Cheney & Libby request

[H2O Man]

the Wilson's civil suit be dismissed.

http://msnbc.msn.com/id/15720396/

[acmavm]

1. Suh-prise, suh-prise.

[H2O Man]

6. I'm shocked.

And here the VP seemed so intent on helping uncover the truth about this scandal.

[ItsTheMediaStupid]

40. The work of Coulter and the other elves in getting Clinton/Jones to court

Wouldn't it be such irony if the precedent set there gets Cheney sued and on the witness stand, under oath?

[texpatriot2004]

2. They "request" - bah! I hope that request goes right in file # 13 nt

[Skink]

3. I request subpeona power.

Granted.:headbang:

[stepnw1f]

4. oooooh.... They are Nervous (nt)

[Catherine Vincent]

5. Poor Libby.

You shouldn't have lied to take one for the "team".

[Me.]

7. I'm Expecting To Win The Lottery Tonight

My chances are better.

The pubs made a huge mistake when they did the Paula Jones thing.

[H2O Man]

8. Yep.

Chickens coming home to roost.

[Me.]

9. But Doesn't It Just Make You Smile?

Just enhances the upcoming holidays.

[H2O Man]

10. I grew up

on a farm.

[robertpaulsen]

11. Oh, of course. On the grounds of it being frivolous.

And his wife is just fine! Why I even saw her pretty photograph in Vanity Fair! :sarcasm:

[H2O Man]

12. Ha!

You know, it's funny: the OVP cheerleaders have been saying for years that Plame wasn't a NOC, and the Agency wasn't damaged. Then, in the Libby criminal trial, Team Libby demands that no mention should be made of Plame's status in the Agency, or of the harm done by exposing her.

[robertpaulsen]

14. I don't think we're in any danger of a pardon anytime soon.

That's why we're seeing this pathetic manuevering. If Dumbya actually did try to pardon Libby on the eve of the criminal trial, I think Conyers and Pelosi would switch from good cop tactics to bad cop tactics. Something else would be on the table.

[H2O Man]

16. No pardon

is coming in the criminal trial.

I do not think the civil case will get tossed on this motion. We should be backing the Wilson case.

[mmonk]

18. I am. Or have, however one wants to put it.

Thanks for this thread. The wheels of justice still turn. They will continue to try and squeeze free.

[H2O Man]

20. I think that

it's a good one to keep supporting.

I have a number of motions from the criminal case that I have been going to post essays on. I wanted to wait until a little more time after the elections.

[troubleinwinter]

22. Is NOW "a little more time" (I hope, I hope)?

[H2O Man]

24. I plan to say

something else about the war and the need to push for the Congressional investigations that will lead to VP Cheney's impeachment. And that is closely related. Then it's back to Plame, as I think that between the holidays we will have some interesting news.

[troubleinwinter]

26. A follow up to your article "On Impeachment"?

I printed that out for slow digestion and keeping at hand.

[H2O Man]

29. I've had two

surveys on DU:GD, asking people their opinions on what US policy should be in regard to Iraq, and who might best represent DUers' opinions. I will do a third in that little series.

[troubleinwinter]

33. Yes, I've read them.

Thought provoking. It caused a DUer pal and I while talking on the phone to mentally fire all of the members of the so-called 'Blue Ribbon' Baker Iraq Study Group and fill them with our own choices. A group of experienced military leaders, peacemakers and statesmen. The likes of General Clark, General Zinni, Jimmy Carter, Secretary Madeline Albright, Ambassador Joe Wilson, etc.

I read all the H20man threads!

[H2O Man]

35. I think that

it should be evident to those who might be hesitant to advocate for the investigations that lead to impeachment that with the executive branch being turned over to Baker & Co., plans to end the war will be frustrated .... without making major changes in Washington. Impeachment is the major change that is required. Otherwise, in 2008, we'll have the issue of how to deal with the war in Iraq being a presidential campaign issue.

[troubleinwinter]

39. "Let all of the poisons that lurk in the mud hatch out."

They have hatched. Time to see all of the poisons for what they are, expose them, admit them and cleanse them away.

[fooj]

46. "Blue-Ribbon"

:puke: :puke: :puke:

Says who? I'm sick of these assholes projecting their bullshit.

[troubleinwinter]

47. 'Blue-Ribbon, Sparkly-Bullshit, Magic-Dust, Fancy-Glitter' Panel.

What are ya, cynical or sumthin?

[fooj]

48. Just sick of the "fairy-dust" bullshit...

B-)

[mmonk]

23. I look forward to the essays

and I will continue to support the Wilson Trust.

[Me.]

19. Now That's Going To Be A Trick!

Wants classified info revealed, but not her status. If I Liar Libby gets to use clasified docs, does FitzG.?

[H2O Man]

21. That's a good question.

Here's my best answer: Mr. Fitzgerald doesn't really need to. He will convict Libby by keeping it simple. And Libby will convict himself by trying to make it complicated. (grin)

[Missy Vixen]

13. I request a new pony and an unlimited shopping spree at Tiffany, myself

Somehow, though, I don't think I'm going to get it. Neither will Crashcart and Scooter.

Hey! Neocons! Remember Paula Jones? Remember the Clenis? Remember your insistence that NOBODY was above the law?

EAT IT! :woohoo: :woohoo: :party:
Julie

[texpatriot2004]

15. Yeah, this is about "the rule of law" you know, because you "lied"

karma, karma, karma

[Pithy Cherub]

17. Hmmm, the administration's comedy duo

are warming up for the Gong Show. Request denied! :rofl:

[gordianot]

25. I'm wondering if we will now find out what happened re: Fitzgerald vs Rove?

Was Fitzgerald really ready to indict Rove and was the indictment blocked? Curious minds want to know.

Maybe Rove is not worth saving anymore now that the rats are scared.

[cassiepriam]

50. That is the piece I want to know, how did Rove get off the hook?

Fitz was ready to indict it looked like to me,
and Rove pulled a fast one.

[Me.]

51. Don't Want To Start A Firestorm

But have always believed there was and is a deal in the works.

[cassiepriam]

56. When Rove left that hearing he looked very relieved but guilty.

His attorney was grinning like a cat from ear to ear.
So proud of himself.

I believe there was some fast foot work, but I can't figure out the deal.

Do you mean Rove did a little singing? Fitz was after bigger fish then Rove.

[H2O Man]

57. I've used this

example before, though for some time I quoted it out of an earlier book. It holds true in most serious investigations. I would suggest that it does here, too.

"He gave me a little lecture about breaking a conspiracy like Watergate. 'You build convincingly from the outer edges in, you get ten times the evidence you need against the Hunts and Liddys. They feel helplessly finished -- they might not talk right away, but the grip is on them. Then you move up and do the same thing at the next level. If you shoot too high and miss, then everyone feels more secure. Lawyers work this way. I'm sure smart reporters must too'."
--The Secret Man; Bob Woodward; Simon & Schuster;2005

[cassiepriam]

59. Yes, the grip is on them.

Rove walked, for now.
But he was gripped for sure,
and so were the rest of them.

[usaftmo]

27. Can we get those 2 losers...

to join Abramoff in jail starting tomorrow?

[stevedeshazer]

28. Shooter and Scooter are not above the law.

Their claims of immunity seem desperate at best.

[H2O Man]

30. Cheney's might

have had merit before Clinton's experience.

[stevedeshazer]

34. Indeed

We won't see the Vice-President hauled off to testify under oath anytime soon, ala WJC.

[H2O Man]

36. Well, we might.

Around May, '07.

[stevedeshazer]

44. I sure as hell hope so.

The date seems about right.

[bleever]

31. The 10/30/06 filings in the criminal case

read like they were written by Karen Hughes, not high-priced legal minds.

Whereas this sounds like the work of modestly talented high school debaters:

Vice President Cheney's attorneys argue that the suit should be dismissed on various grounds including that, "the Vice President is entitled to qualified immunity," and that Cheney is "absolutely immune from suits for civil damages."

[texpatriot2004]

32. Not anymore, not after what they did to Clinton. Karma, Karma,

Karma...gotta love it.

[Patsy Stone]

38. What I enjoyed most

about those filings, was that they put on paper every argument Fitz used against Scooter's ridiculous requests along the way, but it was from Libby's petulant lawyer children, so the whole thing read like, "Oh yeah? You said we can't talk about this?? Fine then! But you can't either!!"

That's what the best lawyers sound like?

[Patsy Stone]

37. The dreaded "tort law"

rears its ugly head. There's nothing Cheney hates more than tort law -- except maybe tort lawyers.

I thought the Wilsons filed within the specified time and that's why the suit happened when it did. Is Cheney claiming something else (Shock! Horror!) or does he have a legal argument there?

[Me.]

41. Would It Have Anything To Do With Adding Armitage

at a later date?

[Patsy Stone]

42. I went back and looked at the filing

and it says that Armitage was named in the original suit, but as a John Doe.

http://msnbcmedia.msn.com/i/msnbc/sections/news/060913_wilson-plame_suit.pdf

I can't believe their lawyers would let them file a complaint which would jeopardize the case, so I don't know.

But you're right in the sense that if there was even an inkling of a chance it would stick, Cheney might try arguing that.

[Me.]

43. I Forgot About John Does

1-10

[Canuckistanian]

45. Request denied. Sit down, Mr. Vice President.

Any more outbursts like this and I'll have to clear the courtroom.

(Well, I can dream, can't I?)

[H2O Man]

49. That's a

good dream!

I believe that VP Cheney fears being deposed .... in every sense of the word.

[DoYouEverWonder]

52. Isn't this

standard operating procedure for a case like this, leading up to trial? The lawyers know it's a joke but would be negligent if they didn't at least try. I'm sure there will be many more distraction and ways to waste time between now and the trial.

Glad to see Libby's memory expert, failed the memory test.

[H2O Man]

53. Yep.

Part of the ritual.

[DoYouEverWonder]

54. And part of the ritual

is to grind you down, until you give up.

Anyone whose ever been through a major court case, understands that after 5-10 years, an out of court settlement starts to look like a good idea, no matter how strong a case you have.

[H2O Man]

55. The Office of the

President is probably not looking forward to this case starting up in early '07.

[DoYouEverWonder]

63. With at least 4 major ongoing investigations

and a Democratic Congress, I'm sure Paraguay is looking real good right now.

[zippy890]

58. who is the judge here?

who will decide on this motion to dismiss? Its in federal district court I assume, in DC?
If he/she grants the motion, than Wilsons can appeal, but then your talking a pause in the action-
I know from having appealed a judge's decision to grant the Motion to dismiss my lawsuit, which I appealed but it was almost a year before anything happened.

[H2O Man]

62. Good question.

The answer is interesting: it's US District Judge John D. Bates. He is a highly intelligent fellow, though his connections are with the extreme right. In 2005, Rehnquist appointed him to a position on judicial conference on court administration and case management. This year, Roberts put him on the FISA review court.

He has a curious past. Some of it is cause for real concern. He was the one who dismissed the GAO suit to get VP Cheney's records on the energy task force. Also of concern was his service as deputy counsel on the Whitewater investigation.

A few possible good points include his rulings in favor of some sensitive FOI requests; his '04 ruling that rejected the Bush-Cheney attempts to deny habeas corpus rights to US citizens in foreign lands; and that when the federal government attempted to keep his appointment to the FISA court a secret, he came forward with the information.

I think he attempts to stick to the Constitution. The Scientists Project on Government Secrecy report on him includes this quote:

"The Court concludes that a citizen cannot be so easily separated from his constitutional rights."
-- Judge Bates; Abu Ali v. John Ashcroft

[texpatriot2004]

65. Hmm, interesting so there's no telling really which way he could

go on this. Right?

[H2O Man]

66. Right.

He tends to be very conservative. There are times when very conservative is good -- and that is when judges' rule according to the Constitution. He has shown a willingness to do so, even when it means ruling against his fellow right-wingers.

[texpatriot2004]

67. Well, I hope he does right by the US Constitution and the

American people. We'll see huh.

[H2O Man]

68. It will be interesting

to see his first ruling.

[texpatriot2004]

69. When is it expected? nm

[H2O Man]

70. Libby's attorneys

filed three documents on 11-16. They are: {1} Libby's Motion to Dismiss the Complaint (2 pages); his Memorandum of Points & Authorities in Support of his Motion (37 pages); anda Proposed Order (2 pages).

I will say that Libby's legal team has produced a high quality document in their memo in support. They want to, in the words of Barney Fife, "nip it in the bud."

It will be interesting to see Chemerinsky's response to the issues raised by Jeffress.

[byronius]

60. Delay, obfuscate, deny, attack. Show complete defiance. All the way to the ground.

That is what they do. These are a type of ideoloque that resists until the bitter end -- very Hussein-like, actually. It will be an excellent test of the largest and most important routines in the national code, so to speak. Can they -- or can't they?

We may not be able to deal properly with this as a nation. Bad information abounds. Good elections aside -- I fear these men. Personally. 'What's that flash?' Hopefully in this version of the movie the heroic Secret Service agent rescues us from the evil Penguin, who has disguised himself as the Vice President of the United States.

Where is the Batman? Ah. H2O Man now wears the cowl.

[Imagevision]

61. Cheney figured better go for it now, then after January...

[Coexist]

64. FlDem5 requests

for Jeb Bush to resign.