Ex-Sen. Fred Thompson Criticizes Fitzgerald in CIA Leak Case, Depicts Him As Out-Of-Control

[Hissyspit]

http://www.kansascity.com/mld/kansascity/news/politics/16689133.htm

Ex-senator questions Fitzgerald's case
Associated Press
WASHINGTON - Former Sen. Fred Thompson, R-Tenn., criticized Special Counsel Patrick Fitzgerald's handling of the CIA leak investigation Tuesday, saying the prosecutor had to have known from the start that it was not a crime to disclose Valerie Plame's identity as an agent.

A fund-raiser for the defense of I. Lewis "Scooter" Libby, Thompson depicted Fitzgerald as out of control, telling ABC News there was "no brake and no check and no balance" on the prosecutor.

Thompson's objections are the same ones Democratic politicians made in the 1990s about independent counsel Kenneth Starr, who spent six years investigating President Clinton and first lady Hillary Rodham Clinton.

In the same fashion, Republicans complained about the six-year investigation by independent counsel Lawrence Walsh into the Iran-Contra scandal of the Reagan years and the first Bush administration.

MORE

[aquart]

1. Uh, yeah, it was a crime. That's why the CIA asked for an investigation.

Thompson is not a lawyer but he plays one on TV.

[Demoiselle]

2. And Fred Thompson's credentials are.....

That he PLAYED A D.A. on Law and Order.
No, Fred, Libby is being tried for purjury, not discosing Ms. Plame's identity.

[AndyA]

15. I quit watching Law & Order because of Thompson.

Such a hateful man, ruined a good show. I haven't watched it in years, but I did enjoy it at one time.

He really isn't a good actor compared to the others on the show. Everyone else is top notch.

[GeorgeGist]

27. Actually Fred is/was a lawyer...

and played himself in the movie 'Marie'. That was the story of him taking down the Tennessee Governor at the time, (D) Ray Blanton for corruption. He was also served as co-counsel to Howard Baker during the Watergate hearings.

[MurrayDelph]

30. He once played a crooked Senator

in the Melanie Griffith remake of "Born Yesterday." A year later he became one.

[RedStateShame]

3. Why can't these Hollywood elitists shut up about social issues?

Oh, it's an out of work celebrity. Oh, well, we can trust him then.

[saltpoint]

4. I give ol' Fred a C+ as an actor and a D- as a Senator.

I wonder if he's trying to stay in the news so his old pal John McCain will choose him as his veep nom?

[indepat]

23. Might you be a little generous on the latter grade considering how in control

he was to be sure to vote for conviction of Clinton on at least one charge and conviction on one charge would have meant the first president ever ousted in the impeachment process? But oh, was Fred so thoughtful, deliberative, moralistic and non-partisan when sticking it to Clinton. Sorry bag of....

[saltpoint]

26. He's saved from an 'F' by his counsel work for then-Senator

Howard Baker of Tennessee during the Senate Watergate hearings.

He was less virulently conservative then, and the GOP was not today's cadre of cutthroats.

[indepat]

28. Agree on all points: I quit watching 'Law and Order' upon hearing his first extreme RW

utterance. Baker is the last Tennessee 'puke politician with even an iota of love country before party IMHO: personally believe he sacrificed his own chance of ever becoming president to try to save the Gipper's arse.

[saltpoint]

29. indepat, you said it. Howard Baker wasn't in my political party of choice,

but for a Republican he was a decent man and a truer citizen than today's current bunch.

There was a civility and big-mindedness to him, and so long as Thompson was in his sway, I had a begrudging respect for the two of them, even as I cheered each new revelation that brought the Nixon administration to its knees.

Sam Ervin, dear god please come back and give us a hand.

Thank you so much for your post.

[benld74]

5. Boo Hoo

What the heck else can he say at a fund-raiser for the defense of I. Lewis "Scooter" Libby. Never liked him on Law and Order either.

[Skidmore]

Let us remind Mr. Thompson that he is out-of-office.

[qanda]

6. I'll never forgive that man for ruining Law and Order

[mnhtnbb]

22. Me either.

[marmar]

7. I don't like him on Law & Order.....

and now I have a reason not to like him period.

[Quakerfriend]

8. Uh oh! Are they looking for a way to fire Fitz the way they did the

other 7?

They wouldn't dare!

[Tin Man]

14. Reprise of the Watergate "Saturday Night Massacre" anyone?

...see my post #13 below.

[verse18]

9. Shouldn't Freddie be playing a political hack

on a crime drama somewhere instead of defending perjurers?

[BOSSHOG]

10. No, thompson's whining is not the same as the dems in the 90's.

The dems complaints about ken starr were based on fact. starr was a perverted christian conservative fed by the right wing hate machine to investigate anything Clinton. Fitzgerald is investigating a legitimate crime and if there is no right wing interference, he will get a conviction. Silly how the hangman is out of control when a fascist conservative republican motherfucker has his head in the noose.

[Jack Rabbit]

11. What was (and remains) out of control is the OVP

Fitzgelard is helping to restore the balance. Thompson can suck a root.

[bpeale]

12. this guy needs to STFU & stick to his acting

[Tin Man]

13. The Pukes are seeking to derail Fitz from persuing further prosecutions: Cheney et al.

Libby is toast, and everybody knows it. But the testimony at the trial has revealed that the conspiracy is far more extensive than Libby alone...

People are beginning to recognize that Cheney may also be exposed.

Therefore the noise machine is harping the "runaway prosecutor" meme in an attempt to fend-off Fitz from persuing further indictments against Cheney et al.

The Pukes are skeered. Very skeered. Expect to hear a lot more of the "runaway prosecutor" meme in the near future.

[C_U_L8R]

16. Now we KNOW they are losing

Fitz is out of control???? Bwahahaha???
The repukes have nothing !! Nothing !!
They are so losing this battle.

Whine whine whine !!!

[blm]

17. CIA needed the investigation, Freddie - GOP political operatives needed Ken Starr's.

Big effin difference you double-standarding LIAR.

[Critters2]

18. He's not a lawyer, but he plays one on TV

which means he's qualified to STFU!

[Jim Warren]

19. Maybe he's having a flashback of Ken Starr?

and the $78 million dry cleaning bill for one dress.

[Old and In the Way]

20. Fred, outing a CIA NOC is worst possible crime of treason.....

just ask George HW Bush*. What a sad blurring of all of the issues. The Clinton Inquisition was all about the personal politics of partisan destruction, Iran Contra and Libby are about crimes against the people and the Constitution of the USA.





* I suspect that his statement was a made in his own defense, but he's on record on that issue.

[Bluzmann57]

21. So "Fitz" is out of control?

Is that opposed to say...Ken Starr in the '90's? After all, he had basically unlimited powers to do anything he could to bring down a sitting and legally elected President.That included throwing a woman in jail on contempt of court charges because she refused to testify when she didn't know anything. It included buying off witnesses for his flimsy case against the President. So maybe Thompson should watch what he says because Starr spent 43 million dollars which could have been used elsewhere.
On edit- If I sound bitter, it's only because I am. That whole thing stunk to high heaven and the nation still hasn't recovered.

[MissWaverly]

24. I heard Brit Hume saying this 2 weeks ago on Fox Sunday

this must be the shiny new talking point, it wasn't a crime when we republicans did it,
but perjury was a BIG CRIME for the Bill Clinton and the House voted to impeach him
for it. That's what Libby is being tried for: perjury and obstruction of justice. And how about Elizabeth de la Vega suggesting that impeachment charges be brought against bush for fraud, she was a federal prosecutor for 23 years and she says that intent to deceive is a crime, the guilt of this administration has been parsed so thin, it becomes flexible and open to any interpretation, let's start seeing the big picture, a covert agent's name was released to the media which was a threat to our national security and a threat to the agents in place, it was a deliberate campaign originating in the White House.

[Ganja Ninja]

25. Gee Fred it wasn't a crime to get a blow job either.

But that didn't stop your party from trying to impeach a president.