I've now read it. Here's the breakdown, with the charges
rearranged into logical groupings.
First, the Russert charges: Libby told the grand jury that Tim
Russert asked him, "did you know that Ambassador Wilson's wife
works at the CIA?" and that Russert added that "all the reporters
knew it." Russert told the grand jury that he and Libby did not
discuss Wilson at all. The grand jury believes Russert, and this is
the basis for one count of perjury and one count of making a false
statement. By itself, not very strong -- it's Libby's word against
Russert's.
Second, the Cooper charges. Libby told the grand jury that he
said to Matthew Cooper of Time that reporters were telling
the administration that that Wilson's wife was CIA, but that he
didn't know if that was true. Cooper told the grand jury that he
asked about Wilson's wife being CIA, and Libby said "I heard that
too," without elaboration. This is the basis of the other perjury
charge and the other false statement charge. The grand jury
believes Cooper, and once again it's Libby's word against the
reporter.
Third, the big enchilada: The obstruction charge. The Cooper and
Russert charges mentioned above are part of the obstruction charge.
So is another similar charge: Libby told the jury that he told Judy
Miller that he'd heard other reporters saying that Wilson's wife
worked for the CIA but that he didn't know if that was true. Miller
contradicted this story. Apparently, Fitzgerald didn't think Miller
was credible enough to bring another set of perjury and false
statement charges, but did think that her story, taken together
with the other conflicts between Libby's accounts of conversations
and reporters', would bolster the obstruction charge. The other
part of the obstruction charge appears to be the most damning:
Libby told the grand jury that he was surprised to hear from
Russert that Wilson's wife was CIA. But the indictment alleges that
Libby had discussed the topic nine times prior to the
conversation with Russert -- with the Vice President, with the
Undersecretary of State, with a CIA briefer, with Judy Miller, with
the White House Press Secretary, with the Assistant to the Vice
President, with Judy Miller again, and with the Counsel to the
Office of the Vice President.
sidnee| 12.10.09 @ 1:34AM
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