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Friday, September 30, 2005

Rove is in trouble

Judith Miller has agreed to talk. This means that Fitzgerald and the grand jury might consider the investigation completed and issue indictments. More importantly, Miller's "source" was Scooter Libby. One way in which Rove might have avoided breaking the intelligence identities protection act (and maybe even the espionage act) is by learning Valerie Plame Wilson's true employer from a journalist hence not via his security clearance. The legal significance of this possibility is controversial, but Rove clearly hopes to use that loop hole, since he claims he learned that Plame was a CIA agent from a journalist whose name he doesn't remember.

That journalist was not named Judith Miller. Thus the defence would appear to be a simple assertion by Rove which is furthermore rendered totally incredible by his inability to add details like, for example, the name of any journalist who won't deny under oath that he told Rove.

If Rove wants to use the argument he will have to give at least one name of a journalist who is willing to co-operate. Miller was a candidate. Now who is he going to name ? Jeff Gannon or Jim Guckert I guess.

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