Live from Libby Trial: Prosecution's closing argument
Matthew Sheffield
Update 12:55. I've expanded this a little and reformatted it properly.
I'm here at the presumably final day of the Scooter Libby trial and the defense has just finished its closing arguments.
Basically the crux of the case was as follows:
- Libby learned about the case from four different people as the issue of Joseph Wilson's Iraq trip was the most talked about topic for an entire week.
- The idea [spread by Wilson] that Wilson had been sent by the vice president's office became public and the office wanted to know if other agencies were interested.
- On four separate occasions, Libby was told that Wilson's wife worked at the CIA. Notes taken by Libby and others confirm this.
- Libby learned all this info and did not forget it
- After the Novak article appeared and investigation started, Libby began to realize that he had a problem, cooked up perjury strategy.
- Falsely told investigators, grand jury that he had learned of Wilson's wife's occupation from Tim Russert.
- There was no campaign to make Libby into a sacrificial lamb of any kind.
- Libby's memory of things about everthing but Wilson questions is excellent.
Of course we all lose our tempers now and then. Dean freely admits to being imperfect in this regard, which is why regulars to this establishment will generally be cut more slack than people who we don't know very well.
Still: behave like an adult, or go find somewhere else to play. Thanks.