Fox Partakes in Using False Information to Exonerate Lewis Libby
Reported by Janie - November 17, 2005
Yesterday (11/16) on Dayside, hosts Mike Jerrick and Juliet Huddy issued a Fox News Alert buried at the end of the show, using false information in an attempt to exonerate Lewis Libby in the CIA leak case.
The transcript follows:
MJ: "Ted Wells, who is one of Lewis Libby's lawyers, tells Fox News that the Woodward disclosure, we'll explain that in just a second, is a bombshell for Mr. Fitzgerald's case. First, let's talk about the disclosure."
JH: "Here it is basically. There was a Washington Post story this morning that said that Bob Woodward, the famous journalist, learned about Valerie Plame, you remember her, she is the former CIA worker, she uh, he learned about her the month before Bob Novak's column was published. So, this obviously takes a little bit of umph out of Patrick Fitzgeraldâs case, the Special Prosecutors case.
Comment: CIA Worker? They absolutely refuse to admit to their viewers that Plame's status was classified, and continue to attempt to downplay her career with the Agency, despite the fact that her status was clarified during the investigation by Special Prosecutor Patrick Fitzgerald himself.
MJ: "Who says he knew who she was. So, let's talk more about that. Mr. Libby was the first government, I mean state, Mr. Libby is the first government official to tell a reporter about Mr. Wilson's wife employment at the CIA was totally inaccurate then, according to Ted Wells, Lewis Libby's attorney.
Comment: This statement is absolutely 100% false, and rather than researching Well's claim, they merely repeat it as fact. What Fitzgerald actually said was "In fact, Mr. Libby was the first official known to have told a reporter when he talked to Judith Miller in June of 2003 about Valerie Wilson." Both Wells and Fox completely ignore the one little word "known", which completely takes away credibility from their argument. The information Fox is giving is a complete and total fabrication.
JH: "And also Woodward's disclosure that he talked to Libby on June 20th and on also on June 27th, that Libby didn't mention Wilson's wife, undermines Fitzgerald's key theme that Libby was involved in a scheme to discredit Wilson by telling reporters about Wilson's wife employment at the CIA."
Comment: How exactly does is do that? Because he chose to not speak to one reporter, a reporter that is known for bringing down conspiracy's within the White House, Libby is automatically cleared from discussing the information with Judith Miller and Matt Cooper? All this new information shows is that Libby may not have been the first to discuss Plame with reporters, which was already outlined in Fitzgerald's indictment.
The entire argument is completely meaningless to begin with, because Libby was not indicted for leaking Plame's name. He was indicted for false statements, perjury, and obstruction of justice. Without the honest testimony from our government officials, Fitzgerald has not been able to get to the bottom of the case, and bring those responsible for endangering our national security, to justice.
(All references used, can be found on public record, within the press conference given by Fitzgerald, noted here.)
You can contact Dayside, to make sure they have the most accurate information, by e-mailing them at Dayside@foxnews.com
