Wayne Madsen Report

October 27, 2005 -- Bush White House Meltdown. As Supreme Court pick Harriet Miers "withdrew" her name from nomination early this morning, there are more indications that the Bush White House is in free fall. There are reports that Special Prosecutor Patrick Fitzgerald has postponed announcements of indictments until tomorrow because of a number of developments. First, negotiations between Fitzgerald and Karl Rove's attorney Robert Luskin on a plea agreement apparently broke down and Rove will be indicted on up to five counts. Those negotiations likely postponed the announcement of indictments. Second, yesterday, Fitzgerald spent 45 minutes discussing the case with US District Court presiding Judge Thomas F. Hogan who has been hearing the case.

Hogan is a no-nonsense judge who, in September 2003, quashed a legal maneuver by convicted Israeli spy Jonathan Pollard's lawyers to have his espionage case reheard. What is noteworthy is that Fitzgerald may have sought Hogan's approval for a new grand jury after the current one expires tomorrow.

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White House Meltdown: Miers: Out for SCOTUS. Rove, Hadley, Libby indictments said to come tomorrow

It is being reported that Fitzgerald's prosecution team has received significant evidence from the US Attorney for Eastern Virginia and Deputy Attorney General nominee Paul McNulty that dovetails Fitzgerald's probe with McNulty's own probe of espionage involving Pentagon officials and staffers of the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC). During the 2003 hearing, Hogan was unsympathetic to Pollard's protestations that his 1987 trial was unfair. Classified documents prepared at the time of Pollard's trial described the severe damage Pollard's transmittal of highly-classified intelligence to Israel caused for U.S. national security. The Pollard case is still radioactive for the US Intelligence Community. In 1998, CIA Director George Tenet threatened to quit if President Clinton released Pollard. Interestingly, it is believed that Pollard's omission from Clinton's 2000 pardon list was compensated by the addition of fugitive financier Marc Rich's name. The Rich pardon was partly negotiated by I. Lewis "Scooter" Libby, Rich's attorney and now, a prime subject of the Fitzgerald probe.

Third, Fitzgerald has reportedly leased office space at 1401 New York Avenue, directly across the street from the Bond Federal building (see Oct. 25 story below) where his offices have been housed. The recent establishment of a web site for the special prosecutor and the office lease deal indicates that the prosecution team intends to remain in operation for the foreseeable future.

The latest speculation is that Fitzgerald's sealed indictments were delivered to Judge Hogan yesterday and that they will be announced tomorrow.