Negative inference: After reading Becky Knight’s thorough analysis at Buzzflash of the information provided by CIA Leak investigator Patrick Fitzgerald at his news conference late last week, I went back and re-read the transcript, and was struck by something Fitzgerald said about grand jury secrecy that, to use a phrase, gave me pause.
– Patrick Fitzgerald
You’ll recall that Fitzgerald’s “live” audience in the room on Friday was the press corps assigned to the CIA Leak invesigation, all of whom had undoubtedly been rebuffed for information by Fitzgerald and his team many times over the past two years. So the information blackout was one of the first issues the prosecutor addressed when he finally broke his silence.
What is interesting here is how his statement about the sanctity of grand jury secrecy appears to contain a dig at the investigation by Ken Starr into the Clinton Administration, which, by any reckoning, leaked like a seive:
It may be frustrating when investigations are conducted in secret. When investigations use grand juries, it’s important that the information be closely held…
There’s another thing about a grand jury investigation. One of the obligations of the prosecutors and the grand juries is to keep the information obtained in the investigation secret, not to share it with the public.
And as frustrating as that may be for the public, that is important because, the way our system of justice works, if information is gathered about people and they’re not charged with a crime, we don’t hold up that information for the public to look at. We either charge them with a crime or we don’t. And that’s why we’ve safeguarded information here to date.
This underscores the fact that Fitzgerald regarded the nature of his assignment to be a very serious matter – and, by comparison, the self-important, morally self-important Mr. Starr did not.
I doubt Mr. Fitzgerald intended any of his comments to be seen as a slap at anyone, he seems too serious a man to engage in personalities. The fact of the matter is, however, that Mr. Fitzgerald spoke the truth and nothing so stings a scoundrel as the plain, unvarnished, unspun truth.
Starr is as odious a creature as ever breathed air and deserves more than a slapping. I would favor horse-whipping him down Pennsylvania Avenue at high noon – perhaps we could yoke him to Rove and do a double.
I cant believe I was once a republican, some truly sick wackos putting out disgusting propaganda on the right. Mind Boggling the “rights” support for Starrs rudiculous tabloid investigation yet the undermining propaganda to try and tarnish the Fitzgerald Criminal Investigation in a push to war. SICK Sick Sick, Shame on you right wing.
Excellent point. Wonder if it’s too late to investigate Ken Starr’s leaking during the witch hunt of President Clinton . . .
Conservatives in Congress(recall Newt got 73 new Barbarians in the house in 1994) spent $110,000,000 (GAO numbers)on Hearings and Investigations trying to destroy the Clinton admistration.
Success? They convicted one (only one) person of a Felony which was committed while that person worked for President Clinton.
Reagan–245 investigated-137 charged or resigned before trial–75 convicted or pardoned.
Scandals in 30 Departments of the Government.
Reagan record–increased Spending by 80%–Deficits by 110%–Debt by 187%.
175,000 Jobs per month compared to Carter’s 218,000 and Clinton 237,000.
Reagan + Bush + one term GW Bush=19 million net new jobs.
Carter + Clinton=33 million new jobs.
Democrats need to push success. Why not?
——————– SHOCK & AWE————————
———-DEMOCRATS CREATE WEALTH AND JOBS———–
1.From Harding In 1921 to Bush in 2003
2.Democrats held White House for 40 years and Republicans for 42.5 years.
3.Democrats created 75,820,000 net new jobs — Republicans 36,440,000.
4.Per Year Average—Democrats 1,825,200—Republicans 856,400.
5.Republicans had 9 presidents during the period and 6 had depression or recession.
6.Republicans had a recession/depression in 177 months and Democrats in 32 months.
7.DOW—grew by 52% more under Democrats.
8.GDP—grew by 43% more under Democrats.
————————————————————————————————————
Comparing Democrat’s hero-CLINTON—versus Republican’s hero–REAGAN
———————————————————————————————————–
1.JOBS—grew by 43% more under Clinton.
2.GDP—grew by 57% more under Clinton.
3.DOW—grew by 700% more under Clinton..
4.NASDAQ-grew by 18 times as much under Clinton.
4.SPENDING–grew by 28% under Clinton—80% under Reagan.
5.DEBT—grew by 43% under Clinton—187% under Reagan.
6. DEFICITS—Clinton got a large surplus–grew by 112% under Reagan.
7.NATIONAL INCOME—grew by100% more under Clinton.
8.PERSONAL INCOME—Grew by 110% more under Clinton.
SOURCES—Bureau of Labor Statistics (www.BLS.Gov)–Economic Policy Institute (EPI.org)—Global & World Almanacs from 1980 to 2003 (annual issues)
http://www.the-hamster.com (chart taken from NY Times)
National Archives History on Presidents. http://www.nara.gov
Clarence Swinney-Political Historian
Please submit comments to cwswinney@netzero.net or P.O. Box 3411-Burlington NC-27216
As Fitzgerald pointed out, he is not acting under the same investigatory rules as Independent Counsel Starr operated under, now defunct. I think it was in the course of defining the difference between the two he emphasized how his role differs.
It would be interesting to see Lawrence Walsh’s and Ken Starr’s opinions of Fitzgerald’s work to date.
That’s exactly what I thought. It jumps out at ya.
Go, Fitz… you proffessional, you!
I think that Fitzgerald was simply laying out an ethical game plan. Because it differs so greatly with that of Starr is why we think it’s a slap at the creature. Somehow, Fitzgerald comes across as sincere and…YIKES! honest! I hope I am not fooled.
Wow! This really happening!
I love it.
I can’t believe how immature the press corps comes across. At the Fitzconference, they missed the point, confused because Rove wasn’t charged, nor Plame mentioned. The Fitz couldn’t have been more clear. The transcript reads of his genius. Now every news item highlights Libby’s perjury charge, and neglects to mention the more serious obstruction of justice charge. These fools could have prevented this whole mess if they listened to what Powell was heard saying BEFORE he presented the case for war.
I THINK MR. FITZGERALD has done a great job. I would hope that HE would now indiate ROVE, BECAUSE THIS BUSH WHITE HOUSE HAS ALMOST DESTROYED THIS COUNTRY. LOOK HOW FAR WE ARE IN DEBT, TO WHO? THE RED CHINES, BELEAVE ME I WORKED WITH THE ORENTALS AND THEY NEVER FORGET. WHEN WE CHOSE SHECH OF TWIAWN OVER MOOW THIS WAS A SLAP IN THE FACE TO THEM. H.D. COLE