Thursday, October 27, 2005
Indictments, Possible New Indictments, SEC Investigation Freezing Republicans
Tom DeLay's indictments on money laundering charges, likely indictments of Karl Rove and Scooter Libby and possibly others, the SEC investigation into Sen. Frist's stock sale, and the growing public disapproval of Bush's handling of his war in Iraq, among other things, have effectively frozen Washington, DC.
Bush's brain Karl Rove and Cheney's chief of staff Scooter Libby could be indicted today or, more likely, tomorrow. Lots of speculation in the media and inside the Beltway, but no concrete news.
The Washington Post today reported that Rove's lawyer "is engaged in a furious effort to convince the prosecutor that Rove did not commit perjury during the course of the investigation."
The revelation that Cheney told his chief of staff of CIA operative Valerie Plame's identity, and apparently lied to the world about it on Meet the Press, has put increased pressure on Scooter Libby. He may have lied to the grand jury to protect Chency, and now may be indicted for it.
Like Watergate, that brought down Richard Nixon, the coverup is even worse than the crime. Same with Martha Stewart. She went to jail because she lied to federal authorities about what she did; she didn't go to jail for what she actually did -- selling her stock based on non-public information.
If Rove and/or Libby or anybody else is indeed indicted, it will be hard to imagine Bush accomplishing very much in his remaining three years.
While the White House is frozen by the likely indictments of its senior staff, the House of Representatives is already pretty much frozen by the indictments of now-former Republican leader Tom DeLay. Several members are jockeying for position, such as Republican Rep. John Boehner (Ohio) and others, who may challenge Rep. Roy Blunt (Missouri) for DeLay's old job. Of course, DeLay is trying to intimidate them, vowing he will beat the rap and return to his post. No House Member wants to go for DeLay's job if he's coming back.
And in the Senate, the SEC investigation of Republican Leader Bill Frist's sale of stock in a company controlled by his family just before the release of bad news has distracted him and left the Senate somewhat adrift.
So, despite Republican control of all branches of goverment, not much is getting done inside the Beltway. And maybe that's not such a bad thing.
Bush's brain Karl Rove and Cheney's chief of staff Scooter Libby could be indicted today or, more likely, tomorrow. Lots of speculation in the media and inside the Beltway, but no concrete news.
The Washington Post today reported that Rove's lawyer "is engaged in a furious effort to convince the prosecutor that Rove did not commit perjury during the course of the investigation."
The revelation that Cheney told his chief of staff of CIA operative Valerie Plame's identity, and apparently lied to the world about it on Meet the Press, has put increased pressure on Scooter Libby. He may have lied to the grand jury to protect Chency, and now may be indicted for it.
Like Watergate, that brought down Richard Nixon, the coverup is even worse than the crime. Same with Martha Stewart. She went to jail because she lied to federal authorities about what she did; she didn't go to jail for what she actually did -- selling her stock based on non-public information.
If Rove and/or Libby or anybody else is indeed indicted, it will be hard to imagine Bush accomplishing very much in his remaining three years.
While the White House is frozen by the likely indictments of its senior staff, the House of Representatives is already pretty much frozen by the indictments of now-former Republican leader Tom DeLay. Several members are jockeying for position, such as Republican Rep. John Boehner (Ohio) and others, who may challenge Rep. Roy Blunt (Missouri) for DeLay's old job. Of course, DeLay is trying to intimidate them, vowing he will beat the rap and return to his post. No House Member wants to go for DeLay's job if he's coming back.
And in the Senate, the SEC investigation of Republican Leader Bill Frist's sale of stock in a company controlled by his family just before the release of bad news has distracted him and left the Senate somewhat adrift.
So, despite Republican control of all branches of goverment, not much is getting done inside the Beltway. And maybe that's not such a bad thing.
