Defense Will Call Cheney To Testify in CIA Leak Case.

[Harvey]

It'll be interesting to see what he says when they have him on the stand under oath, especially during the prosecution's cross examination.

The story from Reuters

Defense in CIA leak case to call Cheney to testify

By James Vicini

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Vice President Dick Cheney will be called to testify as a defense witness at the perjury and obstruction of justice trial of his former top aide in the CIA leak case, a defense lawyer said on Tuesday.

Lewis "Scooter" Libby, the former chief of staff to Cheney, is charged with lying to investigators as they sought to find out who leaked the identity of CIA operative Valerie Plame in 2003 after her diplomat-husband accused the Bush administration of manipulating intelligence to build its case for invading Iraq.

"We're calling the vice president," defense lawyer Theodore Wells said at a hearing ahead of the trial, which is scheduled to start on January 16.

Wells disclosed the defense plan after special counsel Patrick Fitzgerald told U.S. District Judge Reggie Walton that the prosecution did not intend to call Cheney.

A spokeswoman for the vice president, Lea Anne McBride, said, "We've cooperated fully in this matter and we'll continue to do so. In fairness to the parties involved and, as we've stated previously, we're not going to comment further on a legal proceeding."

Testimony by a sitting vice president at a criminal trial may be unprecedented, legal experts have said, though sitting presidents, such as Bill Clinton and Gerald Ford, have given testimony in court cases.

Cheney would be the most anticipated witness of the trial, which is expected to last up to six weeks.

Both Cheney and President George W. Bush were interviewed by prosecutors as part of the investigation by Fitzgerald into who in the Bush administration leaked Plame's identity to the news media.

(Additional reporting by Jeremy Pelofsky)

© Reuters 2006. All Rights Reserved.

 

[UberNeuman]

I think telling them to "go f*** themselves" isn't going to help Dick much....

 

[daveshel]

I think this will just be the part where Dick stands up for Scooter in an effort to minimize the damage to the scapegoat. As much as I'd love to see him get his, I don't think he has any real exposure in being called by the defense.

 

[Jhhnn]

I'm sure we'll witness an extremely well rehearsed bit of testimony. Cross examination may be a different story, however. Let's see how many times Dickie-poo has to resort to "national security", which is the Admin's method of invoking the fifth amendment...

 

[daveshel]

Originally posted by: Jhhnn
I'm sure we'll witness an extremely well rehearsed bit of testimony. Cross examination may be a different story, however.

The prosecution on cross will be limited to issues raised during direct. Scope of the cross is limited to the scope of the direct. The defense will be careful here, so it should be pretty boring.

But then, the only thing we know for sure is that he will smirk.

 

[Whoozyerdaddy]

Is this still going on?

 

[Jhhnn]

Quite true, daveshel. Sometimes, however, the Judge and the prosecution have a different take on the scope and nature of those issues than the defense had intended...

Obviously, they've encountered a few unanticipated issues stemming from the initial slime attack. Otherwise, they wouldn't be in Court at all.

Cheney has only escaped indictment by the slimmest of margins, anyway, given his testimony before the Grand Jury. So he'll get another chance to trip up, contradict himself, open a new can o' worms...

 

[Lemon law]

Dick Cheney being forced to swear that the testimony that he gives is truthful?---surely not---that man does not know what truth is?

 

[ProfJohn]

When is Karl Rove going to be indicted? I thought Truthout.org claimed that was going to happen ?any day now? way back in June? I am still waiting. Anyone know if they ever backed down from this story?

I wonder how many members of this forum saw that story and got all happy about it.

 

[imported_gardener]

Scooter indicted, Cheney called to testify, Bush's lies exposed. Can't you just be grateful for the little things, John?

 

[Genx87]

Originally posted by: Whoozyerdaddy
Is this still going on?

 

[Genx87]

Originally posted by: ProfJohn
When is Karl Rove going to be indicted? I thought Truthout.org claimed that was going to happen ?any day now? way back in June? I am still waiting. Anyone know if they ever backed down from this story?

I wonder how many members of this forum saw that story and got all happy about it.

June of which year?

 

[Genx87]

Apparently they are also calling Joe Wilson and Joe asked a judge to block that request.
What is wrong Joe, got something to hide?

 

[GoPackGo]

[cheney waves hands]

I did not commit any crimes.
There was no leak.
We are free to go.

[/cheney waves hands]