New "Traitorgate" Developments: An Analysis (W/ Link to J. Marshall)

[Beetwasher]

Josh Marshall has written a good analysis of the new "Traitorgate" developments and poses 3 scenarios. I agree with much of his analysis, however, I feel he misses a fourth and IMO, the most likely scenario. Here's his column, my somewhat more cynical analysis follows:

http://www.talkingpointsmemo.com/

First off, I disagree w/ Marshall about the fact that the day before New Years is not necessarily burying the story. I think it is effectively burying it as much as it can and I think it was calculated that way. Especially w/ the terror/mad cow hysteria etc. all over the media.

As far as the timing of the recusal and the fourth possible scenario, Ashcroft recused himself at this time, because he thinks he CAN. IOW, he thinks there's NO DANGER to the admin from an investigation. He's reviewed everything, all the evidence, spoke to those involved and feels he can bring in someone seemingly independent and is satisfied that THEY WON'T BE ABLE TO BUILD A CASE.

The implication being one of two things; 1. there was no wrongdoing and therefore there is no case, or 2. there is not sufficient incriminating evidence.

We can dismiss number 1 because there is NO DOUBT a federal, treasonous crime was committed, therefore there is a case to be made against someone. That leaves us w/ number 2.

The question then becomes, "why is there no evidence to build a case?" and there are two answers to this question. 1. The perps were very clever and left no evidence and 2. The evidence was CLEANED UP.

We can dismiss number 1, because it's impossible they didn't leave a trail because at the very least, there should be phone records somewhere to the reporters contacted, and we know numerous reporters know exactly who they are, so that leaves number 2.

I think that if the ultimate conclusion of this investigation is that no one is indicted and held responsible, that in itself is evidence of cover up and obstruction of justice. We know a crime was definitely committed. We know there should be some evidence of that crime and there are definitely numerous people who absolutely know who the perps are. As far as who cleaned the evidence? Well, one can surmise that the best person for the job of cleaning up evidence so a prosecutor can't build a case, would be another prosecutor. Who was in the best position to do that? Someone w/ top level access and who would get to review all the evidence before anyone else. Do the initials JA ring a bell?

This scenario would also explain the timing of the announcement. JA finished his job. He made sure there was no case and they think they have nothing to fear from an unbiased investigation except possibly a case built on hearsay. One can only hope the CIA had some foresight and made sure some hard evidence was protected.

[Military Brat]

1. Agreed. They are trying to pretend like it never happened.

The typical team bush response, just let it flounder and gasp for air until the issue finally dies, decomposes, and is gone.

Compare Ashcroft to Spitzer. A spineless all-mouth evangelist versus a man dedicated to uncovering the truth. There are all kinds of ways to betray one's country; John Ashcroft is living proof of that.

[DrBB]

2. "No case" scenario was my 1st thought too

...but I take a bit more heart than you do from Marshall's view that this all indicates they HAVE come up with something and Ashcroft is moving to get out of the way.

My theory is somewhere in between: they've got enough to ping Scooter for it (I think he made the actual call--he fits the profile on many levels), and that's as far as it's going to go. Scooter's the cut-out: obviously he'd never act in this way without orders but nothing on paper will ever emerge to move it any higher up the chain. Scooter falls on his sword; case closed. That would be my bet.

[diamond14]

3. the CIA is pissed, and they keep 'originals' of everything and more

it was the CIA who bought forward the info from Joe Wilson's Africa yellow-cake investigation, which could have remained silent over at the CIA...but CIA was already pissed at the shrub because he stiffed the CIA will resposibility for his own State of the Union lies...and shrub's State of the Union LIES were made because the shrub arrogantly refused to listen to the CIA....

my predication....the CIA will continue moving this very important treason case through the American Justice system....by continuously revealing relevent NEW information as the case rolls on...and sending it over the the Special Prosecutor via the Washington Post and the New York times....

this story is NOT going away...and BECAUSE WH-thugs outed a CIA agent who was VERY important to OUR homeland security as shown below:

---------------------------------------------------

Wilsons' wife is named Valerie Plame, and she has worked for the CIA for years. Plame is not an analyst or a secretary. Plame is what the CIA calls a NOC, which stands for "non-official cover." A NOC designation means that Valerie Plame was working under such deep cover that she could not be associated with the American intelligence community in any way, shape or form. Plame worked out of a CIA front company called Brewster Jennings & Associates while she performed her service to America's defense. Her service? Valerie Plame ran a clandestine global network designed to track any person, group or nation that might try to deliver weapons of mass destruction to terrorists.

.....Agents within the Bush administration destroyed a network dedicated to what is roundly broadcast as this administration's main mission: Keeping weapons of mass destruction out of the hands of terrorists....

http://www.truthout.org/docs_03/123003A.shtml

[Beetwasher]

5. That is certainly my hope

That the CIA would not have gotten this ball rolling without all their ducks in a row...

The death of this story has been greatly exaggerated. I've been saying all along that the CIA will not let this die. Just because it's off the front pages for a while doesn't mean nothings happening. Either Ashcroft recused himself (finally!) because of the reason I stated, OR because of massive pressure from the intelligence community for a proper investigation, or maybe both. There's a deep and deadly game being played an we're only privy to the tip of the iceberg.

[EdGy]

4. if the CIA was doing its job...

it would have massively infiltrated via bugs etc. Ashcroft's and others' offices.

So put them under oath. Let them lie. Then pull out the tapes.

[cally]

6. Marshall writes that it's an open secret who did the leaking

I see the post above that Scooter did it. Does anyone have any more information on who did it? I always thought it was Rove.

[chiburb]

7. Try this one...

Ashcroft had no choice but to recuse himself because... it was Rove! Or someone with Rove's approval. Didn't Rove run Asscrack's Missouri Senate campaign? If that isn't a conflict of interest, what is?
Does anyone know of a Libby/Ashcroft link that would force recusal?

[grasswire]

8. I believe it was Scooter...

....who originally leaked and Rove who shopped the story later. We know that Rove phoned Chris Matthews to tell him Plame was fair game. That was not the original leak though.

[grasswire]

9. salon had a story about suspect libby

Dick Cheney's chief of staff helped hype the Iraq threat and discredit Joe Wilson. But while the White House has denied Karl Rove is the leaker, so far it's left Libby twisting slowly in the wind.
Oct. 3, 2003 | Criminal leak investigations are notoriously futile, and the identity of the administration officials who illegally blew the cover of CIA operative Valerie Plame may never be known. But one name keeps coming up, and so far it hasn't provoked a specific, emphatic White House denial: Lewis "Scooter" Libby, assistant to the president and Vice President Dick Cheney's powerful chief of staff.

On Wednesday the New York Daily News reported that "Democratic congressional sources said they would like to hear from Vice President Cheney's chief of staff, Lewis Libby." On MSNBC's "Buchanan and Press" on Wednesday, Pat Buchanan asked an administration critic who claims to know the leaker's name point blank if "Scooter Libby" was the culprit (the critic wouldn't answer). And Republican Sen. Chuck Hagel of Nebraska, made a veiled reference on CNBC this week, suggesting that President Bush could better manage the current crisis by, "sitting down with vice president and asking what he knows about it."

But below the surface there's even more chatter. Says one former senior CIA officer who served under President Bush's father, "Libby is certainly suspect No. 1."
http://www.salon.com/news/feature/2003/10/03/libby/index_np.html

[grasswire]

10. ha this is funny

[cally]

11. Thanks

That article is interesting. It does sound like it was Scooter.