[tag]Robert Luskin[/tag], [tag]Karl Rove[/tag]’s attorney in the [tag]Plame[/tag] [tag]scandal[/tag], has played fast and loose before, but this time, he seems to believe his client is pretty much in the clear.
The prosecutor in the C.I.A. leak case on Monday advised Karl Rove, the senior [tag]White House[/tag] adviser, that he would not be charged with any wrongdoing, effectively ending the nearly three-year criminal [tag]investigation[/tag] that had at times focused intensely on Mr. Rove.
The decision by the prosecutor, Patrick J. [tag]Fitzgerald[/tag], announced in a letter to Mr. Rove’s lawyer, Robert D. Luskin, lifted a pall that had hung over Mr. Rove who testified on five occasions to a federal grand jury about his involvement in the disclosure of an intelligence officer’s identity.
In a statement, Mr. Luskin said, “On June 12, 2006, Special Counsel [tag]Patrick Fitzgerald[/tag] formally advised us that he does not anticipate seeking charges against Karl Rove.”
Now, this story has taken a few twists over the years, and Fitzgerald sometimes has strategies in play that are part of a larger chess game. At this point, Fitzgerald hasn’t made any official announcements, and as a rule, it’s best to apply “caveat emptor” to Luskin’s pronouncements. As FDL put it, “Unless and until I hear it from Patrick Fitzgerald, the investigation continues to be ongoing.” Indeed, even Luskin acknowledged the pending criminal investigation.
That said, given this morning’s reports, it seems over. Rove spokesman Mark Corallo told the AP, “We’re done.” Rove was called before the grand jury a stunning five times, but apparently, there just wasn’t enough there to bring charges.
In terms of quick reactions, here are a few points to consider: a) resist the temptation to believe dubious reports from Truthout; b) Scooter Libby’s trial may still turn out to be an embarrassing debacle for the Bush White House; c) Rove may get out of this mess without an indictment, but that doesn’t mean he didn’t do anything wrong; and d) if you really want to make Rove’s professional life tough, help elect a [tag]Democrat[/tag]ic [tag]Congress[/tag] in five months.
Oh, and e) if Rove is in the clear, maybe now the White House can comment on exactly what top presidential aides did to leak the identity of an undercover CIA agent to spite her husband?