Libby Destroyed Evidence Prior To Testifying, Cheney ‘Deeply Involved’
Under oath, Vice President Cheney’s former chief of staff Scooter Libby told a grand jury that he first learned that Joe Wilson’s wife, Valerie Plame, was a CIA agent from conversations with the media. In fact, he first learned that information from Vice President Cheney himself.Think Progress has the good, as well as video. Follow the link above.
Libby is now on trial for perjury. His defense is that he simply forgot who told him that Plame worked for the CIA. But in court today, prosecutors outlined a powerful case establishing that Libby had reason to remember who told him and motive to cover it up. MSNBC’s David Schuster said today’s revelations from prosecutors are “new and will astound a number of people, even those who have been following this case.” Among the new claims:– “Vice President Cheney himself directed Scooter Libby to essentially go around protocol and deal with the press and handle press himself…to try to beat back the criticism of administration critic Joe Wilson.”
– Cheney personally “wrote out for Scooter Libby what Libby should say in a conversation with Time magazine reporter Matt Cooper.”
– “Scooter Libby destroyed a note from Vice President Cheney* about their conversations and about how Vice President Cheney wanted the Wilson matter handled."
An ongoing archive built of info on this scandal and trial can be found here.
Apparently, the note actually was recovered and is part of the evidence:
Fitzgerald also alleged that Libby in September 2003 “wiped out” a Cheney note just before Libby’s first FBI interview when he said he learned about Wilson and his wife, CIA operative Valerie Plame, from reporters, not the vice president.Oh yeah - heads are DEFINITELY going to roll for this one. I would venture a guess that Cheney will 'retire' before the year's out as a result of complications to his fragile and delicate health...
It was not clear if Fitzgerald meant that an attempt was made to destroy the note or that Libby had forgotten about it. In any case, the note was recovered and is part of the evidence.
Then we string the sorry bastard up.
EDIT:
Libby: White House sacrificed him for Rove
Fitzgerald says Libby lied about Cheney; first witness takes stand