The Plame Affair has now resulted in the indictment and resignation of Scooter Libby, Vice President Cheney's chief of staff and right-hand man, who faces up to thirty years on charges of perjury, false statements and obstruction of Justice. As Fitgerald stated at the press conference, "[I]f the charge is proven that the chief of staff of the vice president's office went before a grand jury and lied, that is a very, very serious matter." Senior Cheney Aide Libby is Indicted for Obstruction, Perjury, Wall St. J. Oct 29, 2005, at A1, A4. Although Libby claimed he learned about Plame from Tim Russert, a journalist, the indictment asserts that he held at least seven discussions with various government officials--including Vice President Cheney--about her identity before the conversation with Russert.
Conservative commentators have claimed in recent days that indictment for anything less than a crime under the Intelligence Identities Protection Act would be a "mere" tecnicality that would be easily cast aside by the White House. Fitzgerald made clear that his view was different. "The truth is the engine of our judicial system. If you compromise the truth, the whole system is lost." Id. at A4.
Bush's Deputy Chief of Staff Karl Rove, who heads political affairs and is an important player on Bush's national security, economic and domestic affairs policy councils, is not indicted, but not yet clear. Furthermore, legal proceedings could require Cheney to testify or could reveal more damning evidence about his own role in the leak and in the planning for the war in Iraq as well as that of others in the White House. Cheney was among the first people who informed Libby about Plame's role. A trial could focus considerable attention on efforts in the Bush White House to manipulate intelligence to support its case for the Iraq war.
To their credit, most of the media have covered the story in considerable detail, even amid the coverage of Miers' withdrawal and speculation about the next Supreme Court nominee. Even the Wall Street Journal included a special report on the close relationship between Libby and his boss Cheney and renewed attention to the rationales for the Iraq invasion and occupation. Christopher Cooper & Jeanne Cummings, Case Deprives Vice President of Key Lieutenant, Renews Focus on War Rationale, Wall St. J., Oct. 29, 2005, at A1.
It appears all too easy for figures in this government to be involved in shady affairs and continue business as usual--from DeLay, who still is included in leadership conferences even though indicted, to Frist, who continues in spite of the cloud of apparent conflicts of interest revealed about votes while he knew he owned considerable amounts of HCA stock. The old idea that politicians should resign if their integrity was impugned, in order to ensure that the government's work would not be tainted has apparently vanished from the scene. It's up to the media to keep on the story as it develops further, rather than letting it fade into obscurity.
For the full story of Fitzgerald's investigation, see the special counsel's website here. The indictment and press releases are available at the site.