Ah, yes. Fitzmas Day. Or is it? Are we going to extend the Fitzmas spirit all through the coming year?
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Vice President Dick Cheney's chief of staff and other top White House officials braced for criminal charges on Friday from the federal grand jury investigating the leak of a covert CIA operative's identity.
The grand jury was expected to convene in the morning to consider the first charges in the two-year probe led by special counsel Patrick Fitzgerald.
Legal sources involved in the case said Cheney's chief of staff, Lewis Libby, appeared likely to be charged with making false statements to the grand jury.
Fitzgerald has also zeroed in on Karl Rove, President George W. Bush's top political adviser, possibly for perjury. But lawyers involved in the case said Fitzgerald may not be prepared at this time to bring charges against Rove.
The New York Times, citing people briefed officially about the case, said Rove would not be indicted along with Libby on Friday but would remain under investigation.
Despite initial denials, both Rove and Libby spoke to reporters in June and July 2003 about the CIA operative, Valerie Plame.
It was unclear how Fitzgerald would keep the Rove investigation going since the current grand jury is scheduled to expire on Friday.
The Times said Fitzgerald was likely to extend its term. But federal guidelines suggest that Fitzgerald would have to seek a new grand jury because the current one has served the maximum allowable amount of time.
Other current and former administration officials could also face charges on Friday, lawyers said.
Indictments in the case could trigger an immediate shake-up at the White House, already on the defensive over the response to Hurricane Katrina, opposition to the Iraq war and the withdrawal of Bush's nominee for the U.S. Supreme Court, Harriet Miers.
One lawyer involved in the case said the attorneys made final appeals to Fitzgerald to try to avoid indictment, raising the prospect of last-minute plea agreements.
When asked whether Rove was trying to negotiate Fitzgerald down to a lesser charge, Luskin responded: "False."
White House officials have been anxiously awaiting Fitzgerald's decision since any indicted officials were expected to immediately resign. Bush was then likely to make a public statement.
Who is squealing? And what are they squealing?
My God, how did you people ever live through Watergate? I know that you didn't have 24-7 speculation and innuendo and rumor in the media...but, man, didn't the anticipation just kill you?