Reply #69: Scooter lied to the Feds in 2003, before Fitz, before grand jury. [View All]

[Garbo 2004]

He likely thought the investigation would be buried in the Ashcroft DOJ. But Ashcroft pretty much was forced to recuse himself from the case under pressure from career DOJ attnys (based on what they'd already dug up) and external calls from Congress. He didn't want to wind up open to clear conflict of interest and possible obstruction.

Once Fitz was on the case, Libby was sort of married to his claim. He tried and is trying the "I forgot that I previously knew" but that didn't fly with Fitz. When Russert said, hell no I didn't know and we never discussed it, Libby was caught.

After thinking about it, because I wondered why Russert, I'm figuring Scooter checked his phone log for media contacts and picked one who might be enough of a DC insider to plausibly be a source. He had talked to Russert during the suspect time frame. Scooter likely thought the investigation would not result in the journalists he talked to ever being forced to testify. (Which Russert was: he agreed to a deal rather than face contempt of court charges.)