From the Desk of Patrick J. Fitzgerald

If Sloppy Journalism Were a Crime....

2008-12-13T13:05:00.007-05:00

I would double my case load!

Profile: Patrick Fitzgerald, a modern-day Eliot Ness

"His internet blog, which is subtitled 'Fighting for Truth, Justice and the American Way', reveals there was no time for a honeymoon."

...or a fact check...?

The BBC Rocks and Rolls...

Brilliant!

" Sen. Patrick J. Fitzgerald (I) IL ???" - King Solomonojevich

2008-12-10T13:06:00.005-05:00

U.S. Senator by Default - Fond Ties Have Grown Between Chicago and Its Corruption Fighter

The Lord works in mysterious ways, but no thanks, Rod... ;)

Dark Shadows And Timeless Dialogue...

2007-02-03T23:01:00.000-05:00

If only we could find a way of telling the truth without anyone knowing what actually happened. - V.P. Dick Cheney

V.P.'s Curse Hangs Over Trial Like a Gothic Soap Opera

[The wealthy Bush family of Kennebunkport, Maine and Crawford, Texas is tormented by strange occurrences and their staff at the White House.]

My name is Dubya. My journey is beginning. A journey that I hope will open the doors of life to me and unlink my past with my future. A journey that will bring me to a strange and dark place, to the edge of the Potomac high atop the Oval Office - a house called Bush. A world I've never known, with people I've never met. People who tonight are still only shadows in my mind, but who will soon fill the days and nights of my tomorrows. - George W. Bush

You wish you'd never met me, Mr. President. But you did. And nothing can change it... Come to me. I command you to turn around. Look into my eyes. Deep into my eyes. You have no will of your own. You cannot resist me and the Illuminati... - Dick Cheney

I said you were my friend Judy, and how I wish that were the truth. But I am past the point when friends are possible. I'm sorry. - Scooter Libby

For most men, Dick Cheney moves slowly, oh so slowly, they don't even realize it. But Dick has revealed himself to me in a very special way. Dick is a rushing, howling wind that rages past me, withering me in a single, relentless blast, and then continues on. I've been sitting here passively, submissive to his rage, watching him work. Listen! Dick, howling, withering! - Tim Russert

I want to protect you Mr. President. I'm not applying for a job as your maid. -Harriet Miers

Of course the press is going to kill me. I wouldn't have it any other way! - Dick Cheney

Who made him that way? But just the same, I wonder if that isn't why he always seems a little bit sad, a little bit lost. Because he is lost in the present. He really does come from another time. He'll never find it. Because it's gone forever. - Dr. Rice

I've never realized how much I liked it, I guess I've never really thought about it one way or another, how sad. Sad that I love the darkness so much and I never knew it. - Mary Matalin

I don't want a sedative! I want Jeb! - Laura Bush

I didn't say she was dead, I said I killed her. - Bob Novak

At last darkness has come. Goodbye, Sadaam Hussein. I might have loved you, I might have spared you, but now you must die. - President Bush

I know what Dick Cheney is!... Joe, we haven't got time to talk. We've got to escape. We've got to get out of this town! - Valerie Plame Wilson

You can all hover over me like royal secret service. I'd be delighted to play the Queen. - Ken Mehlman

Karl Rove: It will be a long time before this Administration falls apart. It was built to last forever like the Pyramids in Egypt.

Alberto Gonzalez: You can't compare the Pyramids to this White House. The Pyramids were designed to be tombs.

I bet Hollywood, is dusting off these scripts. ;)

Andrea Mitchell Told Russert About Plame...

2007-02-04T23:35:00.000-05:00

who then told Libby is what Team Cover Up will assert while Mr. Russert testifies under oath that Scooter is a bold faced liar.

This post is in response to S-Q's question regarding why some suit at Baker Botts was using the Google with the following search words: imus russert libby "christmas morning."

Mr. Jeffress was most likely researching statements Ms. Mitchell made to Imus and others that can be seen at Crooks and Liars:

C & L: "Her answers were ridiculous and she almost steps in it again as Imus asks her about this exchange.

Murray: Do we have any idea how widely known it was in Washington that Joe Wilson's wife worked for the CIA?

Mitchell: It was widely known among those of us who cover the intelligence community and who were actively engaged in trying to track down who among the foreign service community was the envoy to Niger. So a number of us began to pick up on that. But frankly I wasn't aware of her actual role at the CIA and the fact that she had a covert role involving weapons of mass destruction, not until Bob Novak wrote it.

(Rough transcript. Anyone want to write a transcript?)

Imus: It seems unclear what you said and perhaps you can clear it up about what you said back in Oct. of 2003---

Mitchell: I have been trying to figure out "what-the-heck" I was talking about, frankly. There is confusion because I am confused.

Imus: So when you told Alan Murray of CNBC, that it was widely known that his wife worked for the CIA-(interruption)--what were you drunk?

Mitchell: I don't even remember the deal...

(later)

Imus: His question seems plain...Imus: What this suggests to me is that you knew she worked at the CIA, but you didn't know what she did there. Isn't that fair-did you know that?

Mitchell-(garbled)

Imus: Why did you say that Andrea?

Mitchell: I messed up...(later)

Imus: Russert was a little short with me---almost like he was trying to hide something....

Imus laughing: I realized-well this is an unfair thing to say, I was gonna say- all you folks in Washington are all in bed with one another, but that would be an awful thing to say....

I can't agree with you more on that point. Listen to Andrea discuss Booby. She says Bob Woodward is a great journalist who made one "teenie-weenie" mistake. Notice she spews the BW company line that they told him casually about Valerie and says that it wasn't "something important until it became important." I agree with Imus, she is drunk.

Andrea: Bob Woodward is a terrific reporter, there is no one like Bob Woodward. He has done extraordinary work---(later) If people make one mistake in the course of a thirty five year career when they have been bullet proof---

Then she says that we don't know if Libby is lying. I'm too tired to go on....."

All I can say is that Tim Russert will testify truthfully - delivering Team Cover Up another body blow from which they won't recover - and not everyone in Washington or NBC take Ms. Mitchell all that seriously. ;)

Is Byron York Bought And Paid For..?

2007-02-05T01:53:00.000-05:00

or actually this dense?

Libby Judge: Even I Don't Know Plame’s Status

Wait a minute, protested defense lawyer Ted Wells. "The jury has been instructed that the issue of whether it was classified or whether she was covert will not be presented in this case."

"I’m not going to tell the jury the information was classified," Fitzgerald answered. “I will tell the jury that there was an investigation into whether the law was violated.”

And what law might that be? Sure enough, it's the one barring disclosure of a covert agent’s identity. And the person in question is Valerie Plame Wilson. And the person being investigated is Lewis Libby. That’s what the case is about. Fitzgerald knows that. Wells knows that. The judge knows that. But the jury — shhhhhh.

It’s a bizarre situation — a CIA-leak trial without the CIA leak. And, at least under its present restrictions, without much hope for justice, either. <more>

I was going to use the word "stupid," but thought better of it.

Survival Of The Fittest...

2007-02-05T02:07:00.000-05:00

Skipping Merrily Along as Others Take the Heat

"Oh, Mr. Novak’s name has come up a few times at trial. His column, "Mission to Niger," is Government Exhibit GX414. And it was mentioned several times in the court that the column led directly to government investigation. But for the most part, Mr. Novak went about his merry way as chief prosecutor Patrick J. Fitzgerald went about his."

"For a man who kicked off a running story that put a reporter in jail, kept another one up nights thinking about it and led to the indictment of a high-ranking administration official, Mr. Novak has become Washington’s less-than-visible man."

"He is like Typhoid Mary," Edward Wasserman, a professor of journalism at Washington and Lee University, said of Mr. Novak. "Everybody is keeling over around him and he just keeps skipping along."

"It is a role that has come to suit him. Mr. Novak is, of course, the high-profile master of keeping it on the down-low. When prosecutors were issuing subpoenas to reporters, sparking a debate that went all the way to the United States Supreme Court, Mr. Novak said nothing. After the Supreme Court refused to hear those arguments and it became clear that at least two of his colleagues in the profession were either going to cooperate or going to jail, he said nothing." <more>

What do you expect? He is from Chicago.

Scooter GJ MP3s Coming To iPod...

2007-02-05T10:21:00.000-05:00

Happy Monday.

Seven Hours of Libby Testimony to Be Released
Audio recordings of secret grand jury testimony will be released to public, Reggie rules.

Libby Live: Libby Grand Jury Audio Debate

Libby Live: FBI Agent Bond, Six

Libby Live: FBI Agent Bond, Seven

High Stakes...

2007-02-05T23:10:00.001-05:00

Scooter is Shortstacked
Interesting day today in the Libby trial. It began with the judge's decision to release the Libby grand jury testimony tapes to the AP. While not necessarily a victory for the prosecution — Fitzgerald did not weigh in on either side — it was definitely a defeat for the defense. Walton also indicated he was likely to decide that certain articles that Team Libby wanted to keep away from the jury — specifically two followup articles to the famous 1×2x6 article in the Washington Post — were well within the prosecution's right to show to them. One has to wonder if Wells hasn't tested whatever good will he might have needed with the judge with regard to these sorts of decisions. Walton has noted that Wells never followed up with any line of questioning the Karl Rove red herring he tossed out in opening statements, and he has also expressed irritation that Libby might not testify after all the song and dance he put everyone through during discovery. As Swopa says, it will all just probably provide more fodder for a Libby appeal, which Wells has already mentioned is on his mind. <more>

Catching Up On My Reading...

2007-02-06T10:52:00.000-05:00

and sixteen word crossword puzzle while the tapes play.

Libby Grand Jury Testimony, Two

Libby Grand Jury Testimony, Three
F: Do you remember talking to Judith Miller on July 8th?

L: Yes.

(discussion of what Miller had been up to — just back from Iraq, etc.)

L: This was our first meeting, or she may have come to my office once before. She's a very responsible reporter, and I'd wanted to meet her because she cares about the WMD issue and threats to America. As we started to discuss week of July 7th, the NIE had said … (discusses NIE, asks for permission to discussion January 24 document) A January 24 document had said exactly the same thing as the NIE supporting the notion of Iraq seeking uranium from Niger. The CIA had issued this in October 2002 and January 2003, and we wanted people to know that this went against what Wilson said.

I was unaware that she was not writing during this period, but the VP instructed me to talk to Judith Miller. I said, but NIE is classified, but Cheney said Pres. had authorized it. Libby went to Addington to confirm that Pres. could declassify (this is all stuff that has been reported, so sorry if I miss details). So the Pres and VP wanted me to discuss this, and I selected Judith Miller because I felt she was a responsible reporter (Uhh, you just said Cheney picked her, didnt you?).

(Fitz and Libby discuss declassification of NIE and Jan. 24th document, Addington saying Pres has absolute ability to declassify anything whenever he want — this has all been reported previously)

F: Getting back to Judith Miller, did you talk about Mr. Wilson?

L: I don't remember specifically, but probably since we discu

F: What about Mr. Wilson's wife?

L: I don't believe I did.

Libby Grand Jury Testimony, Three
Libby Grand Jury Testimony, Four
Libby Grand Jury Testimony, Five

This Fitz-Scooter Crossword Is Too Hard..!

2007-02-06T15:23:00.000-05:00

Do it online or print it out here.

Good luck!

Across
3. Rhoda star
7. private discussion
9. Ted Well's firm
10. Spook haunt
12. NPR babe
14. Hoover's Legacy
16. Colbert term
20. Libby did this to himself
21. Sinclair's magnum opus set here
22. cup of ____
24. corrupt, lazy and sloppy
27. Bush fears this
29. President Gore will ask Fitz to be this
32. Punch's wife
34. sealed v. sealed scooper
35. Flatbush
37. Big Apple Tabloid
40. Sally Quinn's husband
43. Merry ________
44. Prettyman is one
45. Qui Pro Domina Justitia Sequitur found here
46. crooked "e"
48. bomb component
50. starchy Rock band
51. quagmire
52. Deja vu
54. liberal arts college
55. Ari says ______-ay
56. President
57. Big Oil and Haliburton mole
58. brief
59. Dubya acronym

Down
1. WH press corps stud
2. Graham legacy
4. Veggie brand
5. Mr. October
6. sex _____
8. wintery speech
10. fictional FBI agent
11. do with blanket
13. Menace's neighbor
15. comes after belch
17. F. Scott_____________
18. child's toy
19. Spiro Agnew
23. VP Spinzone
25. Mandatory RSVP
26. synonymous w/ liveblogging
28. track and field Olympian
30. thrown in eyes
31. Junkyard Reporter
33. Giuliani was one
36. Yankee manager
38. intestinal blockage
39. Fighting ____
41. unfair and unbalanced
42. Ireland's patron saint
47. African waterway
49. John Boy was one
53. Marx
Answers:

Bush At Center Of Libby Leak...

2007-02-06T19:15:00.000-05:00

Old news is good news - it was accurate then and it is accurate now.

Bush at Center of Intelligence Leak
By Jason Leopold

"Attorneys and current and former White House officials close to the investigation into the leak of covert CIA operative Valerie Plame Wilson said Thursday that President Bush gave Vice President Dick Cheney the authorization in mid-June 2003 to disclose a portion of the highly sensitive National Intelligence Estimate to Washington Post reporter Bob Woodward and former New York Times reporter Judith Miller."

"The officials, some of whom are attorneys close to the case, added that more than two dozen emails that the vice president's office said it recently discovered and handed over to leak investigators in February show that President Bush was kept up to date about the circumstances surrounding the effort to discredit former Ambassador Joseph Wilson.

The sources indicated that the leak probe is now winding down, and that soon, new information will emerge from the special counsel's office that will prove President Bush had prior knowledge of the White House campaign to discredit Plame Wilson's husband, former Ambassador Joseph Wilson, who accused the administration of "twisting" intelligence on the Iraqi threat in order to win public support for the war."

The new information that surfaced late Wednesday places President Bush at the center of the probe for the first time since the investigation into the leak began more than two years ago and raises new questions as to whether Bush knew in advance the lengths to which senior White House officials went to discredit Wilson.

In the court filing, Special Prosecutor Patrick Fitzgerald wrote that Cheney's former chief of staff, I. Lewis "Scooter" Libby, "testified that he was specifically authorized in advance of the meeting to disclose the key judgments of the classified NIE to [former New York Times reporter Judith] Miller on that occasion because it was thought that the NIE was 'pretty definitive' against what Ambassador Wilson had said and that the Vice President thought that it was 'very important' for the key judgments of the NIE to come out."

"Defendant further testified that he at first advised the Vice President that he could not have this conversation with reporter Miller because of the classified nature of the NIE. Defendant testified that the Vice President later advised him that the President had authorized defendant to disclose the relevant portions of the NIE," the filing further states. "Defendant testified that he also spoke to David Addington, then Counsel to the Vice President, whom defendant considered to be an expert in national security law, and Mr. Addington opined that Presidential authorization to publicly disclose a document amounted to a declassification of the document. Defendant testified that he thought he brought a brief abstract of the NIE's key judgments to the meeting with Miller on July 8. Defendant understood that he was to tell Miller, among other things, that a key judgment of the NIE held that Iraq was 'vigorously trying to procure' uranium. Defendant testified that this July 8th meeting was the only time he recalled in his government experience when he disclosed a document to a reporter that was effectively declassified by virtue of the President's authorization that it be disclosed. Defendant testified that one of the reasons why he met with Miller at a hotel was the fact that he was sharing this information with Miller exclusively." <April 6, 2006 - more>

Be truthful, Jason! Were you inside the grand jury proceedings? You were also the first journalist to report Cheney’s involvement, the first to report on the 250 emails that were missing, and only one to discover Sealed v. Sealed! - You are beyond Pulitzer! ;)

'Startling moment' at Libby trial as President Bush is referenced - Today's OLD NEWS

CAUTION: Media Beating In Progress..!!!

2007-02-06T23:39:00.000-05:00

Scooter Libby and the media debacle

The New York Times made headlines last week when it tapped a new D.C. bureau chief. But if the paper of record really wanted to jump-start its Beltway news operation, maybe it should have tried to lure Patrick Fitzgerald away from the Department of Justice.

Let's face it, as special counsel in charge of investigating the Valerie Plame CIA leak, and now the lead prosecutor in D.C. federal court methodically laying out the damning evidence of perjury, obstruction, and lying against Lewis "Scooter" Libby, Vice President Dick Cheney's former chief of staff, Fitzgerald has consistently shown more interest -- and determination -- in uncovering the facts of the Plame scandal than most Beltway journalists, including the often somnambulant D.C. newsroom of The New York Times.

Indeed, for long stretches, the special counsel easily supplanted the timid D.C. press corps and become the fact-finder of record for the Plame story. It was Fitzgerald and his team of G-men -- not journalists -- who were running down leads, asking tough questions and, in the end, helping inform the American people about possible criminal activity inside the White House.

It's true that Fitzgerald's team had subpoena power that no journalist could match. But reporters in this case had a trump card of their own: inside information. Sadly, most journalists remained mum about the coveted and often damning facts, dutifully keeping their heads down and doing their best to make sure the details never got out about the White House's obsession with discrediting former Ambassador Joseph C. Wilson IV by outing his undercover CIA wife, Valerie Plame.

So as the facts of the White House cover-up now tumble out into open court, it's important to remember that if it hadn't been for Fitzgerald's work, there's little doubt the Plame story would have simply faded into oblivion like so many other disturbing suggestions of Bush administration misdeeds. And it would have faded away because lots of high-profile journalists at The New York Times, The Washington Post, Time, and NBC wanted it to. <so much more>

This is dead on and so well deserved - negligence and incompetence come to mind, but to be fair - not investigating is hard work.

How 'Bout This Trial..?

2007-02-07T09:29:00.000-05:00

Meet the Press started as a radio show in 1945 as American Mercury Presents: Meet the Press, originating from WRC-AM in Washington. It was later adapted for television. Meet the Press made its television debut on November 6, 1947. It is now the longest-running television show in United States broadcasting history. Meet the Press is the highest rated Sunday morning show in America.

NBC's Washington bureau chief, Tim Russert, has hosted the show since December 8, 1991, under the full title Meet the Press with Tim Russert. The show expanded to 60 minutes in 1992. The final segment of the program (time permitting) is often devoted to a topical clip from the show's extensive archives.

Russert's sign-off is "That's all for today. We'll be back next week. If it's Sunday, it's Meet the Press." During football season, Russert, a native of Buffalo, New York and avid Buffalo Bills fan ,sometimes adds, "Go Bills!", and occasionally will ask panelists, "How 'bout those Sabres?" if the Buffalo hockey team is doing well. <wiki>

Meet the Press in Hell

Russert: Mr. Christ, what do you say to accusations that you’re opposed to fighting a battle to bring about the end of all life on Earth because you’re an Anti-Semite?

Jesus: Well, first of all, I’d like to point out that I myself am Jewish—

Ann Coulter: Yeah! Just like George Soros. Another Jew who somehow figured out a way to avoid crucifixion.

Jesus: I WAS crucified! (DISPLAYS WOUNDS IN HANDS)

Michelle Malkin: Why don’t people ask him more specific questions about the nails in his hands and feet? There are legitimate questions about whether or not they were self-inflicted wounds.

Russert: What do you mean self-inflicted? Are you suggesting Mr. Christ crucified himself on purpose?

Michelle Malkin: Did you read the book by Barabbas and the Golgotha Veterans for Truth? Some of the thieves who were actually crucified have made allegations that these were self-inflicted wounds. <more>

Libby Grand Jury Testimony, Six

Libby Grand Jury Testomony, Seven

Libby Grand Jury Testimony, Eight

Final Witness...

2007-02-07T14:23:00.000-05:00

and then we rest...buckle your seat belts, I saved the best for last.

Tim Russert, One

F: How could you tell he was upset? What did he say?

T: "What the hell is going on with Hardball?" "I'm tired of hearing my name on the air all the time." "What he's saying isn't true."

F: What did you tell him?

T: I said it wasn't my responsibility, so I gave him names (list them)

F: At any time did you discuss the wife of Joseph Wilson?

T: No, because I didn't know who she was until several days later

F: Did Libby ever tell you?

T: No.

F: What would you have done?

T: Gotten more information from him and then discussed with my producers, would have been a significant story

Short, to the point and sweet!

Tim Russert, Two

Just Say "No Thank You" To Graft..!

2007-02-07T16:33:00.000-05:00

CREW Releases "Criminals and Scoundrels"

Report Detailing 25 Most Corrupt Bush Administration Officials

Washington, D.C. – Today, Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW) released a new report on the most corrupt officials in the Bush administration entitled "Criminals and Scoundrels: The 25 Most Corrupt Bush Administration Officials." For the first time, the report chronicles the criminal activities and misconduct of high level officials in the current administration. Using public and court records, CREW developed a comprehensive list of government officials who have abused the public trust.

CREW found and documented more than more than 160 cases of misconduct over the last six years and then narrowed the list based on type of offense, the official’s level of responsibility and the impact on the public trust. The majority of the officials in the report have been convicted of crimes, are currently under criminal investigation, or are being investigated by the inspector generals of their respective agencies. CREW’s website, www.citizensforethics.org, provides summaries of each case as well as accompanying exhibits.

Some of the egregious behavior detailed in the "Criminals and Scoundrels" report includes: personal trips on the taxpayer dime, directing contracts to benefit family and friends, using a computer to seduce a child, lying to the U.S. Senate, unauthorized possession of classified materials and taking a bribe from a defense contractors to pay a mortgage.

List -- The rampant graft and corruption in the Bush Administration is a travesty - a travesty of a mockery of a sham of a mockery of a travesty of two mockeries of a sham.

Coffee Is Good Food...

2007-02-07T18:16:00.000-05:00

You might crave some too while reading these: February 7, 2007 Trial Exhibits

Are You Ready For Some Audio..?

2007-02-07T21:43:00.000-05:00

MSNBC has video/audio clips from Scooter's grand jury testimony. And I do not endorse the product advertisements that cue beforehand.

Two Minute Warning...

2007-02-08T09:30:00.000-05:00

and then halftime.

Dick Cheney And The Dog That Didn’t Bark

Tim Russert: Strange Bedfellow

Libby Live: Tim Russert, Three

"The filletiing of Tim Russert continues into a second hour this morning… the first hour focused on Russert never disclosing his gabby interview with the FBI in November 2003, either to TV viewers or in fighting a grand jury subpoena in 2004. Of special interest to the defense is why the special counsel never declared this interview to be a waiver of Russert's First Amendment claims to confidentiality, nor did they specifically agreed not to use it against Russert."

Libby Live: Tim Russert, Four

Fitz says if we admit this, we might as well throw out "Whitmore on Evidence" (a textbook, apparently) and replace it with "Imus on evidence." More Imus snark follows — "throwing a bunch of speculationand TV cable shows in front of the jury," "claiming that someone would be embarrassed because of what was said on a Don Imus show" "there is no Imus exception to the hearsay rules."

Libby Live: Tim Russert, Five
F: Did you read indictment?

T: Yes, I think it was released after the news conference.

F: What did you read?

T: Parts invoving things I was claimed to have said.

F: What did you think of those things.

T: That they weren't true.

F: No further questions. Sweet!

Maybe I Am...

2007-02-08T15:01:00.000-05:00

Wells: Any possibility of Mr. Fitzgerald being Santa Claus?

Tim Russert: (bewildered) No.

Do not open before Fitzmas.

Indictment Still Sealed, Fitzgerald Still Busy

The Art Of The Trial...

2007-02-08T16:52:00.000-05:00

The Simple Life...

2007-02-09T07:14:00.000-05:00

Libby lawyers can interview NY Times "journalist"

U.S. District Judge Reggie Walton ruled that Libby's lawyers can call New York Times Managing Editor Jill Abramson over objections from the prosecutors and her lawyer, Charles Leeper.

Defense attorneys want Abramson to repeat her out-of-court denials that reporter Judith Miller urged Abramson - then Washington bureau chef - to pursue the story of Paris Hilton's role in sending Nicole Richie to Niger to investigate whether Iraq was trying to buy uranium there for nuclear weapons. <more>

A Capital "B" and "S" In DuBiouS...

2007-02-09T09:59:00.000-05:00

Pentagon Inspector General: Key Report On Iraq Is Faulted
'Dubious' Intelligence Fueled Push for War

Intelligence provided by former undersecretary of defense Douglas J. Feith to buttress the White House case for invading Iraq included "reporting of dubious quality or reliability" that supported the political views of senior administration officials rather than the conclusions of the intelligence community, according to a report by the Pentagon's inspector general.

Feith's office "was predisposed to finding a significant relationship between Iraq and al Qaeda," according to portions of the report, released yesterday by Sen. Carl M. Levin (D-Mich.). The inspector general described Feith's activities as "an alternative intelligence assessment process." <more>

Refresh my memory. The Plame cover-up is about what?

DoD Report Appears to Confirm Downing St. Memo

A long-awaited report on the veracity of pre-war Iraq intelligence has found that a secretive policy shop exaggerated the Iraqi threat, providing the White House with cherry-picked information about links between Iraq and al Qaeda. The shop, operating out of the Pentagon, was set up by then-Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld. Its goal was to lay the groundwork for a pre-emptive military strike against Iraq.

The report would appear to confirm British intelligence assertions that surfaced in a document widely referred to as the Downing Street Memo that the facts against the threat posed by Iraq were being fixed around the Bush administration's policy leading up to the invasion of Iraq. <more>

Who's Been Sleeping In My Bed..?

2007-02-09T16:47:00.000-05:00

Not me!

Back in Chicago - home and my office (I think...for now) - away from reporters, the glare of cameras and unflattering courtroom artists - where everybody knows my name - probably a lasagna in my oven - and perfect weather for a morning jog tomorrow. This is the life.

BTW, how many touchdowns did the Bears win by? And have a great weekend. :)

I almost forgot, one more thing...expect to see a few articles focusing on Andrea Mitchell in the very near future. You can bone up on her public statements here.

A Proud Day For Illinois..!

2007-02-10T11:31:00.000-05:00

and America.

Just a few moments ago, Barack Hussein Obama officially tossed his hat into the already crowed field of candidates running for our nation's highest elected office. Good luck young man. You are living the American Dream while I am prosecuting the American Nightmare! ;)

I announced in 2005, but Randall says the press release jammed in the fax machine!

Me 4 President..?

P.S. '08 does not bode well for the GOP when the best they can do lately are attack Speaker Pelosi's plane and John Edward's bloggers.

P.S.S. Keep an eye on this guy...

I Need A Bromo Seltzer...

2007-02-10T22:06:00.000-05:00

At Libby’s Defense Table, a Tough but Daft Lawyer

Thus far in the Libby case, Mr. Wells, with his tall and athletic bearing, has displayed his skill as a communicator through his opening statement and his cross-examinations of government witnesses. He used a wireless microphone so he could stride around the courtroom while striking notes of anger, incredulity and wounded innocence on behalf of Mr. Libby, the former chief of staff to Vice President Dick Cheney. It is a style in notable contrast to that of the chief prosecutor, Patrick J. Fitzgerald, who methodically drew his witnesses through their accounts of Mr. Libby’s alleged false statements, prodding them with questions that were unemotional, simple and often short. <more>

Audio -- Whoo Whoo - Bromo-Seltzer – Bromo-Seltzer...