The very latest

October 26, 2005

So, what do we know about the Plame scandal at this hour? Here’s the latest:

* The grand jury identity met for three hours this morning, but adjourned for the day a few hours ago without announcing any action .

* Richard Sale, a long-time intelligence correspondent for UPI, is hearing from his sources that Rove and Libby, among others, will be indicted, if not today, Friday.

Two top White House aides are expected to be indicted today on various charges related to the probe of CIA operative Valerie Plame whose classified identity was publicly breached in retaliation after her husband, Joe Wilson, challenged the administration’s claim that Saddam Hussein had sought to buy enriched uranium from Niger, according to federal law enforcement and senior U.S. intelligence officials. If no action is taken today, it will take place on Friday, these sources said.

Others are to be named as well, these sources said. According to U.S. officials close to the case a bill of indictment has been in existence before October 17 which named five people. Various names have surfaced such a National Security Advisor Stephen Hadley, yet only one source would confirm that Hadley was on the list.

* Sale adds that he’s hearing that Libby and Rove will be indicted — in a twist — for conspiring to violate Joseph Wilson’s civil rights.

* The New York Sun (in addition to Sale) reports that Fitzgerald chatted with U.S. District Judge Thomas Hogan after the grand jury session ended this afternoon. Sale says it was a request to empanel a new grand jury, while Salon suggests it may have been about extending the term of this grand jury.

* Similarly, MSNBC’s Lawrence O’Donnell has heard that Fitzgerald will get indictments this week, as this grand jury’s term expires — and then convene a new grand jury to consider further charges in the weeks ahead.

* Mark Kleiman said that no news today may yet be good news. He interprets the fact that indictments weren’t announced today as a possible sign that “someone might have blinked in Fitzgerald’s multi-player staring contest.”

* Laura Rozen has an update on the reports out of Italy that the head of Italy’s military secret service knowingly gave forged documents about uranium in Niger to Bush administration officials, including then-deputy national security advisor Stephen Hadley. Kevin Drum also has links to the translated Republicca articles.

Have I missed anything?

My nerves would be killing me, except that I think of what it must be like for Rove right now and I feel happy again.

  • While the civil rights thing is interesting, I do think it’s coming too close to the “criminalization of politics” talking point (though I suppose I’ll have to see exactly what went on).

  • As far as that talking point is concerned the Dem response should be, “It’s not the criminalization of politics. It’s the criminalization of crime.” The operating philosophy in Washington since 2000 has been ‘It’s Ok If Republicans Do It’ and that heinous balderdash has got to be stamped out once and for all. ( stompa stompa stompa!!! ) 🙂

    Slightly off topic but I saw a signature line today that best sums up my opinion about appearing on talk shows like Hannity and O’Reilly:

    “Never Argue With An Idiot. They’ll Bring You Down To Their Level And Then Beat You With Experience! ”

    Gotta love that.

  • What criminalization of politics? Fox’s talking points are absurd! What do they mean: that criminals are criminalizing politics or that people talking about criminals criminalizing politics are? The GOP is really scraping the bottom of the talking point barrel on that one.

    Regarding what we know about Treasongate, I have a few tidbits to add: Rove has been Bush’s leading fundraiser. If he’s indicted, how will that affect Bush’s fundraising?

    Crooks and Liars spoke to Fitzgerald’s office and there won’t be any announcements today.

  • The “criminalization of politics” is the same as “playing politics” in the Republican lexicon. The charge is dragged out any time the Repubs are questioned or criticized.

    I keep waiting for some Democrat or news person to point out that “politics” is all about opposing views and, well, opposing. Playing politics is simply politics. Criminalization of politics is crime.

  • Let us hope the investigation continues.
    The rumor is that Fitzgerald asked the
    judge to impanel a new grand jury, or
    extend the old, whichever version you’ve
    heard. Hmmmmm . . . . I wonder what
    the Attorney General thinks of this, if
    it’s true. If Fitzgerald finds a crack in
    the door to the real horror of this
    administration’s crimes, somebody’s
    got to stop him, right?

  • Now would seem to be a good time to buy stock in a company that
    sells antacids. It seems a lot of Republicans are going to need them in
    the near future. That and companies that make and sell yellow legal pads.

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