Friday 28 October 2005

Breaking News!

Libby Indicted, Resigns and At Odds With Cheney Over Defense

VP Holds On To 'Nolo Contendere' In Event Charges Come; Has "No Problem" With Libby Doing Jail Time

Shortly after 12-Noon today, in a Washington D.C. Federal Courthouse, Special Prosecutor Patrick Fitzgerald handed-up five counts of indictment against Vice President Dick Cheney's Chief of Staff, and closest advisor, Lewis 'Scooter" Libby.

The charges of obstruction of justice, making a false statement and perjury against Libby stem from the 22-month investigation by Fitzgerald on who in President Bush's administration leaked and revealed the identity of CIA Agent Valerie Plame. With that information being classified, Libby is accused of lying to, and misleading the Grand Jury impaneled by Fitzgerald to investigate this matter.

Karl Rove, President Bush's Special White House Council, and longtime closest adviser, apparently escaped indictment but remained under investigation.

Libby, reportedly, submitted his resignation earlier today, to Chief of Staff Andy Card, as well as to Vice President Dick Cheney. President Bush has issued a statement in which he says he accepts Libby's resignation "with deep regret".

Sources have told The Garlic that a clash is developing between Libby, and his boss, Vice President Cheney.

With Fitzgerald indicating the investigation is still "ongoing", Cheney has allegedly told Libby that he cannot plead "Nolo Contendere", as Cheney is reserving that option should Cheney himself become implicated or indicted.

Cheney remains at the center of this controversy, after information was released that Cheney, in a conversation with former CIA Chief George Tenet, learned the covert identity of Valerie Plame and relayed that information to Scooter Libby.

"They've been going at it big-time this past week," said one senior Capital Hill official. 'I'm talking about screaming matches and, I heard from others, punches being thrown."

There are rumors circulating in Washington that Cheney had Libby "roughed up" and his leg or foot broken.

Libby has been seen in public, the past few days, walking with the aid of crutches.

"I heard that also," said the Hill official. "All I can say is they are at odds, and very heatedly at that. Cheney, supposedly, made it very clear to Libby, months and months ago, that if charges came out of this investigation, "Nolo Contendere" was off-limits to Libby."

Nolo Contendere has not been used by a sitting Vice President or White Office Administration member in over 32-years, when then, Spiro Agnew, President Richard Nixon's Vice President, resigned from office and pleaded Nolo Contendere (which means "No Contest") to tax evasion and bribe charges from his tenure as Governor of Maryland.

Reportedly, when advised that Libby had, indeed, been indicted, Vice President Cheney, showing signs of agitation, stated that he "didn't have a problem" with Libby serving a jail sentence.

"What did they used to tell us when we were young?", said Cheney, "Commit a crime, do the time? That may be the appropriate course of action here."

White House officials have said that both President Bush and Vice President Cheney would be keeping their normal schedules today, with the President taking a block of time out to consult with his "Higher Father".

White House Special Council Karl Rove may be in the background for the moment, escaping indictment today, however Special Proscutor Patrick Fitzgerald hasn't closed his investigation into the CIA Leak Case.