There has been much speculation that Karl Rove has received a "target letter" from Special Prosecutor Patrick Fitzgerald in the Plame matter earlier this week. Driving the speculation is the
failure by blabbermouth Rove lawyer Robert Luskin to comment.
But that leads to a question.
Why the hell would Fitz issue a target letter just days before issuing indictments?
Lawrence O'Donnell wonders:
Fitzgerald does not have to send Rove or anyone else a target letter before indicting him. The only reason to send target letters now is that Fitzgerald believes one or more of his targets will flip and become a prosecution witness at the pre-indictment stage. A veteran prosecutor told me, "If Fitzgerald is sending target letters at the end of his investigation, those are just invitations to come in and work out a deal."
Work out a deal? That means he wants Rove to flip on someone higher up in the conspiracy. But who could be higher up then Bush's brain? There are only two plausible candidates who could order Karl Rove around in the Bush White House. And they both hold elective office.
Would Fitz really aim that high? Why the hell would he indict Bush or Cheney, considering they have strong Constitutional defenses to indictments? Answer: The issue of whether the President or Vice President can be indicted has never squarely been decided by the Supreme Court. Fitzgerald is an aggressive prosecutor who will not shy away from a fight, even if there are legal arguments against his assertion of power -- just look at what happened with the Washington press corp!
Now, I don't know if Fitz s trying to get Rove (or anyone else), to flip. But if he is, I wouldn't expect an indictment today or tomorrow. This will run at least to the end of the grand jury -- October 28, 2005. Us Kossacks need to pace ourselves!