Bob Novak: No crime, so Libby should get no time

[sabra]

http://www.suntimes.com/news/novak/288118,CST-EDT-NOVAK08.article

No crime, so Libby should get no time
BY ROBERT NOVAK Sun-Times Columnist

<snip>

While my column on Wilson's mission triggered Libby's misery, I played but a minor role in his trial. Subpoenaed by his defense team, I testified that I had phoned him in reporting the Wilson column and that he had said nothing about Wilson's wife. Other journalists said the same thing under oath, but we apparently made no impression on the jury.

The trial provided no information whatever about Plame's status at the CIA at the time I revealed her role in her husband's mission. No hard evidence was produced Libby ever was told she was undercover. Fitzgerald had argued that whether or not she was covert was not material to this trial, and U.S. District Judge Reggie B. Walton had so ruled. Yet, in his closing arguments, Fitzgerald referred to Mrs. Wilson's secret status, and in answer to a reporter's question after the verdict, he said she was "classified."

Her being classified -- that is, that her work was a government secret -- did not in itself meet the standard required for prosecution of the leaker (former Deputy Secretary of State Armitage) under the Intelligence Identities Protection Act of 1982. That limits prosecution to exposers of covert intelligence activities overseas, whose revelation would undermine U.S. intelligence. That is why Fitzgerald did not move against Armitage.

Some questions asked of me in interviews after the verdict implied that I revealed Armitage's name to Fitzgerald. Actually, in my first interview with Fitzgerald, he indicated he knew Armitage was my leaker. In fact, Armitage had turned himself in to the Justice Department three months before Fitzgerald entered the case, without notifying the White House or releasing me from my requirement of confidentiality.

[Nikki Stone1]

1. Spoken by the one member of the press who should be wearing an orange jumpsuit

and picking up trash from the side of I-95.

[mike_c]

2. why is Novak still wasting oxygen on this planet...?

What a pig.

[havocmom]

3. No crime?

NO CRIME?

so, laws are only for DEMs?

Lie to DoJ officials and skate, so long as your party card is in order.

Novak getting nervous?

[Mandate My Ass]

4. "It's not the blowjob, it's the lying under oath about the blowjob..."

Hey, Freeps:

Reap what ye have sown and STFU while you're at it.

[Nickster]

16. What will we tell the children?! Rule of Law! Rule of Law!

[Lochloosa]

17. I'm kicking this because of this comment.

And will say it again.

Hey, Freeps:



Reap what ye have sown and STFU while you're at it.

[I Have A Dream]

19. This says it all!

:yourock:

[peacetalksforall]

5. He is one really, really stupid man. He really believes it or he

believes we will believe his utterly stupid magic trick.

[rasputin1952]

11. Watching him in the past, and especially yesterday, I would not

hesitate to agree w/you that he is a stupid man; but you can add self-imposed ignorance and some one w/a serious alcohol problem.

Over the last couple of years, his actions denote that there is something amiss. I can't positively identify the cause of this eratic behavior, but it holds striking similarity to several conditons that could be looked at; alcohol abuse/dependency; narcotic/tranquilizer abuse; a Cerebral Vascular Accident, ie: stroke; and some things that are based on age and physical condition.

Whatever the cause is, his "friends", (if they ever come out of the cave during the day, or if he even HAS any for that matter), should urge him to seek a diagnosis and whatever treatment is avaible for his condition.

Then again, he may just be a complete jerk....

[Bandit]

6. I agree 100% with Jon Stewart on this one..Novak is a douchbag

I will not cry a single tear when he leaves this earth..

[Ganja Ninja]

7. Traitors of a feather flocking together.

It's only too bad the douchbag for liberty can't share the same cell with him.

[KansDem]

8. Hey. Bob! Dont'cha have a set you can walk off of?

I'll even utter the word "bullshit" for you if you like!

MediaMatters

[gratuitous]

9. Odd, isn't it?

No crime was committed, according to Novak, but when James Carville was sitting next to him with a copy of "Who's Who in America" ready to show him up for the liar he is, Novak abruptly stood up, yanked off his microphone and stormed off the set, never to return to the show.

If Stewart hadn't already nailed you perfectly with his sobriquet "Douchebag for Liberty" Mr. Novak, I'd have some pretty choice things to say right now about your character, conduct and professionalism. And they wouldn't be nearly as complimentary as "Douchebag for Liberty."

[bluedog]

10. no crime?.if there wasn't a crime why

the lies to cover up something that wasn't done?........stupid spin........

[mmonk]

12. Truth rewritten before your eyes.

America will believe the lies and also still vote for Republicans just as strongly.

[Mojorabbit]

13. I had to fire off an email

to him re this making the point that I don't believe in a separate set of laws for well heeled members of society or govt officials. If I lied to a DOJ official I would be cooling my heels in prison with no hope of pardon.

[kestrel91316]

14. Hmmm, I thought Libby JUST GOT CONVICTED of THREE CRIMES.

Or four. Each count is technically a separate crime.

WTF has Novak been smoking?

[Nickster]

15. Wow Bob, so it's ok now for me to lie to FBI agents investigating a crime? That's great! n/t

[BuyingThyme]

18. Well, that's it then. Armitage is responsible for Cheney's

decision to convince Libby to spread classified information about Plame.

Makes sense... if you're a fucking idiot.

The entire Armitage story was concocted to protect Cheney. They had to find somebody outside of Cheney's office to take credit for the whole thing. They even called in Woodward to tape a fake interview.

They hoped to make it appear that Plame's relationship with he Agency was common knowledge. But their plan failed to protect Libby because he was charged not with the crimes with which Armitage was tasked with covering, but with lying/obstructing.

This is so simple.

[BuyingThyme]

20. And one more VERY IMPORTANT thing:

We now know why Novak so readily agreed to testify.

Think about it... Why would a big-time journalist so readily agree to talk to the special prosecutor? He wouldn't. Not a chance. Unless it was a part of the plan.

[Norquist Nemesis]

21. Thank God we have Bob Novak's journalistic edicts to live by!

Now I can rest easy. :eyes:

[riverdeep]

22. I know I'm asking a lot here,

but can you imagine if the shoe were on the other foot that the wingers would be parsing the situation so closely, giving us any benefit of doubt? Hell, I still remember them screaming for the head of Surgeon General Jocelyn Elders for suggesting that masturbation might be normal and that maybe we need to HAVE A CONVERSATION about drug laws. Not even saying they need to be altered, just to hold a conversation about them.
And she was wisked out of there. Jocelyn who?

[Swede]

23. The douchebag for democracy strikes again.

nt