The failed Reich-wing talking point of no underlying crime

Media Matters for America provides the truth to counter the lie expressed once again by the traitor to America, Robert Novak. Bob tries hard to make people believe that Libby was convicted for lying, perjury and obstruction of justice in a case that had no underlying crime. Novak is merely attempting to escape blame for his own treason in publishing the identity of a covert agent of the CIA. [This is providing aid and comfort to the enemies of the United States - nothing less.]

[The traitor] syndicated columnist Robert D. Novak claimed that although former deputy Secretary of State Richard Armitage was the original source for Novak's July 16, 2003, column revealing Valerie Plame Wilson's CIA employment, special counsel Patrick Fitzgerald "plowed ahead with an inquiry that produced obstruction of justice and perjury charges against Libby, though there was no underlying crime." He added: "Why did Fitzgerald pursue the investigation when [First misleading point] he knew Armitage was the leaker and [Second point, this time an out and out lie.]had determined there was no evidence of a crime?" But as Media Matters for America has repeatedly noted, [First point]while Libby did not leak Plame's identity to Novak, he was reportedly the original source of the information for at least two other reporters during the summer of 2003. And as Fitzgerald clarified in a May 25 memorandum regarding Libby's sentencing: "The investigation was never limited to disclosure of Ms. Wilson's CIA affiliation to Mr. Novak; rather, from the outset the investigation sought to determine who disclosed information about Ms. Wilson to various reporters, including -- but not limited to -- Mr. Novak." Novak's suggestion that, legally, Armitage's leak of Plame's identity was the only disclosure that mattered also ignores that the statutes in question do not specify that the identity of a covert operative has to be published for a crime to have been committed.

Further, contrary to Novak's assertion that Fitzgerald "had determined there was no evidence of a crime," during an October 2005 press conference announcing Libby's indictment, [Second point] Fitzgerald said that Libby's obstruction of justice had prevented the special counsel's office from determining if an underlying crime had been committed.

The term "Obstruction of Justice" means that Libby interfered with the investigation into a crime (the crime - Valerie Plame Wison's identity as a covert agent of the CIA) was clearly leaked to numerous reporters, including Novak, and Libby's lies and perjury prevented Fitzgerald's investigation from determining who directed the leaks and what the circumstances were. Without that information no one could be charged with a crime that was provable in court, even though it is perfectly clear that the crime was committed.

Besides Libby, Novak is a traitor because he set out to damage the U.S. by publishing information that should have been protected. The fact that Valerie Plame's cover organization was forced to shut down, as were her networks of agents, demonstrates that treason was committed. It is unfortunate that an appropriate law cannot be found to prosecute Novak.