John Dean Predicts Bush likely to TAKE FIFTH before Plame Grand Jury

[Dems Will Win]

The Serious Implications Of President Bush's Hiring A Personal Outside Counsel For The Valerie Plame Investigation
By JOHN W. DEAN
----
Friday, Jun. 04, 2004

-snip-

If Bush is called before the grand jury, it is likely because Fitzgerald believes that he knows much more about this leak than he has stated publicly.

-snip-

It is possible that Bush is consulting Sharp only out of an excess of caution - despite the fact that he knows nothing of the leak, or of any possible coverup of the leak. But that's not likely.

On this subject, I spoke with an experienced former federal prosecutor who works in Washington, specializing in white collar criminal defense (but who does not know Sharp). That attorney told me that he is baffled by Bush's move - unless Bush has knowledge of the leak. "It would not seem that the President needs to consult personal counsel, thereby preserving the attorney-client privilege, if he has no knowledge about the leak," he told me.

What advice might Bush get from a private defense counsel? The lawyer I consulted opined that, "If he does have knowledge about the leak and does not plan to disclose it, the only good legal advice would be to take the Fifth, rather than lie. The political fallout is a separate issue."

-snip-

http://writ.news.findlaw.com/dean/20040604.html

Maybe this is why Bush is cracking up lately? See the other thread on Bush Acting Erratically.

http://www.capitolhillblue.com/artman/publish/printer_4636.shtml

Fitzgerald wants to know what did he know and when did he know it and Bush will have to take the Fifth or incriminate himself.

Would Bush TAKING THE FIFTH have an impact on the race? I wonder.

[hedda_foil]

1. Tinfoil time for Hedda. Here's my take.

I realized just yesterday that the odds are that this leads right back to our fearless leader. IOW, Bush personally gave the directive to out Plame ... probably without anyone else pushing the idea, even Rove or Cheney. Of course, it took the Rove/Libby/whoever to push the leak, but the hit came from Bush himself.

Why?

Think about it. Stupido is known to have a terrible temper and seeks revenge for perceived disloyalty on a very immediate and very personal level. The outing of a covert CIA agent in the WMD arena, of all things, is beyond the authorization of Rove, and Cheney, though mean enough, started out in the Nixon admin, and would know damn well that this was WAY too dangerous to try in terms of probable blowback. It just doesn't seem to be his style. No, Bush had to have ordered it, and probably was the one who thought it up.

At least, that's my opinion.

[LizW]

7. I think you're right, but

the problem is that even if it does go right back to Bush, there is no orchestrated drive to follow it that far.

With Clinton, the singular goal, above all else, was to take him down, to get him under oath, and ask him the questions that they hoped would elicit a lie or lies. Clinton was the singular target, and they didn't stop until they got him. The other people they took down (the McDougals, etc.) were only a means to an end.

Under this regime, there is no drive to take Bush down. In fact, it seems that they are trying to do all they can to protect him from harm. Just like with Iran-Contra, if enough underlings can be thrown to the lions, the scandal may never reach the higher ups, because they will be shielded. We are seeing this already, with Cheney being "interviewed", but not under oath.

I am certain that Bush at least knew about the outing of Plame, and may have ordered or approved it. But we may never know because they may let several underlings go down for it, without ever putting Bush or Cheney under oath.

[Mikimouse]

2. More likely 'Taking A Fifth' before testifying...

n/t

[PROGRESSIVE1]

3. Bush will most likely parade Reagan's Casket in front of.....

of the investigating committee.

:eyes:

[H2O Man]

4. Very interesting.

Dean is surely one of the better informed sources of our time. It really seems to make sense.

[in_cog_ni_to]

5. Then that tells me

he's GUILTY as HELL and a damn FELON! We have a felon in the WH? Will they make him pay for this? Hell No!

[leyton]

6. Can't you only take the Fifth if you're the accused?

Let's say someone else is indicted... Karl Rove, or Dick Cheney. Can Bush then take the Fifth?

Oh, if this is so, please let him go on national TV, try to take the fifth, and have the presider tell him, "sorry, doesn't apply to you, start talking..." Please... it would be so symbolic.

[NewYorkerfromMass]

8. You can take it anytime you want

I believe- and hey, going to jail is a lot worse than losing an election.

[Dems Will Win]

9. kick

[Babel_17]

10. This is one story I'll be watching closely, thanks. NT

[usregimechange]

11. I read Cheney wasn't under oath, will Bush be? n/t

[keithyboy]

12. I wish there were a "smoking tape."

If Bush takes the 5th...it's the same a guilty.

[kodi]

13. ah, but mr bush, only one who has something to hide takes the 5th

or so is the logic applied by the right wing.

so bush will hide behind some sort of fancypants liberal law to hide his personal responsibility?

what will we tell our children if our president takes the 5th?

[bluedog]

14. limbaugh said............ta ta ..........

When the President of the United States retains legal counsel outside of the White House, he MUST have something to hide."

Of course, he was talking about President Clinton.

anyone got a link for this??

[yorgatron]

15. since when does * answer questions under oath?

or without crashcart holding his hand?

[DrFunkenstein]

16. Can You Imagine Dubya's Face When Alberto Gonzalez

Told him that he'd better get an outside lawyer?

Gonzalez is probably watching that Supreme Court nomination slip through his slippery fingers...

[louis c]

17. are you kidding me?

What affect will it have on the race if the idiot president takes the fifth on advise of counsel? The charge he's avoiding is..er ..er wait a minute, it'll come to me, oh ya, TREASON, that's it, treason. And you want to know what affect it will have on the race? He'll be lucky to carry Houston.

[NewYorkerfromMass]

18. It'd be pretty bad

Meanwhile. I found a pretty good article discussing its use:

"...In counseling the individual who considers invoking the privilege, it is important for counsel to understand the limitations of the privilege, and the prerequisites for its invocation, in order to properly advise the client who considers relying on its protection. The client should be cautioned not to assume that the Fifth Amendment is a "magic phrase," automatically protecting the witness or party from all possible adverse consequences..."

http://www.abanet.org/buslaw/blt/blt00may-shield.html

[MallRat]

19. If Bush takes the Fifth, it's GAME OVER.

There's something that your average American understands.

They can't grasp the labyrinthine machinations of energy policy, foreign intelligence, or deficit spending. Your average American doesn't have time to analyze tax-cut proposals, scam Medicare bills shotgunned through Congress, or the wearing-thin of troop deployments across the world.

But "Bush takes the Fifth" is about as easy to understand as "Clinton blowjob."

Politically, Bush may actually be better off testifying and perjuring himself, and then take his chances that the GOP retains control of the House so that he never gets impeached.

It's easier to brush off perjury charges as a witchhunt, rather than to swim upstream against the tide of innuendo that will come with pleading the Fifth.

-MR

[NewYorkerfromMass]

20. Yep. Bye bye "straight shooter"

although as I said way up above- what's more important?... winning an election or staying out of jail?

[Dems Will Win]

21. THE REAL QUESTION NOW IS

when does this all get going with the Grand Jury??