Fitzgerald's Case Against Libby

By Unmesh Kher

The charges against I. Lewis Libby all revolve around alleged lies he told the FBI and a federal grand jury. Here are some of the key discrepancies in the case's testimony:

What Libby Claimed

TIM RUSSERT Libby first heard the rumor that Joseph Wilson's wife, above, worked for the CIA during a conversation with Russert on July 10, 2003

What the Indictment Says

Neither Joseph Wilson nor the former diplomat's wife were mentioned in the conversation NBC's Tim Russert had with Libby on July 10, 2003. Libby had already heard about the Wilsons' identity from officials he tapped to help collect information about the Niger trip and had spoken to one person about the couple. Those involved included, among others:

o VICE PRESIDENT DICK CHENEY Who informed Libby in early June that Wilson's wife worked for the CIA o A SENIOR CIA OFFICER Who told Libby the same thing on June 11 and added that sending Wilson to Niger had been her idea o AN UNDER SECRETARY OF STATE Who, asked to look into the Niger trip, told Libby on June 12 about the identity of Wilson's wife o LIBBY'S CIA BRIEFER Who discussed Joseph and Valerie Wilson and the Niger trip with Libby on June 14 o PRESS SECRETARY ARI FLEISCHER Who learned from Libby over lunch on July 7 about the identity of Wilson's wife

What Libby Claimed

JUDITH MILLER He mentioned Wilson's wife to Miller on July 12 and told her he was just repeating the unsubstantiated gossip of reporters

What the Indictment Says

o NOT REALLY Libby met with the New York Times reporter on June 23 and July 8, when he suggested that Wilson's wife worked for the CIA. He repeated the fact to Miller over the phone on July 12 and did not attribute it to reporters, as he claimed to the grand jury

What Libby Claimed

MATTHEW COOPER On that day, Libby relayed the same scuttlebutt about Wilson's wife to Cooper and stated that he had no idea if it was accurate

What the Indictment Says

o AGAIN, NOT SO Libby did not tell TIME's Cooper that he had heard about Wilson's wife from reporters. Nor did he say the claim had not been verified. Rather, he confirmed "without qualification" that he too had heard that she worked for the CIA