Robert Novak is not someone I ever read before the Joseph Wilson/Valerie Plame Affair. He’s almost always touting one or the other of the Talking Points du jour. And, frankly, he is a boring writer. He’s very adept at sneering with words, and I don’t care much for sneers – from either side. But today’s oped had one piece buried among the sneers that caught my attention.
…The worst news Tuesday for firebrand Democrats was that Special Counsel Patrick Fitzgerald was going back to his "day job" (as U.S. attorney in Chicago). With no underlying crime even claimed, the only question was whether Libby had consciously and purposefully lied to FBI agents and the grand jury about how he learned of Mrs. Wilson’s identity.…
I think we all knew that Patrick Fitzgerald was done. There wasn’t going to be a way to charge anyone with the IIPA Crime. He just couldn’t prove that the principals knew Valerie Wilson was a Secret Agent – and maybe they really didn’t know. But what I read Novak to be saying, and what I heard Fitzgerald say, was that there is no ongoing investigation. If there is no ongoing investigation, why do President Bush and Vice President Cheney keep saying that’s why they won’t comment? Sure, they’ve changed the wording. Here’s Cheney’s version:
Since his legal team has announced that he is seeking a new trial and, if necessary, pursuing an appeal, I plan to have no further comment on the merits of this matter until these proceedings are concluded.
But that’s no reason not to talk about it. Their talking has nothing to do with the request for a new trial or an appeal. Argh [I wish I could write like Novak, sneering with words]. They apparently feel under no obligation to answer to the American people. And this Trial has raised a whole lot of questions – a whole lot of very, very good questions…
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