• Menu
  • Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar

Before Header

  • About Us
  • Lexicon
  • Contact Us
  • Our Store
  • ↑
  • ↓
  • ←
  • →

Balloon Juice

Come for the politics, stay for the snark.

Republicans don’t trust women.

Reality always lies in wait for … Democrats.

Baby steps, because the Republican Party is full of angry babies.

When do we start airlifting the women and children out of Texas?

Authoritarian republicans are opposed to freedom for the rest of us.

… riddled with inexplicable and elementary errors of law and fact

rich, arrogant assholes who equate luck with genius

Russian mouthpiece, go fuck yourself.

Wow, you are pre-disappointed. How surprising.

There are no moderate Republican – only extremists, and cowards.

Bad news for Ron DeSantis is great news for America.

The next time the wall street journal editorial board speaks the truth will be the first.

Seems like a complicated subject, have you tried yelling at it?

A democracy can’t function when people can’t distinguish facts from lies.

“I never thought they’d lock HIM up,” sobbed a distraught member of the Lock Her Up Party.

Meanwhile over at truth Social, the former president is busy confessing to crimes.

Narcissists are always shocked to discover other people have agency.

Somebody needs to explain to DeSantis that nobody needs to do anything to make him look bad.

Come on, man.

“Can i answer the question? No you can not!”

T R E 4 5 O N

I didn’t have alien invasion on my 2023 BINGO card.

We are builders in a constant struggle with destroyers. let’s win this.

Incompetence, fear, or corruption? why not all three?

Mobile Menu

  • Four Directions Montana
  • Donate with Venmo, Zelle & PayPal
  • Site Feedback
  • War in Ukraine
  • Submit Photos to On the Road
  • Politics
  • On The Road
  • Open Threads
  • Topics
  • COVID-19 Coronavirus
  • Authors
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Lexicon
  • Our Store
  • Politics
  • Open Threads
  • War in Ukraine
  • Garden Chats
  • On The Road
  • 2021-22 Fundraising!
You are here: Home / Politics / Plame Update

Plame Update

by John Cole|  February 9, 20063:32 pm| 32 Comments

This post is in: Politics

FacebookTweetEmail

Kos points to this Murray Waass piece:

Vice President Dick Cheney’s former chief of staff, I. Lewis (Scooter) Libby, testified to a federal grand jury that he had been “authorized” by Cheney and other White House “superiors” in the summer of 2003 to disclose classified information to journalists to defend the Bush administration’s use of prewar intelligence in making the case to go to war with Iraq, according to attorneys familiar with the matter, and to court records.

According to sources with firsthand knowledge, Cheney authorized Libby to release additional classified information, including details of the NIE, to defend the administration’s use of prewar intelligence in making the case for war.

Libby specifically claimed that in one instance he had been authorized to divulge portions of a then-still highly classified National Intelligence Estimate regarding Saddam Hussein’s purported efforts to develop nuclear weapons, according to correspondence recently filed in federal court by special prosecutor Patrick J. Fitzgerald

This could get interesting.

FacebookTweetEmail
Previous Post: « Never Knew Him
Next Post: New Immigration Rules »

Reader Interactions

32Comments

  1. 1.

    The Disenfranchised Voter

    February 9, 2006 at 3:41 pm

    Could get interesting? If I’m reading that right this is definitely going to get interesting.

    Oh and guess what? Kos ended up banning me a few days ago (at least I think it was Kos). I hadn’t even been posting lately so it’s kinda odd if he was banning me for the Americablog diary.

  2. 2.

    John B.

    February 9, 2006 at 3:49 pm

    This is pretty major. Even Conservatives are starting to see what a joke this administration has for the law. For God’s sake can they put Country before Party???

  3. 3.

    rilkefan

    February 9, 2006 at 3:51 pm

    TDV, John could have linked via hilzoy or Kevin Drum – he’s just goading you.

  4. 4.

    Paddy O'Shea

    February 9, 2006 at 3:53 pm

    Love to see Fitz turn Libby. If he can get Scooter to sit on the canary seat, why just think of all the fun we’ll have watching the Hero of New Orleans and Ticker Dick sweat!

    I wonder how Karl Rove will approach smearing Libby? He walks funny?

  5. 5.

    DougJ

    February 9, 2006 at 4:00 pm

    Come on, vice president Tyler did this kind of thing all the time and on one cared. Why? Because we didn’t have cable news show in the 1840s.

  6. 6.

    Sock Puppet

    February 9, 2006 at 4:02 pm

    All this Bush bashing has got to stop. Is this any way to treat the man who saved Los Angeles?

  7. 7.

    LITBMueller

    February 9, 2006 at 4:06 pm

    I’m not too familiar with what powers the Veep has to declassify information, but does this make sense?: What I’m thinking is that Libby is setting up a two-pronged defense:

    1. I did not lie, perjure myself, or obstruct justice – I simply misspoke.
    2. Even if you do not believe me, I was not trying to obstruct because what I did was not illegal – specifically, I was authorized by the Vice President himself to disclose this information, and the VP had declassified it. Therefore, there was no crime for me to try and cover up.

    Now that the trial date has been put off until after the election, Libby can use this defense. Sure, it makes Cheney look bad, but (a) why the hell would Cheney care, and (b) it won’t have any affect on the 2006 elections, or Cheney’s political future since he isn’t running in ’08.

    Heck, they could have Cheney do some sort of snarly-faced apology in order to isolate the President from all of this; then declare the whole matter closed.

    No further investigation. No more indictments.

    This strategy would also explain why no damage assessment has been completed regarding the Plame leak – because any assessment would have to acknowledge that Cheney declassified the information.

    Make sense? What do you think?

    P.S.: I’m not trying to defend – just trying to figure this out…

  8. 8.

    Richard Bottoms

    February 9, 2006 at 4:06 pm

    All this Bush bashing has got to stop. Is this any way to treat the man who saved Los Angeles?

    I thought that was Blue Thunder. Or was it Airwolf?

  9. 9.

    Paddy O'Shea

    February 9, 2006 at 4:11 pm

    LITBMueller: Too complicated. I think Scooter’s getting ready to squeal like a pig because he’s come to the conclusion that if he doesn’t he’s going to spend the rest of his life in the pokey.

    And besides, blaming others for one’s own mistakes is hardly alien to Bush admin members, current or former.

    Of course, in this case it could be accompanied with the novelty of it being the truth …

  10. 10.

    CaseyL

    February 9, 2006 at 4:13 pm

    Snake Plissken.

  11. 11.

    les

    February 9, 2006 at 4:17 pm

    Dumb question of the moment: Does Cheney have authority to declassify info like this? Presumably it was classified by someone else initially.

  12. 12.

    gratefulcub

    February 9, 2006 at 4:20 pm

    Cheney didn’t declassify it. He had it leaked. Very different.

    If they don’t like the law, they don’t obey it, instead of go through the constitutional process of changing it.

    They want classified information known, they leak it, they don’t get it declassified.

    They are simple folk, that’s 91.23% of their appeal.

  13. 13.

    LITBMueller

    February 9, 2006 at 4:22 pm

    les…that’s what I’m wondering. Of course, like John points out in his other post, a NSA-wartime-unitry executive type argument could probably be dreamed up by Abu Gonzales.

    And…we all know MANIMAL saved Los Angeles! :)

  14. 14.

    Brian

    February 9, 2006 at 4:27 pm

    Let’s see…..

    NSA “wiretap” story? Public doesn’t care.

    Katrina? More whites affected than blacks, so can’t play the race card. Anyhow, it’s old news now.

    SCOTUS confirmations? Dem’s walked away with tail between legs.

    Iraq? Elections have happened on sked and opinion polls there show that Iraqis see a positive future no longer under the finger of a tyrant.

    What else is there?

    I KNOW! Let’s dig up that ol’ Plame thingy and see if we can pump some life into that dead horse. Yeah, that’s it.

  15. 15.

    Par R

    February 9, 2006 at 4:27 pm

    Cheney has the authority to “declassify” information, so what’s the big deal?

  16. 16.

    Rob

    February 9, 2006 at 4:30 pm

    I’m curious about blogger etiquette. If you found it from Kos who linked to someone who linked to the Waass, do you show the whole path to get to Waass?

  17. 17.

    Kimmitt

    February 9, 2006 at 4:32 pm

    For God’s sake can they put Country before Party???

    Heh, funny guy.

  18. 18.

    The Disenfranchised Voter

    February 9, 2006 at 4:34 pm

    Snake Plissken.

    What about him?

  19. 19.

    Paul L.

    February 9, 2006 at 4:43 pm

    I am not defending Dick Cheney if this is True
    But…

    Paddy O’Shea Says:

    LITBMueller: Too complicated. I think Scooter’s getting ready to squeal like a pig because he’s come to the conclusion that if he doesn’t he’s going to spend the rest of his life in the pokey.

    And besides, blaming others for one’s own mistakes is hardly alien to Bush admin members, current or former.

    Of course, in this case it could be accompanied with the novelty of it being the truth …

    What makes you think they are going to give Libby a life sentence for purgery? Do you think Bush will not pardon him?

    Clinton was just disbarred.
    Sandy Burg(l)er got a slip on the wrist and a fine.
    Oh that right, They are Democrats.

  20. 20.

    The Other Steve

    February 9, 2006 at 4:59 pm

    Clinton was just disbarred.
    Sandy Burg(l)er got a slip on the wrist and a fine.
    Oh that right, They are Democrats.

    Moral equivalency?

    A murderer is the same as a pick pocket?

  21. 21.

    Bob In Pacifica

    February 9, 2006 at 5:00 pm

    There is a story out on TruthOut about others who have said the same thing to the Grand Jury. So while the folks sitting around the hooka at Tom Maguire’s pad are toking up and dreaming about Joseph Wilson walking the plank, seems that Fitzgerald is slowly tightening the rope around “I’ll vote for apartheid because I’m scared of Commies” Cheney.

    Expect a Saturday Night Massacre soon.

  22. 22.

    Bob In Pacifica

    February 9, 2006 at 5:05 pm

    Cheney AND Hadley.

    Also, expect more about Hadley and the forgery of the Italian docs soon.

  23. 23.

    Uberweiss

    February 9, 2006 at 5:15 pm

    All this Bush bashing has got to stop. Is this any way to treat the man who saved Los Angeles?

    Is it me or does it seem like Bush is trying to pretend that he is Jack Bauer in the show 24?

  24. 24.

    Otto Man

    February 9, 2006 at 5:18 pm

    I thought that was Blue Thunder. Or was it Airwolf?

    No, it was visiting NYPD Detective John McClaine.

  25. 25.

    CaseyL

    February 9, 2006 at 5:20 pm

    Snake Plissken saved Los Angeles before saving Los Angeles was cool.

  26. 26.

    Otto Man

    February 9, 2006 at 5:21 pm

    Seriously, does Libby think that saying Lord Cheney put his signet ring to the wax seal and gave him his leave is going to excuse this? I’m sure in their minds, that’s a reasonable defense, since they consider themselves to be above the law. But it doesn’t work that way.

    Also, expect more about Hadley and the forgery of the Italian docs soon.

    Yeah, that’s coming down the pike too. There’s so much on the way that we may wind up suffering from scandal overload.

  27. 27.

    DougJ

    February 9, 2006 at 5:38 pm

    Cheney has the authority to “declassify” information, so what’s the big deal?

    Okay, you’re a parody.

    And a damned good one.

  28. 28.

    Barry

    February 9, 2006 at 6:13 pm

    Otto Man, this might be a public signal – perhaps Cheney has rebuffed Libby in private. Perhaps it’s the start of anther media campaign.

    Heck, we’re just peasants. What do we know about the squabblings of nobles? If they wanted us to know, they’d tell us.

  29. 29.

    Perry Como

    February 9, 2006 at 9:16 pm

    Could Libby be a French spy?

  30. 30.

    The Other Steve

    February 9, 2006 at 10:25 pm

    Snake Plissken saved Los Angeles before saving Los Angeles was cool.

    Yeah, but Jack Burton got Kim Cattrall after saving the city!

  31. 31.

    Paul L.

    February 10, 2006 at 7:16 am

    The Other Steve Says: Moral equivalency?

    A murderer is the same as a pick pocket?

    You are an idiot.
    I am comparing like to like
    Why is Libby Perjury charge worst that Clinton’s.? And don’t say it is about sex.
    Clinton lied to a grand jury. Same thing Libby is accused of
    As for Moral equivalency?
    Why is the NSA leaker a whistleblower and Libby is not?

  32. 32.

    Steve

    February 10, 2006 at 8:47 am

    Why is the NSA leaker a whistleblower and Libby is not?

    Cut this one out and frame it.

Comments are closed.

Primary Sidebar

2024 Pet Calendars!

Order 2024 Calendars

Recent Comments

  • Villago Delenda Est on Monday Evening Open Thread (Dec 4, 2023 @ 10:00pm)
  • WaterGirl on Monday Night Open Thread: Proud to Be A Democrat, And Also Snarky (Dec 4, 2023 @ 9:58pm)
  • Villago Delenda Est on War for Ukraine Day 649: The Disappeared (Dec 4, 2023 @ 9:52pm)
  • Villago Delenda Est on War for Ukraine Day 649: The Disappeared (Dec 4, 2023 @ 9:51pm)
  • JaySinWA on Monday Night Open Thread: Proud to Be A Democrat, And Also Snarky (Dec 4, 2023 @ 9:49pm)

🎈Keep Balloon Juice Ad Free

Become a Balloon Juice Patreon
Donate with Venmo, Zelle or PayPal

Balloon Juice Posts

View by Topic
View by Author
View by Month & Year
View by Past Author

Fundraising 2023-24

Wis*Dems Supreme Court + SD-8
Virginia House Races
Four Directions: Montana

Featuring

Medium Cool
Artists in Our Midst
Authors in Our Midst
We All Need A Little Kindness
What Has Biden Done for You Lately?

Calling All Jackals

Site Feedback
Nominate a Rotating Tag
Submit Photos to On the Road
Balloon Juice Mailing List Signup
Balloon Juice Anniversary (All Links)
Balloon Juice Anniversary (All Posts)

Balloon Juice for Ukraine

Donate

Twitter / Spoutible

Balloon Juice (Spoutible)
WaterGirl (Spoutible)
TaMara (Spoutible)
John Cole
DougJ (aka NYT Pitchbot)
Betty Cracker
Tom Levenson
David Anderson
Major Major Major Major
ActualCitizensUnited

Cole & Friends Learn Español

Introductory Post
Cole & Friends Learn Español

Four Directions Montana

Donate

Walter’s Fund (Athenspets)

Donate

Site Footer

Come for the politics, stay for the snark.

  • Facebook
  • RSS
  • Twitter
  • YouTube
  • Comment Policy
  • Our Authors
  • Blogroll
  • Our Artists
  • Privacy Policy

Copyright © 2023 Dev Balloon Juice · All Rights Reserved · Powered by BizBudding Inc

Share this ArticleLike this article? Email it to a friend!

Email sent!