Scooter's Snow Job

Now, you're all likely familiar with Libby making stuff up about his conversations with journalists and Government officials regarding Valerie Wilson. However, what I found particularly interesting in his grand jury testimony - something I hope the Wilsons' lawyers are paying close attention to - is Libby's astonishing mendacity in the context of former Ambassador Wilson's 2002 Niger trip and findings, in direct contradiction to documentary evidence. Libby's grand jury testimony is a veritable goldmine for a keen prosecutor and I cannot thank Special Prosecutor Patrick Fitzgerald enough for having publicized it in its entirety. His testimony certainly explains why Libby never took the stand in his own defense at his criminal trial - and if I had been Libby's lawyer I would have certainly never planned to put him on the stand.


For clarity, I've separated this post into the following sections. (All emphasis in quoted portions is mine, unless otherwise stated.)


1. Libby and the NIE
2. Libby on the origins of Wilson's trip and knowledge of Wilson's name
3. Libby on Wilson's findings
4. BONUS: Libby v. Condi and the White House
5. Conclusions


More on the story from theleftcoaster.com.

5. Conclusions

In my view, Scooter Libby's grand jury testimony is an enormous goldmine for smart prosecutors. Regardless of whether he is acquitted or found guilty in the ongoing trial, history will reflect the fact that he lied repeatedly about many items (large and small in importance) in his grand jury testimony - and not just on issues pertaining to Valerie Wilson.

Libby misrepresented the content of the INR dissent in the NIE and he lied about his knowledge of Wilson's name. He lied about Wilson's trip having been considered supportive of the Bush administration's uranium from Africa claim, he lied about a former Nigerien official having asserted that Iraq sought uranium, he misled about Wilson's trip somehow being part of the basis of the NIE claim, and he made the blatantly incorrect claim that Wilson's finding was that an Iraqi delegation traveled to Niger (in mid-1999). Libby also made a totally fraudulent representation of Wilson's findings by excluding the comments of a former Nigerien official (Mai Manga) from his description of the credibility of Nigerien officials and the significance of Wilson's trip. Finally, Libby also misled the grand jury repeatedly about the significance of the January 24, 2003 document he kept referring to.

Funnily enough, as much as Libby's lies under oath about Wilson's findings are helpful vindication for former Ambassador Wilson, Libby's brief moments of truthfulness in the Wilson context also proved enormously useful to the Wilsons. For instance, Libby inadvertently confirmed that Wilson's statement that his trip was arranged at the behest of the OVP was actually an accurate rendition of what the CIA told Wilson and the OVP. Libby also inadvertently demolished one of the most significant, false talking points from the White House and Condi Rice in the aftermath of Wilson's op-ed - regarding "footnotes" in the NIE.

Let me just say that I cannot thank Special Prosecutor Patrick Fitzgerald enough for having publicized Libby's grand jury testimony.