

[liberalcanuck]

41. Gave it a full rating! nt

[earth mom]

38. Kickety Kick Kick Kick!!!

:kick: :kick: :kick:

[BamaBecky]

43. This would be appropriate for the problems at hand!...n/t

[willing dwarf]

44. A technical question

Once the grand jury investigation is over, the trials begin, and the implications of the CIA leak become common knowledge, will there be the possiblity of new indictments? I suppose they'd need to commission a new grand jury and a new Special Prosecutor?

[Danger Duck]

45. Not gonna happen

Although the scope can widen, the investiagtion follows a linear path. The prosecutor would have to simply abandon his sworn duty to begin investigating the war and the BS intelligence that led up to it.

I'm all for an investigation into that, but it has to be legit. One man becoming a renegade isn't going to do anything. Well, maybe it will bring some attention to the issue, but it won't bring anyone to justice.

The bottom line on the Plame issue is that we are all way to excited, and the rest of the country is way to apathetic. And the only thing on the news is Hurricane coverage. Shit, something like eighty thousand people are dead and five times as many are newly homeless in pakistan, but there's no talk about that. And Most of the White House is facing inditement, but most of the country is talking about Desperate Housewives( which isn't half bad).

No matter what happens here, absent the President getting head from a portly subordinate, no one will care, and it will change nothing.

Not that things won't change, this just won't be the reason why. I think if Dems can get their act together and deliver a cohesive message of unity and an actionable plan, the country is theirs for the taking.

[buddha8]

46. vote count

I would like to know how anyone seriously thinks we can take back the Congress before first throwing all vote counting machines into the nearest river? Idiot Democrats are once again in for a big surprise in 06' when inexplicable tallies show Republicans actually gaining seats and the corporate media plays along with the charade. I am so sick of the left's inability to really fight and cover all bases that it is exhausting. There is absolutely no point in campaigning until the corruption of the count across this country is addressed. Rove's greatest legacy has not even begun to be exposed. I am confident that he is deep into the 'privatization' of the count in dozens and dozens of key counties in the United States, in fact this was more than likely his main obsession in 03' and 04'. He is a fixer from start to finish. It is my hope that the Plame affair will break this wide open.That and what really happened on 9/11.