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Superbelt · 12-30-2003, 12:48 PM

http://msnbc.msn.com/Default.aspx?ID=3840566&p1=0

Quote:

Special counsel to investigate
leak of CIA agent’s identity
Ashcroft steps aside from inquiry
out of ‘abundance of caution’

WASHINGTON - Attorney General John Ashcroft recused himself from the Justice Department’s investigation of the unauthorized disclosure of an undercover CIA officer’s identity, which will be overseen by a special counsel, Ashcroft's deputy announced Tuesday.

Ashcroft had refused to appoint a special counsel since the CIA requested the investigation in September, as first reported by MSNBC.com and NBC News.

But Deputy Attorney General James B. Comey said at a news conference Tuesday afternoon that Ashcroft felt it was “appropriate” to step aside now “out of an abundance of caution.”

He did not cite a specific development that led to the decision, however, saying, “I can't tell you about the details of any criminal investigation.”

Experienced prosecutor in charge
Comey appointed the U.S. attorney in Chicago, Patrick J. Fitzgerald, as special counsel. He will have independent authority to direct the investigation without seeking approval from Comey, to whom he will report, Comey said.

Fitzgerald, 41, was chief of the Justice Department's Organized Crime-Terrorism Unit before he was confirmed as U.S. attorney in Chicago in October 2001.

This will not be Fitzgerald’s first high-profile investigation. He oversaw the investigation of former Illinois Gov. George Ryan, a Republican who was indicted this month on 22 counts of corruption, including taking free vacations, tax fraud, lying to federal agents and skimming cash out of his own campaign fund. Ryan pleaded innocent a week ago.

Fitzgerald will oversee investigators who are trying to determine who gave three journalists the names of a CIA operations officer who served overseas.

The woman, whose name MSNBC.com and NBC News are not reporting, is married to former Ambassador Joseph Wilson, who accused the administration of retaliation after he published an article disputing President Bush’s claims that Iraq had tried to acquire nuclear weapons material in Africa.

The claims, which Wilson investigated in Niger on a mission for the CIA, were part of Bush’s case for war. The White House later said the evidence was unsubstantiated.

White House at center
The White House has ruled out any role by three top administration officials in the leak: political adviser Karl Rove; Vice President Dick Cheney’s chief of staff, I. Lewis “Scooter” Libby; and National Security Council official Elliott Abrams.

But the focus remains on the White House, two law enforcement officials told the AP on condition of anonymity. While initial, informal interviews have yielded no major breaks, the FBI is satisfied that the dozen agents assigned to the probe are making progress and have not encountered any stalling tactics, the officials said last week.

So far, no grand jury subpoenas have been issued, they said.

Wilson told NBC News that he was “glad” that Ashcroft had stepped aside. “There was a potential conflict of interest given his relationship with Mr. Rove,” who worked on Ashcroft’s campaign staff during some of his earlier races for the U.S. Senate in Missouri.

Still, “I’m not exactly sure why it it took him to the day before New Year’s [Eve] to make the decision,” Wilson said in a telephone interview.

This is why the special prosecutor was assigned, Ashcroft finally recused himself. The only reason to recuse himself is over conflict of interests. So there must be a pretty decent pile of evidence against Rove in particular (I think Scooter Libby is in this up to his eyeballs as well). Ashcroft has tight ties with Rove. Rove worked on Ashcrofts failed Senatorial campaign.

Looks like things are finally getting done in this case.