Just heard on NBC News that Russert testified before the Plame grand jury

[lancdem]

Anyone else see that? That means the judge ruled against the two news organizations that were resisting the subpoenas - one was NBC. I didn't catch all the details, but the anchor said he told the grand jury he didn't know who Plame was until Novak told him.

I think this means the investigation is very close to the end, because the journalists were the last holdouts.

[Kadie]

1. Novak will probably be drinking a few more cocktails than usual

this weekend.

[amber dog democrat]

3. So much for protecting reporters from criminal investigations

for freedom of the press. Serves Novak right. I hope this blows up for him in a big way.

[goforit]

28. As citizens they too are liable!!!!

"Novac purposely outed her"- (quoted from a friend I know)!!!!

He's nothing but a scum bag!!!...and
a schmuck!!!

[goforit]

29. And ....think of the # of agents whom have died from this exposure.

[amber dog democrat]

38. this is treason.

and needs to be handled severely. I am still waiting for the next thing to happen.

[Tight_rope]

39. I keep asking why Novak is still alive...He committed treason...scumbag.

[GreatCaesarsGhost]

2. i thought a witness couldn't discuss grand jury testimony

how did the anchor know what was said?

[lancdem]

4. Apparently witnesses can

Investigators can't leak it.

[MaineDem]

7. You're right

Witnesses are free to discuss grand jury testimony. The grand jury members can't.

[TacticalPeek]

21. I believe that witnesses could discuss their own testimony,

but probably nothing else. But IANAL.

If Novak wanted to decline testifying, he could probably invoke his fifth amendment right against self-incrimination, known to RW blowhards as a legal technicality used by felons to avoid conviction and punishment.

[Tight_rope]

40. I guess he couldn't afford a good lawyer...and Bush couldn't/wouln't

be able to help him without the world finding out. I bet he's regretting this bad career move.

[lumberingbear]

5. Russert has seemed wierder than usual lately...

more disheveled and scowls constantly. Maybe he is more involved than we think!

[autorank]

35. Thanks for the observation but...

I hadn't noticed the difference. I think this is just a clearer manifesation of his core being.

[Rose Siding]

6. Which was the other media outlet involved in the suit?

There were two, weren't there? -but all part of one suit so it wouldn't matter. I don't see it on their site yet.

[lancdem]

8. I think it was Time magazine

[Lin]

12. is there even a possibility that Fox isn't involved??? eom

[SoCalDem]

11. AOL/TimeWarner/CNN

would be my guess...since it was Novak

[Snazzy]

31. Wapo, Newsday, Time, Novakula

What I remember anyway.

[tableturner]

9. Also said.....

that Russert was asked what Scooter Libby said to him in a particular conversation. Plus, they asserted that Russert did not break the confidence of any of his sources during his testimony. Last, he said he did not know the story behind Plame until he read Novak's column.

[lancdem]

10. That's it

Thanks for adding the details. :)

[Yavin4]

13. It Would Be Poetic, Kharma, Justice, If these Idiots Were Nailed

on lying to the grand jury seeing as though this charge is what they used to go after Clinton. I would literally cry at the thought.

[VolcanoJen]

14. Well, that is pretty remarkable.

When will Novak be questioned? Has he been, already?

Still no news link up, but this is an interesting development, to say the least.

[lancdem]

15. Wayne Madsen just told me in an email

that Russert testifying means Novak has testified.

[unblock]

16. will novak even be called?

it's not normal for the soon-to-be-defendant to be called in front of the grand jury. the only reason to call novak would be if he made a deal in exchange for implicating his source(s).

[VolcanoJen]

17. Now I'm a little confused.

Would Novak be a defendant? Aren't the defendants the person/persons who gave the information to Bob Novak?

Russert was likely called because their was evidence that the Plame information was shopped to him, as well. If that's true, then Russert could identify the leakers. He obviously didn't run with it, but Novak did, which would make Novak an even more credible witness for the Justice Department, wouldn't it?

Or do I have this all bass ackwards?

[lancdem]

18. Mr. Madsen says Novak is a witness, not a target

[msanthrope]

19. I'll bet Novak was given transactional, and not general

immunity in order to testify.

Means that the grand jury is not targeting Novak, but Novak can be prosecuted for other crimes.

[VolcanoJen]

30. lancdem, your info is invaluable!

Thanks for sharing it with us!!!!

[lancdem]

32. You're welcome!

:)

[Princess Turandot]

23. Grand Juries

A defendant cannot be forced to testify at a Grand Jury proceedings,
but has the right to do so. I believe that his/her attorney can be present in the room but cannot ask the defendant any questions to counter those asked by the prosecuting attorney. (At least, that's how it works in NYS; I served Grand Jury duty once. Interestingly, the only person whom we did not indict was the one who came in to testify.)

[demoman123]

24. In a federal grand jury, your lawyer has to stay outside.

But you can go out and consult with him.

[Yavin4]

25. Or Her!!

But you can go out and consult with him

Let's not be sexist. It's 2004.

[demoman123]

27. Right, if your lawyer is a chick.

Then it would be sexist to call her "him."

[Beetwasher]

20. Cool

Yeah, we're getting close...

[wish_I_could_vote]

22. God I hope so !!!!!

[DemoTex]

26. Really close.

Probably some action by the GJ on November 3. Eh?

[dirtgirl]

33. NBC report

I saw it. They said more than that on the subject of the questioning.

Timmy was asked what HE told Scooter Libby. He claims he was unaware of Plame's name or status prior to Novak's column. And they agreed NOT to ask Russert about things "told to him in confidence"

[SoCalDem]

34. Welcome to DU, dirtgirl

:):hi:

[0007]

44. Love the kitty photo,

did you take it?

[newyawker99]

45. Hi dirtgirl!!

Welcome to DU!! :toast:

[rawstory]

36. LINK?

thanks!

[Naipes]

37. A link would be nice...

Russert is a right wing whore. I can't stand that guy.

[Wright Patman]

41. Agreed

They practically all are. Timmy might have started out as a sane, objective "journalist," but he knows that his check is signed by a subsidiary corporate functionary of one of the largest 'defense' contractors in the world.

I have watched the "Outfoxed" documentary and because of competitive pressures they have all sunk to the level of Faux News and what is scary is that this seems to be what the viewing public wants. We are headed into a sort of faux Christian Fourth Reich, if we're not already there.

There have only been brief intervals in this country's history where progressive ideas were even respected, much less written into policy. Such ideas will never receive air time as long as five conglomerates control 90 percent of the mass media in this country.

[dirtgirl]

42. this was on TV

there is no link that I know of. I saw it during the nightly news.

the best I can offer is the rough transcript I was able to catch thanks to pausing the tivo several times:

NBC Nightly News, Aug 7 - John Siegenthaler reporting:

"More tonight on the investigation into the leak of a CIA agent, Valerie Plame. Prosecutors had subpoenaed NBC's News' Tim Russert, and NBC had gone to court to block the subpoena.

As reported previously, Russert was not a recipient of the leak.

Today, Russert was interviewed under oath by the Special Prosecutor, and was not asked any questions that would require him to disclose information provided in confidence.

The questioning focused on what Russert said when Lewis "Scooter" Libby, VP's Chief of Staff, phoned him last summer. Russert testified that at the time of the conversation, Russert didn't know Plame's name or that she was a CIA operative, and he didn't provide that information to Libby. He said that the first time he learned the information was when he later read a column by Robert Novak.

[spotbird]

46. Thank you!

That cleared it up. Welcome to DU, a little late.

[abcdan]

47. Here's a Washington Post link

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A52148-2004Aug9.html

[0007]

43. Who's up today on MTP?

[Generator]

48. So the meat of the story is that Cooper is the one who knows

The Justice Department probe is trying to determine whether this information was provided knowingly, in violation of the law. Hogan's orders show that special prosecutor Patrick Fitzgerald believes Cooper and Russert know the answer.

Cooper still refused to answer questions after Hogan's July 20 order, and on Aug. 6 Hogan held him in contempt of court and ordered that he go to jail. Cooper has been released on bond pending his emergency appeal to a federal appeals court. Hogan has ordered that Time pay a $1,000 fine for each day Cooper does not appear before the grand jury.

Sources close to the investigation said they believe Russert was not held in contempt Aug. 6 because he agreed to answer the questions after Hogan's July 20 ruling.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A52148-2004Aug9.html

Russert testified cause he had nothing to lose, he knows squat.

Cooper knows and is refusing to say. Otherwise, there is no reason to be in contempt.


Hogan wrote in his just-unsealed order that the information requested from Cooper and Russert is "very limited" and that "all available alternative means of obtaining the information have been exhausted." He added that "the testimony sought is expected to constitute direct evidence of innocence or guilt."

***
In other words, unless Cooper coughs it up, the GET AWAY WITH IT. Plame case closed.

[Tactical Progressive]

49. Bob "It depends on what the meaning of the word 'treason', is." Novak

That's how Novak's name should always be qualified, whether they get the leaker or not.

It is important that this episode remain highly visible. It reminds people of just how corrupt - to the point of pre-meditated treason - Cheney and his gang are. But it goes beyond that; it drags their enablers, the media, into it too.

In playing along, Novak's involvement smears more than this administration and himself. As one of CNN's premier 'journalists', Novak's represents CNN. His involvement in outing a deep-cover CIA agent fits in perfectly with CNN's race to the right with FOX in their attempt to curry favor with and support the most right-wing elements in power in Washington. And CNN's ethics wrt the cable news ecosystem bring into question the ethics of the entire journalistic establishment in America. In fact, they are emblematic of it.

In broad terms, Novak's actions bring to light alot more than this administration, whose corruption everybody already has a pretty good sense of, but to America's biggest enemy - American journalism's betrayal of their principles and this country. To me this isn't about using Novak to 'get' this administration. It is about Novak and CNN and American journalism in general, working in complete accordance with even treasonously-extreme right-wing elements of the US establishment.

That's more important than just the treason itself, and we don't necessarily need a conviction on that to keep the corruption of these co-conspirators in people's minds.