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Scooter Libby Adds a Lawyer to his Team

By Jeralyn, Section Lewis Libby Indictment
Posted on Tue Nov 22, 2005 at 11:33:29 AM EST
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The court docket in Scooter Libby's case shows San Francisco lawyer John Cline has filed an entry of appearance. He's an expert in classified documents. The San Francisco Chronicle reports:

Cline has been involved in several high-profile criminal cases whose outcomes turned in part on demands for the introduction of such government secrets at trial. These have included the criminal defense of Oliver North and the case of Wen Ho Lee, a former nuclear scientist who had been accused of mishandling nuclear secrets. Reached in Washington on Monday, Cline confirmed that he had been retained by Libby, but he said he could not comment on the case.

The Chronicle has this assessment of why Libby added Cline to the team:

But Cline's involvement suggests that a defense strategy may be to try to bring large volumes of classified information into the trial to demonstrate the many things Libby was dealing with as a senior national security adviser when he spoke with journalists and later testified to the grand jury.

If Libby's defense can show his thinking might have been obscured by the many sensitive issues he was dealing with, it could potentially weaken the case against him.

Cline represented FBI agent James Smith, who was romantically involved with Katrina Leung, accused of passing secrets to China. The Chronicle contains one item that is not quite correct. While Leung got her charges dismissed, Cline's client, the FBI agent, pleaded guilty to lying about his affair with Leung. He didn't go to jail as a result of his agreeing to cooperate with the government about Leung.

It's always the coverup. Cline should be perfect for Libby.

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    Scooter Libby Adds a Lawyer to his Team | 3 comments (3 topical)
    Re: Scooter Libby Adds a Lawyer to his Team (none / 0) (#1)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:06:21 PM EST
    Funny how the usual trolls who accuse you of wanting to eliminate judicial punishment altogether never seem to show up on these threads.

    Re: Scooter Libby Adds a Lawyer to his Team (none / 0) (#2)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:06:22 PM EST
    Well North got off. I'm betting they'll hide behind all manner of secrecy to keep from having to go to jail. Probably to great effect.

    Re: Scooter Libby Adds a Lawyer to his Team (none / 0) (#3)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:06:22 PM EST
    It's all a matter for the judge. A good judge will not let libby get away with this kind of dodge. This is a case of lieing to a grand jury and obstruction. At most it will just prolong things.

    Scooter Libby Adds a Lawyer to his Team | 3 comments (3 topical)