2007-03-07 06:19:14 · 9 answers · asked by Anonymous in Politics & Government ➔ Law & Ethics
Its a long story...
George Bush delivered his State of the Union Address in 2003. Claimed that Iraq had tried to purchase yellow cake Uranium from Niger. This was only part of his case for attacking Iraq. Joseph Wilson, ex-ambassador to Niger, was asked by the CIA to look into this. He found absolutely no evidence of this claim. He reported this to the CIA. George Bush knew it was a lie, yet he used it to bolster his case.
Anyway, Joe Wilson wrote a public article saying as much. That Bush lied to Congress and the American People on this point.
Bush and Cheney decided they needed to discredit Wilson, so the smear machine went to work. Wilson's wife, Valerie Plame, worked for the CIA. She was a covert agent working out of Langley on issues involving nuclear proliferation. Her identity was a state secret.
Bushco decided the best way to smear Joe Wilson was to say that his trip to Niger was merely a act of nepotism. His wife got him the job, etc. And his findings were never seen by Bush, blah blah.
To get this message out, high level white house staffers called their favorite reporters and "leaked" the information. Problem is, they leaked Valerie Plame's name and information about her position in the CIA.
Scott Fitzgerald, a federal prosecutor, was investigating this crime. Scooter Libby was Vice President Dick Cheney's Chief of Staff. Libby lied to investigators, the grand jury, and obstructed the investigation. If he tells the truth, he could put Dick Cheney away. But he won't, he continues to obstruct. He knows Bush will pardon him no matter what they convict him of.
That is about as brief as I can be.
2007-03-07 06:39:32 · answer #1 · answered by Vernon 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Irve Lewis "Scooter" Libby (Liebowitz), Jr. is an American lawyer who was convicted of four felony charges relating to the Plame affair on 6 March 2007. Before being indicted, he was the Chief of Staff to Vice President Dick Cheney, assistant to the Vice President for national security affairs, and an assistant to President George W. Bush, from 2001 to 2005. Libby is "the highest-ranking White House official convicted in a government scandal since National Security Adviser John Poindexter in the Iran-Contra affair...."
2007-03-07 14:31:58 · answer #2 · answered by I'm very, very hot. 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Libby was Vice President Cheney's Chief of Staff.
Libby was convicted of lying and maybe perjury. This is because he was questioned concerning conversations he had years ago concerning an unimportant CIA employee. Apparently some of his answers were contradictory. Why that constitutes a felony, you'd have to ask the jurors. I don't see it.
It's illegal to expose the identity of a CIA agent who is undercover or who has been undercover within the last five years of your exposing them. This law does not cover Valerie Plame. Plus, Libby didn't "out" her, Armitrage did.
Basically, this whole prosecution was going nowhere, but they kept it up anyway and ruined Libby's life for no good reason.
Many people think "Republicans are liars" is sufficient reason. Sad. I'd say most people know very little about this case. Also sad.
2007-03-07 14:30:30 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋
It's not surprising that you are a little confused. With the trial over, the jury is coming out with statements that: They were confused!
It's all about, whether or not Scooter Libby told a reporter that a certain individual was a CIA agent. And, if he originally told the truth police (the FBI), the truth about what he said.
You can draw a parallel to Clinton being impeached because he originally did not tell special prosecutors the truth about his affair with Monica Lewinsky (shouldn't have been asked in my opinion).
At any rate, it's all about politics and the infighting between the parties. They win, they lose, and then they get their presidential pardon. For my money, I want them to hurry past these squabbles and get to the business of running the country.
2007-03-07 14:31:13 · answer #4 · answered by ggraves1724 7 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Scooter was the aide to Cheney. What he did was lie about how information concerning a CIA operative's identity was made public. This was done in retaliation because her husband and Cheney had a major disagreement. While he has definitely covered up for the actual parties involved he will be going to jail and these parties are hoping that's the end of it. I really don't know who the actual people are who leaked this information, But doing so did put jobs and lives at risk because of this woman's contacts and the perpetrators imo should be tried for treason.
2007-03-07 14:35:07 · answer #5 · answered by Twain Harte Gal 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Man, are you in the wrong place if you're looking about the facts concering the Libby case!
I suggest you immediately log off Y!A and log on to cnn.com or msnbc.com, do a search for Libby, and read the news for yourself.
All you're going to get here is a bunch of lunatic rantings and ravings by people who either hate Libby/Cheney/Bush or love Libby/Cheney/Bush.
Me, I could give a damn either way. He lied, he got caught, he got punished, he deserved it. End of story.
2007-03-07 14:25:30 · answer #6 · answered by Team Chief 5 · 0⤊ 3⤋
Scooter was a dedicated public servant picked up in a witch hunt used to discredit the Bush administration and rehabilitate the lieing left
2007-03-07 14:24:42 · answer #7 · answered by espreses@sbcglobal.net 6 · 3⤊ 2⤋
scooter libby is a small ardvark form the deserts of western peru.
He eats ants and small bugs and grubs and the king of peru wants him as a footstool, this is why he is in trouble i hope this helps its a tragic story indeed.
2007-03-07 14:24:01 · answer #8 · answered by mark 1 · 0⤊ 4⤋
He is the official fall guy. Period.
The whiney, bitter liberals needed someone in the conservative party to lynch in retalliation for Clinton's impeachment-they REALLY wanted Cheney and couldn't get him (he he) so they got the next best thing.
2007-03-07 14:23:33 · answer #9 · answered by Kay 1 · 4⤊ 2⤋