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George Allen: Investigate the Vice President (paraphrased)
Share / Recommend - Comment - Print - Monday, Feb 13 2006, 9:48AM
George Allen, former Governor of Virginia and of course now Senator, wants to run for the presidency, but also has to keep his Senate seat in the 2006 race.
Former Navy Secretary James Webb is going to try and take that seat away from him.
But even George Allen thinks that to be politically competitive, he needs some space between himself and the wannabe-monarchy at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue.
On Fox News Sunday with Chris Wallace (in an exchange with Senator Jack Reed of Rhode Island), George Allen said, basically, that Vice President Cheney should be investigated if he authorized Scooter Libby to leak classified information.
Here is the exchange:
WALLACE: You're saying he should be investigating the vice president?REED: Well, whoever the superiors are that are supposedly allegedly leaked or authorized a leak by the individual in question, Mr. Libby. I think the investigation has to go forward.
WALLACE: Senator Allen?
ALLEN: The prosecutor here, Mr. Fitzgerald, seems to me to be a very articulate, professional prosecutor. And I think the facts will lead wherever they lead, and I think he will prosecute as appropriate.
WALLACE: Well, there doesn't seem to be any legal issue here. The issue seems to be more of kind of a political issue as to how you feel about the possibility that the vice president, because he would seem to be the obvious superior who was authorizing Scooter Libby, was telling him to release information which as far as we know was at that point still classified.
ALLEN: I don't think anybody should be releasing classified information, period, whether in the Congress, executive branch or some underling in some bureaucracy.
TWN agrees.
Vice President Cheney should be next on Patrick Fitzgerald's dance card.
-- Steve Clemons
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Why are Bush/Cheney so eager to investigate who leaked Bush's illegal spying on Americans, but not too eager to investigate who in the White House leaked the name of undercover CIA agent, Valerie Plame, and why?
You don't have to be a blind conservative not to see it, just an ignorant one to deny it.
So Steve, what about the whistle blower leaks (e.g., secret illegal prisons, illegal surveillance)? In my mind, leaks to expose illegal doings in the administration are different from leaks for political expediency and intimidation. But then, the leaks to expose the warrantless, illegal wire-tappings also have political implications.
The story of the VA nurse being investigated for sedition is relevant here as well. It seems to me that Patrick Henry, James Madison, and Jefferson would be on the side of exposure. They understood monarchies, whereas our collective national awareness has forgotten them.
For those of you who haven't seen it yet, the official James Webb for Senate site went live last Friday. "Cowboy George" Allen starts the race $6-7 million ahead, though, so raising $$$ is critical.
As I've said before, I think Webb has a lot to contribute in terms of fostering a more substantive debate about foreign policy within the Democratic Party. Those of us involved in the Draft James Webb project who have had the chance to meet him in person over the last few weeks have all come away very favorably impressed.
As strategist Steve Jarding put it in an interview with Roll Call last week: “Karl Rove said a couple of weeks ago, Republicans are going to make this 2006 election all about security and the war. Jim Webb is the perfect candidate to say, ‘OK, I’m going to take that challenge.’”
One of the cable news shows yesterday afternoon did a "How does a vote for impeachment work?" after previewing their upcomming segment on a Congressional hearing. I could kick myself for not writing down the name and time (I was washing dishes so I had my back to the set) but I remember being startled that it had come to this so fast.
Was I dreaming or is this seriously being talked about in the hallowed halls of government?
Sounds like someone just left the GOp's "amen corner."
LETTER TO SENATOR GEORGE ALLEN FROM A VIRGINIA CONSTITUENT
Dear Senator Allen:
This letter is to urge that you move that the Committee on the Judiciary recommend a Senate resolution that Vice President Richard Cheney be compelled to testify under oath before the Federal Grand Jury that is in session under the Special Prosecutor.
I believe that such an extraordinary action is now required. This follows revelations from Mr. Fitzgerald that the Vice President "authorized" his aide, I. Lewis "Scooter" Libby to unlawfully disclose a classified CIA National Intelligence Estimate (NIE) to one or more reporters not authorized to receive such materials.
This is evidence that the Vice President is involved in a very serious crime of conspiracy to illegally release classified materials, which if prosecuted would likely result in indictments on several felony charges, including:
COUNT 1: Unauthorized removal and retention of classified documents or materials. Title 18, Part I, Ch. 93, Sec. 1924;
COUNT 2: Gathering, transmitting or losing defense information. 18 USC 19 Sec.641;
COUNT 3: "Conversion" of Public Records. 18 USC Ch. 31, Sec. 641.
COUNT 4: Conspiracy to Commit offense or to defraud U.S. 18 USC Ch. 19
While I recognize that this is an odious duty for you as a fellow member of the Republican majority with the President and Vice President, I believe this is a duty to which which you are bound by oath to faithfully uphold the law and Constitution.
For further information relevant to this matter, please see: http://www.dailykos.com/story/2006/2/10/105540/799
Sincerely yours,
Mark G. Levey
Alexandria, VA
So Steve, Patrick Fitzgerald refused to prosecute Libby for releasing classified info on the grounds that this would amount to our having a de facto Official Secrets Act. Given what you say at the end of your post, are you in fawor of making an Official Secrets Act de jure?
We do have a de facto Official Secrets Act if you take the numerous federal statutes, including the ones listed in the comment above yours, seriously. Just b/c Fitzgerald exercised his prosecutorial discretion doesn't change the fact that those laws are on the books.
The real issue is the VP's unilateral declassification of classified material in order to injure a perceived political opponent (playing hardball, if you will) with no concern for the possibly harmful effects on national security.
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