Steve Clemons reports that Fitzgerald has just signed a lease for more office space in D.C. [hat tip to Atrios]
Fitzgerald's office is at 1400 New York Avenue, NW, 9th Floor in Washington.
What I have learned is that the Office of the Special Counsel has signed a lease this week for expanded office space across the street at 1401 New York Avenue, NW. Another coincidence? More office space needed to shut down the operation?
I think not. Fitzgerald's operation is expanding.
It does sound like Fitzgerald is planning to take Plamegate to a new level - as Richard Sale has reported: "According to this reporter's sources, Fitzgerald approached the judge in charge of the case and asked that a new grand jury be empaneled."
From Taegan Goddard, we learn that one grand juror was overheard saying to another grand juror: "See you Friday." The grand jury expires on Friday, so it appears they will be working until the very end. Damn, I hope that doesn't mean we have to wait until Friday to hear the good news.
Finally, the WaPo has a nice wrap-up - which includes a report that Rove is making a "furious effort" to weasel out of an indictment for perjury. In other words, if Rove gets off without an indictment, it will be because of his great talent as a weasel.
The prosecutor in the CIA leak investigation presented a summary of his case to a federal grand jury yesterday and is expected to announce a final decision on charges in the two-year-long probe tomorrow, according to people familiar with the case.
Even as Special Counsel Patrick J. Fitzgerald wrapped up his case, the legal team of White House Deputy Chief of Staff Karl Rove has been engaged in a furious effort to convince the prosecutor that Rove did not commit perjury during the course of the investigation, according to people close to the aide. The sources, who indicated that the effort intensified in recent weeks, said Rove still did not know last night whether he would be indicted.
Fitzgerald is completing his probe of whether senior administration officials broke the law by disclosing the identity of CIA operative Valerie Plame to the media in the summer of 2003 to discredit her husband, former ambassador Joseph C. Wilson IV, an administration critic. The grand jury's term will expire Friday.
But after grand jurors left the federal courthouse before noon yesterday, it was unclear whether Fitzgerald had spelled out the criminal charges he might ask them to consider, or whether he had asked them to vote on any proposed indictments. Fitzgerald's legal team did not present the results of a grand jury vote to the court yesterday, which he is required to do within days of such a vote.
A new USA TODAY/CNN/Gallup poll reminded the White House of the damage the CIA leak case has already inflicted: Eight in ten people surveyed said that aides had either broken the law or acted unethically.
Visualize Karl Rove doing the weasel dance in leg shackles.
Cartoon seen at All Hat No Cattle
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Plamegate Politics CIA leak Valerie Plame Fitzgerald Karl Rove Rovegate Libby Rove Bush Cheney Turdblossom Indictment
