October 25, 2005

Times bombshell explodes near Cheney

[N]otes taken by Scooter Libby show that he learned of Valerie Wilson's employment at the CIA from his boss, Dick Cheney. These notes contradict Libby's testimony to the grand jury that he had first heard of Valerie Wilson from journalists.

[D]id Cheney--or anyone else at the White House (Bush included)--know that Libby was not testifying truthfully to the grand jury to save Cheney? Would that knowledge imply consent? Conspiracy? This scandal just got uglier and even more threatening for Cheney.

If Cheney purposefully did not tell Fitzgerald the truth--even if he was not under oath--he might be vulnerable to an obstruction of justice charge or perhaps other charges. (I am no lawyer.) But this new development raises the possibility of an orchestrated cover-up that reaches the vice president. Remember the "unindicted coconspirators" of the Watergate days? Who would believe the waiting-for-indictments period could become more intense?

-David Corn.

"The CIA leak issue is only the tip of the iceberg."

Congressman Jerry Nadler, along with 39 of his House colleagues, is calling for Patrick Fitzgerald's investigation to be expanded to examine whether the White House - President, Vice-President, and members of the WH's Iraq War Group - conspired to deliberately deceive Congress into authorizing the war.

As Nadler said, lying to Congress is a crime under several federal statutes.

“We are no longer just talking about a Republican culture of corruption and cronyism,” Nadler added. “We now have reason to believe that high crimes may have been committed at the highest level, wrongdoing that may have led us to war and imperiled our national security.”

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