Wednesday, August 16, 2006

interesting turn of events

Paula Jones' case could force Cheney, Scooter and Karl to testify in Plame's case
This could be fun:

Cotchett, who took over as trial counsel in Plame's case on Tuesday, said legal precedent for whether Cheney and the others could claim legal immunity in the case comes, in part, from Paula Jones' sexual harassment case against Clinton.

In 1997, the U.S. Supreme Court said in a unanimous ruling that neither Clinton "or any other official has an immunity that extends beyond the scope of any action taken in an official capacity."

In order to be dismissed from the case or avoid testifying, Cotchett said, lawyers for Cheney and the other men would have to argue that they were acting on government business if they are found to have leaked Plame's name to the media.

Federal law makes it a crime to knowingly reveal the identity of a covert agent.

Sounds like Dick and Karl may be in a bit of a legal conundrum here. Either they testify or they admit that outing an undercover CIA agent was done in their official capacities as members of the Bush White House. If they admit that, doesn't that mean Bush will fire them?

The right-wingers sure loved the Supreme Court decision when it worked against
Clinton...

As we noted earlier, the Plame Wilsons also retained CREW as part of their legal team. This sounds like one tough legal team. No wonder Cheney lawyered up.


(Americablog)