Did Fitzgerald REALLY Ask the WH Not to Comment? >

[Stephanie]

I don't believe that Fitzgerald asked anyone to keep quiet.

Matt Cooper told everything. The articles on Cooper said that as a grand jury witness he was under no prohibition - he was free to say what he testified to in the grand jury. I doubt Fitz would have one set of rules for journalists' testimony and another for WH testimony. I mean, Rove's a source, not a target, right?

Can some journalist please ask Fitzgerald's office if he actually made this request?!

~~~

http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2005/07/20050721-3.html

MR. McCLELLAN: Let me correct the record. We've said for quite some time that this was an ongoing investigation, and that we weren't going to comment on it, so let me just correct the record.

Q If you want to make the record clear, then you also did make comments when a criminal investigation was underway, you saw fit to provide Karl Rove with a blanket statement of absolution. And that turned out to be no longer accurate --

MR. McCLELLAN: Well, and there were preferences expressed by those overseeing the investigation that we refrain from commenting on it while they're continuing to look at -- investigate it.

~~~

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/blog/2005/07/12/BL2005071200722.html?nav=rss_politics

Rove's lawyer, Robert Luskin, spoke to The Post again yesterday and said his client continues to cooperate fully with Fitzgerald, including with the prosecutor's request not to publicly discuss the case.

~~~

http://rawstory.com/news/2005/Karen_Hughes_refused_to_answer_questions_about_Plame_outing_during_confirmation_he_0727.html

(snip)

Hughes response was curt: "Because of my ongoing contact with the White House, I was interviewed as part of that investigation and was happy to cooperate, as I noted in my Senate Foreign Relations Committee questionnaire. As you know, these questions relate to an ongoing criminal investigation. I believe that I should honor the prosecutor's request not to discuss this matter until he has completed his investigation."

(thanks to deminks!)

~~~

I's just like to know if they're lying again.

[LaurenG]

1. With their record assume they are and then if they aren't you can

be surprised. They always lie except when they twist facts which are in reality lies anyway...

[HereSince1628]

2. I believe the operative word is "request"

People can talk about their GJ testimony, but obviously that carries a risk of reducing the effectiveness of the GJ for the prosecuter.

In this case, it's a very convenient claim and gives the WH a cover to hide under...at least until October.

[Stephanie]

4. Yes but apparently he never requested that NOVAK not discuss it

WILSON has certainly had plenty to say and I'm sure he testified. So, is the prosecutor selective in these requests, or is the WH just better mannnered than the others, more responsive to others' requests?

[KharmaTrain]

13. Yes, A Very Loose Request

Remember, this investigation is ongoing. The clock is still running on who is a target, subject and so on...and words said even this late in the game could come back to bite someone in the butt later on.

Yes, Fitzgerald probably admonished everyone who testified not to disclose anything with the public, but I suspect he and his team were watching as well. Remember, this is part a telephone game...who said what to whom...and i'm certain someone's keeping track if there's any "story coordination" going on.

[H2O Man]

3. Yes, actually he has.

He asked Cooper, too. But a witness can talk about it outside of court.

[Stephanie]

5. Hmmm.

So they could but they'd just prefer not to out of deference to the prosecutor.

[H2O Man]

8. Yes, kind of ....

but even more important is that if they said anything that contradicts what they told Fitzgerald, he will know. People have mentioned that when the president spoke with Fitzgerald, he wasn't under oath. That's not particularly important. That he talked to him is.

Anyhow -- you are correct that they are using this as an excuse to avoid commenting publicly. The clearest proof of that is when Rove's lawyer talks to reporters. Everyone knows it is him. But he doesn't have the balls to speak up like Cooper's attorney.

[Name removed]

6. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[tuvor]

7. I read that a spokesperson said no such request was made.

I think I read it on either AmericaBlog or C&L.

All they did was phone Fitzgerald's office to confirm.

[Stephanie]

9. THIS is what I'm asking!!!

So, you could call up the press person at Fitzgerald's office and they would be able to answer this question? And you believe they have already answered, No, no such request was made?!

[tuvor]

10. That's what I recall reading.

I'm sorry, but I can't remember where I read it.

[Stephanie]

11. kicking because I still don't have the answer

Maybe there's a journalist who can call Fitzgerald's office and ask.

[H2O Man]

12. The answer is clear.

Grand juries are grand juries.

[Stephanie]

14. That's not clear to me - the reporters discussed their testimony

The WH is saying that the prosecutor requested they not discuss it. I want to know if that's true. A poster above recalls Fitz's office saying it is not true, they did not make the request. Did you see somewhere that they had?

[H2O Man]

15. This is standard.

It's the way grand juries work.

I did see that a poster said they had read otherwise. If they actual did, the article is mistaken. I can tell you, without any chance of being wrong, that Fitzgerald's office isn't discussing anything that has gone on in the hearings.

[Stephanie]

17. Right, Fitzgerald's office isn't

But did they ask the WH not to? Where do we have proof that they did?

[H2O Man]

18. This is simple:

they ask everyone not to. Always. Asking the WH not to is not different than what always -- and I mean always -- happens. Why would you assume that there is any chance that they would make an exception and not ask the WH?

[Stephanie]

20. So the reporters ignored the request and talked anyway?

That may be standard, but I'd still like to know specifically if Fitz's office made the request. I want confirmation on that.

[burythehatchet]

16. Everyone except Snotty is authorized to discuss it

on the talking head circuit.

[Kalish]

19. fritzie's not popping the spritzie yet