Unlike the last few days, the major dailies were not filled with Plame-related updates today, but the New York Times offered an interesting item with a few interesting tidbits.
For example, there’s been widespread discussion about a possible report from Patrick Fitzgerald’s office, summarizing his findings. The NYT said that’s not likely to happen — which may be a sign of his plan to let indictments speak for themselves.
The special counsel in the C.I.A. leak case has told associates he has no plans to issue a final report about the results of the investigation, heightening the expectation that he intends to bring indictments, lawyers in the case and law enforcement officials said yesterday. […]
A final report had long been considered an option for Mr. Fitzgerald if he decided not to accuse anyone of wrongdoing, although Justice Department officials have been dubious about his legal authority to issue such a report.
By signaling that he had no plans to issue the grand jury’s findings in such detail, Mr. Fitzgerald appeared to narrow his options either to indictments or closing his investigation with no public disclosure of his findings, a choice that would set off a political firestorm.
I think that last point is particularly true. The political world has been waiting with bated breath for nearly two years; Fitzgerald can’t very well close his briefcase next week and head home, saying, “So long, suckers!”
The NYT report also noted:
* White House officials have begun discussing replacements for Karl Rove in earnest. Among the names in the mix are Dan Bartlett, a senior Bush aide; Ken Mehlman, the chairman of the Republican National Committee; and Robert Kimmitt, the deputy Treasury secretary.
* Fitzgerald is not expected to take any action in the case this week. Then again, the guy has proven himself unpredictable, so don’t count on this.
* John Hannah, the subject of intense speculation, was mentioned in passing as someone who has spoken with federal investigators.