Thread: The Libby Travesty

By JAMES TARANTO
The Libby Travesty
We won't gainsay the jury's verdict in the Scooter Libby trial--"guilty" on four of five counts on perjury and obstruction of justice in the investigation of the Valerie Plame kerfuffle. Life is too short to immerse oneself in the tedious details of the case. (If you're interested in Libby minutiae, we recommend Tom Maguire.) But it remains a travesty that Libby was ever prosecuted to begin with.

This was a political show trial, and partisans of Joe Wilson will use the guilty verdict to declare vindication. But along the way we learned that virtually all the claims Wilson and his supporters made were false:

• On his trip to Niger, Wilson found no evidence that contradicted the famous "16 words" in President Bush's 2003 State of the Union Address, contrary to his New York Times op-ed claim.

• Plame, his wife, who worked for the CIA, did recommend him for the Niger junket, contrary to Wilson's denials.

• Plame was not a covert agent under the definition of the Intelligence Identities Protection Act, contrary to Wilson's insinuations, which many of his backers, including in the press, presented as fact.

• No one from the White House "leaked" Plame's identity as a CIA functionary to Robert Novak, who received the information from Richard Armitage at the State Department.

Libby stands convicted of lying in the course of Patrick Fitzgerald's investigation of the Valerie Plame kerfuffle--but that investigation was undertaken on the basis of a tissue of lies. When Fitzgerald began the case, in 2003, no one had committed any crime in connection with the kerfuffle, and that was fairly easy to ascertain, given that Plame was not a covert agent and Armitage had already owned up to the so-called leak. Fitzgerald looks like an overzealous prosecutor, one who was more interested in getting a scalp than in getting to the truth of the matter.

Of course, Libby could have avoided indictment and conviction if he had simply said "I don't remember" a lot more during the course of the investigation. Therein lies a lesson for witnesses in future such investigations--which may make it harder for prosecutors to do their jobs when pursuing actual crimes.

"Used with permission from OpinionJournal.com, a web site from
Dow Jones & Company, Inc."

So this blatant abuse of the justice system begs the question, what of Richard Armitage who was the admitted person who made Plame's name public?

If Scooter did not "out" and agent, and Armitage was the "source", why is Libby being threatened with a jail sentence?

Originally Posted by Truth Detector

So this blatant abuse of the justice system begs the question, what of Richard Armitage who was the admitted person who made Plame's name public?

If Scooter did not "out" and agent, and Armitage was the "source", why is Libby being threatened with a jail sentence?

Armitage was in the Powell camp, Libby was in the Bush/Cheney camp, simple as that.

Originally Posted by Truth Detector

By JAMES TARANTO
The Libby Travesty
We won't gainsay the jury's verdict in the Scooter Libby trial--"guilty" on four of five counts on perjury and obstruction of justice in the investigation of the Valerie Plame kerfuffle. Life is too short to immerse oneself in the tedious details of the case. (If you're interested in Libby minutiae, we recommend Tom Maguire.) But it remains a travesty that Libby was ever prosecuted to begin with.

This was a political show trial, and partisans of Joe Wilson will use the guilty verdict to declare vindication. But along the way we learned that virtually all the claims Wilson and his supporters made were false:

• On his trip to Niger, Wilson found no evidence that contradicted the famous "16 words" in President Bush's 2003 State of the Union Address, contrary to his New York Times op-ed claim.

• Plame, his wife, who worked for the CIA, did recommend him for the Niger junket, contrary to Wilson's denials.

• Plame was not a covert agent under the definition of the Intelligence Identities Protection Act, contrary to Wilson's insinuations, which many of his backers, including in the press, presented as fact.

• No one from the White House "leaked" Plame's identity as a CIA functionary to Robert Novak, who received the information from Richard Armitage at the State Department.

Libby stands convicted of lying in the course of Patrick Fitzgerald's investigation of the Valerie Plame kerfuffle--but that investigation was undertaken on the basis of a tissue of lies. When Fitzgerald began the case, in 2003, no one had committed any crime in connection with the kerfuffle, and that was fairly easy to ascertain, given that Plame was not a covert agent and Armitage had already owned up to the so-called leak. Fitzgerald looks like an overzealous prosecutor, one who was more interested in getting a scalp than in getting to the truth of the matter.

Of course, Libby could have avoided indictment and conviction if he had simply said "I don't remember" a lot more during the course of the investigation. Therein lies a lesson for witnesses in future such investigations--which may make it harder for prosecutors to do their jobs when pursuing actual crimes.

"Used with permission from OpinionJournal.com, a web site from

Dow Jones & Company, Inc."

Right, Patrick J. Fitzgerald is a liberial. Well read this . This was A Just Cause and OutCome. Can't wait for the transcripts!!!!

Originally Posted by Truth Detector

So this blatant abuse of the justice system begs the question, what of Richard Armitage who was the admitted person who made Plame's name public?

If Scooter did not "out" and agent, and Armitage was the "source", why is Libby being threatened with a jail sentence?

During the course of the original investigation, Armitage was clearly seen as following orders. Libby lied and obstructed. Armitage did not. Libby was taken to court for this, where it was made clear he was just a stooge, too. Going after Libby for a clearly accurate charge and being successful now opens the door for a prosecution against Rove/ Cheney, possibly both. Stay tuned.....opcorn:

Originally Posted by Luigi

During the course of the original investigation, Armitage was clearly seen as following orders. Libby lied and obstructed. Armitage did not. Libby was taken to court for this, where it was made clear he was just a stooge, too. Going after Libby for a clearly accurate charge and being successful now opens the door for a prosecution against Rove/ Cheney, possibly both. Stay tuned.....opcorn:

Righto, popcorn indeed.

If the man lied under oath, even under orders, and was proven to have, then he needs to do the time.

Same as Clinton. The sad part is Clinton got a free pass because the media and most of the courts at the time made a career of orally gratifying the jackass. Libby will get no such consideration.

All that aside, regardless the circumstances or the reasons, if you lie under oath and serve in a public office you need to serve maximum possible penalty, period.

Ummm...

You arent supposed to just hit people with the truth like that, bud. It just pisses them off.

Originally Posted by Truth Detector

So this blatant abuse of the justice system begs the question, what of Richard Armitage who was the admitted person who made Plame's name public?

If Scooter did not "out" and agent, and Armitage was the "source", why is Libby being threatened with a jail sentence? :hissy: :hissy: :hissy: :dramaqueen:

Because he violated 18 USC 1001 and lied to FBI investigators- this is a crime in and of itself.

Because he perjured himself.

No abuse of the justice system, no grand conspiracy of the left. Just the plain and simple truth. Glad I could help YOU detect it.

Originally Posted by michaelr

Right, Patrick J. Fitzgerald is a liberial. Well read this . This was A Just Cause and OutCome. Can't wait for the transcripts!!!!

Who is calling Patrick J. Fitzgerald a Liberal??? You people just make your own crap up as you go to support your inane views?

A person has been convicted for obstructing justice for a crime that was never committed. I know it is a difficult thing for Leftists to comprehend, but if someone already admitted they were the SOURCE, and was not prosecuted, and the Prosecutor stated that NO CRIME was committed, the outing of an agent, why then are we prosecuting Libby for obstruction of Justice?

I'm sorry, but like much of what goes on in the world today, one has to stand on one's head to make sense out of this being somehow justice.

This is about as stupid as two border guards going to prison for shooting a known drug smuggler at the border while he is running away from them.

The world is on stupid and can't get up.