Will The White House Finally Comment On The Plame Leak?
Will The White House Finally Comment On The Plame Leak?
Today, the D.C. Court of Appeals dismissed Valerie Plame’s lawsuit against members of the Bush administration for leaking her covert CIA status in 2003. Plame had hoped that the appeals court would overturn the ruling of U.S. District Judge John D. Bates, who had initially rejected her case. Today, the appeals court agreed with Bates, ruling that Vice President Cheney and others were acting within their official capacities:
Government employees who engage in questionable acts, such as abusing prisoners at the Guantanamo Bay facility or engaging in defamatory speech, cannot be held individually liable if they are carrying out official duties, the court said.
“The conduct, then, was in the defendants’ scope of employment regardless of whether it was unlawful or contrary to the national security of the United States,” Appeals Court Chief Judge David Sentelle wrote in the opinion.
Plame’s lawyer, Melanie Sloan, is not sure what the next steps for the case will be, but is investigating another appeal. If an appeal doesn’t happen, however, the White House will be forced to start publicly commenting on its role in the Plame leak. For years, officials have been stonewalling, citing the various ongoing investigations:
– “I know that there’s going to be a lot of disappointment with this, but there is an ongoing criminal proceeding. … And so our principled stand of not commenting on ongoing legal investigations is going to continue.” [White House spokeswoman Dana Perino, 3/6/07]
– “I did talk to our counsel’s office because I forgot that there is a civil case that is pending on this issue. I did forget. The Wilsons have filed a case in civil court, it was dismissed, and they are on appeal.” [Perino, 12/12/07]
What will be the White House’s excuse once there are no more cases pending?
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Makes ya real damn proud of Amurka, eh, Rowan? Moron.
So in other words, if the President does it, it’s not a crime.
Let’s just drop this “President” crap and start calling Chimpy KING GEORGE.
August 12th, 2008 at 4:22 pmThe court says it is ok to commit crimes if it is part of one’s official duties (huh?) and the Attorney General says that violations of the law aren’t necessarily crimes (if you’re a loyal bushie.)
Things keep getting curiousier and curiousier…
August 12th, 2008 at 4:26 pmI guess Iranian WMD intel isn’t that important if the administration is able to burn a valuable asset responsible for gathering the intel.
August 12th, 2008 at 4:26 pmWJCT?
Would Jesus Commit Treason?
Dicky-boy? Shrubbie??
August 12th, 2008 at 4:26 pmLet’s just drop this “President” crap and start calling Chimpy KING GEORGE.
Better yet, just call him our glorious Chimperor.
August 12th, 2008 at 4:27 pmIt’s every man, woman or child for themselves…looks like fascism is here to stay, it’s now legal for (Republicans only) to steal any upcoming elections. Or commit any crime or malfeasence against innocent citizens (voters). Gangs of Republicans fascists aren’t just around the corner they are in our faces.
August 12th, 2008 at 4:31 pmUp yours, Rowantroll – there ain’t no ‘fair’ when the deck is stacked against you from the get-go.
Bush, Cheney, Rumsfeld et. al committed TREASON.
And if there were REAL justice – they’d all be rotting in prison for the rest of their lives.
August 12th, 2008 at 4:31 pmThat’s what happens when you let a Republican appoint judges…how long will it take to scrub the government of the Bush/Cheney cronies, I wonder? Will our grandchildren be subject to the horrible judicial and executive legacies this administration is leaving behind?
August 12th, 2008 at 4:32 pmJustice for RowanSchmuck Says:
there’s no sense in trying to get through to you.
This little GOP Stooge Troll claims it is attempting to “get through” to the progressives here?
Bwahaahaahaahaa.
You might try using some common sense dufass. But we all know since your a reichwing apologist, you do not have any. So go Troll somewhere else idiot.
August 12th, 2008 at 8:36 pmSo…why did Nixon resign…?
August 12th, 2008 at 8:36 pmJustice and equality for all – until they’re born. Then the offer only applies IYAR.
It’s the Rethuglican way.
deebaser Says:
August 12th, 2008 at 8:37 pmIt is a lot easier to go to war and then blame supposedly “faulty intelligence” than to refute your own intel experts. Or pay off someone else’s intel experts to keep quiet.
TP
Why did you remove the comments that referenced the Nuremberg Trials?
August 12th, 2008 at 8:40 pmFederalist Society darling David “The conduct, then, was in the defendants’ scope of employment regardless of whether it was unlawful or contrary to the national security of the United States,” Appeals Court Chief Judge David Sentelle wrote in the opinion.
Sentelle knows what to do: Parrot the Micheal Mukasey School of Law jurisprudence: If the preznit (or Cheney or a Rethuglican) says to do it, it’s not illegal. They don’t even pretend any more. They’re into resurrecting Nixon “big time” (as Nixon’s aide Ctheney would say). What they’re saying is “We are ‘the law’, whatcha gonna do about it?”
Where’s the pitch-fork? And the buckets of tar and feathers?
Cheers,
August 12th, 2008 at 8:41 pmHere is the Repugs get out of Jail Free card.
The conduct, then, was in the defendants’ scope of employment regardless of whether it was unlawful or contrary to the national security of the United States
This misadministration has corrupted EVERY level of our government. Our only hope is that President Obama is going to purge these heathens, prosicute the criminals justly, and restore the rule of LAW.
August 12th, 2008 at 8:43 pmOoops. Sorry for the mangled tags. Try that again:
“The conduct, then, was in the defendants’ scope of employment regardless of whether it was unlawful or contrary to the national security of the United States,” Appeals Court Chief Judge David Sentelle wrote in the opinion.
Federalist Society darling David Sentelle knows what to do: Parrot the Michael Mukasey School of Law jurisprudence: If the preznit (or Cheney or a Rethuglican) says to do it, it’s not illegal. They don’t even pretend any more. They’re into resurrecting Nixon “big time” (as Nixon’s aide Ctheney would say). What they’re saying is “We are ‘the law’, whatcha gonna do about it?”
Where’s the pitch-fork? And the buckets of tar and feathers?
Cheers,
August 12th, 2008 at 8:45 pmWhat the farc is up with the disappearing posts and Bill0 thread? Has anyone else had “w tee eff” censored before?
August 12th, 2008 at 8:52 pmApparently one can’t call a certifiable lunatic a certifiable lunatic either.
August 12th, 2008 at 8:56 pmOk, I give up, what are you expecting to hear if they do comment on this?
What would be the reason that they would?
Merry Fitzmas.
August 12th, 2008 at 10:29 pm“Government employees who engage in treasonable acts, such as abusing prisoners, engaging in defamatory speech against those who tell the truth, or exposing the identities of covert CIA operatives cannot be held individually liable if they are carrying out official duties.
“The treason, then, was in the defendants’ scope of employment regardless of whether it was unlawful or contrary to the national security of the United States.”
Appeals Court Chief Judge David Sentelle
August 12th, 2008 at 11:44 pm#22 getplaning:
“The treason, then, was in the defendants’ scope of employment regardless of whether it was unlawful or contrary to the national security of the United States.”
Not just “scope of employment”. It was in their farkin’ job description (see “Updates” here)
Cheers,
August 13th, 2008 at 1:42 amgirly man?
August 13th, 2008 at 2:14 amT.P. asks:
By that time a new Administration will be in the White House.
Hopefully they will pursue an investigation into this and other matters of the People’s Business…
… Starting with where the heck the furniture in Pelosi’s Office disappeared to, especially staring with the “Tables”.
.
August 13th, 2008 at 2:45 amAppeals Court Chief Judge David Sentelle wrote in the opinion:
Q U E S T I O N:
Then where is that threshold which limits the conduct of the defendant’s scope that renders it an illegal act?
.
August 13th, 2008 at 3:07 am.
So it’s not TREASON when the Vice President of the U.S.A outs a covert CIA agent? Just Richard B. Cheney or ANY V.P.?
What we have, AMERICA, is a call to WAKE UP!
Courts have ruled, High Officials are exempt from the Law.
Why have a President and Vice President at all if their scope of employment grants them the power to be above the law, ignore law at will or choice, reinterpret the intent of the law, and write and dictate the law?
Q U E S T I O N:
What does DICTATORSHIP mean then?
.
August 13th, 2008 at 3:12 am.
TREASON:*
*unless you’re the President or Vice President of the U.S.A.
(fixed for the 21st Century)
.
August 13th, 2008 at 3:21 amNo Tanqueray he resigned because he was informed that the votes were there to impeach him and if he DIDNT resign he WOULD have been impeached. DUH.
August 13th, 2008 at 4:57 amThat’s easy. The White House’s excuse will be that Plame lost her civil case, and isn’t entitled to answers from the White House that the courts wouldn’t let her have at trial.
August 13th, 2008 at 5:49 amI read the court as saying the problem is within the executive branch and they cannot touch it; its out of their jurisdiction. So Plame needs to take her grievance to Congress to seek satisfaction thru oversight and inquiry. With a hostile repug element still festering in the halls, she’ll have to wait until the new Congress convenes. I do hope the next Congress has a super majority so they can get down to business and write legislation that will address the lawlessness of Bu$h and the repugs.
August 13th, 2008 at 6:31 amSo, “unlawful conduct” is within one’s “scope of employment”? That explains a hell of a lot!
August 13th, 2008 at 8:33 amMan perfected by society is the best of all animals; he is the most terrible of all when he lives without law, and without justice.
-ARISTOTLE
If we do not maintain Justice, Justice will not maintain us.
-Francis Bacon
True patriotism hates injustice in its own land more than anywhere else.
-Clarence Darrow
“Behind the ostensible government sits enthroned an invisible government owing no allegiance and acknowledging no responsibility to the people.”
“Justice consists not in being neutral between right and wrong, but in finding out the right and upholding it, wherever found, against the wrong.”
-T. Roosevelt
August 13th, 2008 at 8:52 amThis is pure horse manure.
This is the direct opposite of what the judges ruled at the Nuremberg Trials. There they held that “just following orders” did not exonerate the crime. Just recently Hamdan (Osama bin Laden’s driver) was found guilty. These two decisions could not be more opposite, which means they are political rather than judicial decisions.
August 13th, 2008 at 9:32 am> Government employees who engage in questionable acts, such as abusing
> prisoners at the Guantanamo Bay facility or engaging in defamatory speech,
>cannot be held individually liable if they are carrying out official duties, the court
>said.
Then why were Nazi’s held accountable for killing Jews, they were exactly only doing their official duties so they shouldn’t have been held accountable.
August 13th, 2008 at 10:04 pmWhen is this stupid stuff going to end?
Question: Will The White House Finally Comment On The Plame Leak?
Yes they will now comment and I can give you the comment right now…
August 14th, 2008 at 1:05 pm“This is old news; we’re focusing on the future.”