Bending the Third Rail
Because We Should, We Can, We Do
Friday, February 03, 2006
Kinda a Bombshell
I haven't been following the Libby machinations lately. Most of the "news" is speculation right now as the two sides dicker over evidence, discovery and posturing. But Raw Story had this today:
Finally, Fitzgerald alludes to "authorization" by Libby's "superiors" – who may include President George W. Bush or Vice President Dick Cheney – who may have allowed him to disclose information about a then-classified report on Iraq's alleged weapons of mass destruction to the media. Previous reports have indicated that Cheney and Bush are not targets of the probe.

Fitzgerald writes, "As we discussed during our telephone conversation, Mr. Libby testified in the grand jury that he had contact with reporters in which he disclosed the content of the National Intelligence Estimate (“NIE”) to such reporters in the course of his interaction with reporters in June and July 2003 (and caused at least one other government official to discuss the NIE with the media in July 2003). We also note that it is our understanding that Mr. Libby testified that he was authorized to disclose information about the NIE to the press by his superiors."
Like. Isn't this a big deal? Fitzgerald alleging that Libby had authorization from superiors (could only be Cheney or Bush, right?) to disclose classified information?

Some bloggers are, I think, jumping the gun in saying that Raw Story is reporting that Libby got authorization to disclose Plame from higher ups. I don't read the story that way despite Raw Story actually making that conclusion. If Plame's identity was part of the classified information that was authorized for release then that's the correct reading. But Fitzgerald's comment does not say that. But either way, it's an implication that "higher ups" broke the law.

Oh. I'm sorry. I forgot. Bush/Cheney can't really break the law because they are the law.
Written at 2:36 PM by Greyhair.
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