Tomorrow’s the day — sort of

October 25, 2005

In case you haven’t already heard, tomorrow should be a fairly interesting day.

Steve Clemons has an “uber-insider source” — and believe me, Clemons knows a lot of key people in DC — who’s informed him that between one and five indictments are being issued in the Plame scandal, though his source believes it will be “towards the higher end,” and targets have already been notified.

On the other hand, the indictments will be “sealed” in advance of a Thursday press conference. Unless the targets decide to tell us they’ve been indicted, we won’t know much and will have to wait until the following day.

Complicating matters is what CBS Evening News reported two hours ago.

Lawyers familiar with the case think Wednesday is when special prosecutor Patrick Fitzgerald will make known his decision, and that there will be indictments. Supporters say Rove and the vice president’s chief of staff, Scooter Libby, are in legal jeopardy. But they insisted today the two are secondary players, that it was an unidentified Mr. X who actually gave the name of CIA agent Valerie Plame to reporters. Fitzgerald knows who Mr. X is, they say, and if he isn’t indicted, there’s no way Rove or Libby should be. But charges may not focus on the leak at all. Obstruction of justice or perjury are real possibilities. Did Rove or Libby change statements made under oath? Did they deliberately leave critical facts out of their testimony or did they honestly forget? Some Republicans urged Rove to step down if indicted. Not a happy prospect for president Bush.

Who’s Mr. X? What does all this mean?

Stay tuned.

This Mr. X stuff really grinds my bunion. Who in the world might know who Mr. X is? Gosh I don’t know, maybe every f-cking copy editor and obituary writer in DC. I’d love to have a granite-meringue pie for every one of those gobbers who acts surprised when they’re finally allowed to say Mr. X’s name in public.

  • Remember it’s the Rove and Libby supporters with this Mr. X business. I think it’s just as likely that there is no Mr. X, he’s just another excuse for muddying the issues and making more silly claims that Rove & Libby are being unfairly treated.

  • Fitzgerald is doing a “Houdini”. The magician used to put himself at personal risk – or so he pretended – locked in airless safes, suspended in water, trapped below ice, etc., though, of course, as a showman, he planned carefully & was not usually in any real danger. Long after his air should have run out, when he should have been dead, when the audience was in pandemonium, he would pop out, alive & well, to a small riot.

    Friday is the end of Fitzgerald’s mandate. So charges come out on Wednesday, are revealed on Thursday, with Friday as the day to fix any problems or or deal with unseen events. Of course, no one knows if he planned it this way, but it has the same effect as if he did.

  • What does all this mean?

    It means CBS has Dan Rather on the case. That, or they’ve borrowed Geraldo from Fox.

    Personally, I’m amazed and impressed that Fitzgerald has run such a tight ship for two years. He should be made director of the CIA.

  • thought i would share this…

    THE NIGHT BEFORE FITZMAS

    Twas the night before Fitzmas, and in the White House
    Every one was scared shitless, and Bush was quite soused
    The indictments were hanging like Damoceles’ sword
    As verminous oxen prepared to be gored

    The perps were all sleepless, curled fetal in bed
    While visions of prison cells loomed in each head
    And Dick in his jammies, and George in his lap
    Were sweating and swearing and looking like crap

    When out on the web there arose such a clatter
    The blogs and the forums were buzzing with chatter
    Away to the PC Rove ran like a flash
    He booted his browser and cleared out his cache

    The rumors that flew through the cold autumn air
    Made Dubya shiver with angry despair
    When what to his horror-filled eyes did he spy?
    A bespectacled man with a brown suit and tie!

    With an impartial manner that gave Bush the shits
    He knew in a moment it must be St. Fitz!
    With unwavering voice, his indictments they came
    He cleared out his throat and he called them by name:

    Now Scooter, Now Libby,
    Now Blossoming Turd,
    Now Cheney, dear Cheney,
    Yes, you are the third
    To the bench of the court
    Up the steps, down the hall
    Now come along, come along,
    Come along, all!

    He then became silent, and went right to work
    He filed the indictments and turned with a jerk
    And pointing his finger at justice’s scale
    Said, “The people be served, and let fairness prevail.”

    He then left the room, to his team gave a nod
    And the sound could be heard of a crumbling facade
    And we all did exclaim, as he faded from sight
    “Merry Fitzmas to all, and to all a good night!”

    – © 2005 Daryl W (t3poh)

  • IANAL, but my understanding is that indictments are not convictions. Nobody goes to jail from being indicted. Fitz still has to prove his case, convince a jury, and then convince a judge to lock these fuckers away. He seems pretty thorough but shit happens and these crooks are ruthless.

    So justice is only *beginning* to be served with indictments. Maybe from a political standpoint having these guys on trial is the end of their political careers. But then again you never know; we have convicted felons in high appointments right now (Abrams, Pointdexter, etc.).

    You’re assuming these guys will resign when indicted. I’m not sure that’s a valid assumption. I think they’ll hold on until they are thrown in jail, and that could be years from now.

    Fitz is just getting started. Indictments will indeed be a cause for celebration. But not for declaring victory.

  • Some of the Internet scuttlebutt is that John Bolton may be Mr. X. The more I think about it the more logical it sounds.

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