Fitz Has Freed Novak To Talk About Plame Case

by Steve

Well, for what it’s worth, from Raw Story we hear this afternoon that Drudge is reporting that Bob Novak will break his silence about the Plame case tomorrow on Fox News, as he has been told by Patrick Fitzgerald that the investigation of his role in the case has been concluded. Rove says that in his responses to the grand jury, he answered questions naming Rove, CIA spokesman Bill Harlow, and his primary source.

Fitz could be letting Novak speak up publicly to put the matter squarely within the Office of the Vice President to see what shakes out next. Rove has confirmed that the CIA’s Harlow was his confirming source, and is giving indications that he will not name his primary source as he previously said he would, which would seem to indicate that he is still covering for someone, perhaps someone high up.

Here's a hypothetical that someone pitched me today for your amusement and discussion. Suppose that Bush plans to pardon Scooter sometime between the midterms and the start of the trial in February, (which I think is a certainty.) Suppose that the Democrats retake one house of Congress, which I also think is a certainty (and may now very well be the Senate rather than the House.) Do you think Bush would still pardon Scooter in that case, knowing that the Democrats could still begin an investigation with real subpoena power of what really happened? Lastly, even if Bush gave Scooter a full pardon, it wouldn't stop Democrats from an inquiry, because Bush's pardon would eliminate Scooter's Fifth Amendment defense and not extend to a contempt of Congress charge if Scooter defied testifying, correct?