The Washington Note just retracted story on Fitz's office expansion plans

[highplainsdem]

http://www.thewashingtonnote.com/

October 27, 2005

Retraction: Sources on Office Expansion Wrong

Part of the process of reporting is doing the best one can do to source information, and seek double confirmation regarding stuff we post.

The source of mine in the real estate brokerage arena has called to retract information shared with me that the Office of the Special Counsel was expanding into 1401 New York Avenue. He states that "he just got it wrong."

In addition, the second source -- in the building -- says that he had a miscommunication with someone about this.

This was a flop. I believe in telling what I hear -- on both sides -- whether TWN got it right or wrong.

<snip>

[swag]

1. Whoops.

Thanks for the info.

[SmokingJacket]

2. That's weird; two sources "got it wrong."

Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm

[Jane Austin]

3. Sounds like the real estate guy

got in trouble.

[HereSince1628]

6. Well here let me put this under some tin foil

Do the windows in the new suite have a direct line of sight into Fitz' windows on the opposite side of the street?

[MidwestTransplant]

9. If it turns out to be true, you can bet that is definitely the case.

I am sure his company/boss was not happy about his blabbing AT ALL. I would be surprised if he is not out of a job soon.

[Festivito]

4. WARNING: IF THINGS GO BADLY, we'll have a lot more work to do.

I don't want to be caught too depressed to fight back.

[jsamuel]

5. lots of disinfo the last 2 days... why?

[Lone_Star_Dem]

8. Honestly?

Because everyone wants to be the first to "know" something. That leads to poor fact checking and bogus stories.

[ItsTheMediaStupid]

19. Journalistic standards are in the toilet due to corporate weasels

Broadcast journalism has become pressitution, thanks to corporate control. The news is both slanted right and regarded as another form of entertainment. Neither of these influences is good for journalism.

If they happen to be honest about something, there's too much emphasis on being sensational and not enough on getting the story right.

All too often, they aren't even honest.

All of the influence of broadcast presstitutes spills over into the print media and even my favorite medium, the 'Net.

[liberalla]

21. I think it may have been useful, even if wrong...

Maybe it was planted to increase pressure on the targets... during the rumored last minute negotiations for a plea agreement?

[Stephanie]

7. Maybe Fitz heard about the realtor's leak and cancelled the deal

Maybe he didn't want to do business with the guy after he leaked.

[Stinky The Clown]

13. That's exactly what conclusion I reached, too.

It seems to me Prosecutor Fitzgerald is nothing if not circumspect.

[qanda]

10. I wish everyone would just shut up!!!!!!

Until we hear things straight from the horse's mouth.

[Stephanie]

14. back slowly away from the computer

take a few steps, breathe, then go outside.

[qanda]

16. Done!

Now, I'm back for more rumors and speculation. What can I can? I'm an addict.

[deadparrot]

11. Well, damn.

That was an encouraging bit of news.

Just goes to show that nothing should really be trusted.

[Wilms]

12. That's too bad.

I had already bought him a popcorn maker for an office warming gift.

[Catherine Vincent]

15. Hmm...I wonder.

Earlier today, Wolf Blitzer asked one of their reporters on the White House site if she heard any news of Fitzpatrick expanding the investigation and the reporter said no, she hasn't gotten any info on the investigation expanding.

I'll bet Fitz found out that bit of news got out and was upset, so now whoever leaked it are trying to back track so that whoever spilled the beans won't get Fitzgerald's wrath.

[highplainsdem]

17. Disappointing as the retraction is, this story was never as important as

the reports that Fitzgerald met with Rove's attorney yesterday, indicating some discussion of a plea bargain before indictments. The story about the office expansion was icing.

[lonestarnot]

18. ahhh damn! Found this to be a delicious story... oh well

[MADem]

20. But they do stand by some of their more hopeful items

From their site, cited above: ...thus far I am standing with what I posted the other day about the mult-point run-down of what Fitzgerald was doing. While he hasn't called a press conference today, which was told to me, there seems to be some likelihood that the other pieces have occurred.

I am not an expert on idictment process, but I did speak to someone who is such an expert today. As I have been informed, the Special Prosecutor can ask the grand jury to issue an indictment. That indictment request is filed with the judge in a case. If a request is made to "seal" the indictment -- it shrouds everything, and keeps the process secret.

Thus, indictments may have been filed yesterday -- and some are reporting that they were. Letters -- according to my sources -- were received by Tuesday by all indictment targets.

I am still a bit confused by the on-off information on the office space -- but I have to step back from this retracted information. If, however, Fitzgerald was expanding office space in Washington (he has office space at 1400 New York Avenue), that expansion could serve either an extension of the investigation -- or prosecution.

But for the time being, that is a dead end. Not fun.

[onenote]

22. You mean not everything I read on the Internets is true?

I feel faint. Must lie down.:wow:

[Peace Patriot]

23. Just imagine what it is like inside this prosecutor's office, among these

...grand jurors, throughout the White House and the Pentagon, in Congress of both sides of the aisle, in numerous offices, homes, bars and back alleys of Washington DC, at AIPAC offices, at rightwing think tanks in DC and NY, at political party headquarters, at the offices and cocktail parties of involved and uninvolved foreign embassies, in the editorial offices of involved and uninvolved war profiteering corporate news monopolies, not to mention the gossip, backstabbings, wheeling-dealings, cold fear or thrilled anticipation in places like England as well. Think of the potential for black ops, planted stories of one kind or another, disinformation, surveillance. I could go on and on.

This is the biggest and worst conspiracy ever to be hatched in gov't (that we know about). If any of Plame's covert agents were killed, somebody could be facing the death penalty. That is at least a potential. It is a hanging offense to out a CIA agent and get them killed. And the forging of documents to start a war is the kind of thing that will live in history books forever. It will likely become the signature of this war. This is a resonant moment in our history, and the turning point in the lives of many extremely powerful and dangerous people.

So this odd bit about the expanded office space is NO SURPRISE. And whether it means anything or nothing is impossible to say without further info. The most plausible among these posts is that Fitzgerald WAS going to expand his space, but--given his amazingly tight ship--he would likely be furious at such a leak, and would cut off that leaker immediately, and force them to retract.

He doesn't seem the type to be playing the rumor game himself--but I'm just guessing. (A good prosecutor--and he is the best, from all reports--would be flexible on tactics.)

So we wait...as the storm gathers. Storms are not necessarily bad events.