Rove Testifies Again

Presidential adviser Karl Rove testified for what appears to be the final time before a federal grand jury investigating whether the name of CIA agent Valerie Plame was illegally revealed to news reporters. While special prosecutor Patrick Fitzgerald has told Rove that he has yet to decide if any indictments will be forthcoming, Rove's fourth appearance before the Grand Jury are not a good sign for the Bush administration. (Reuters: Rove spends hours before grand jury).

There are many options open to Fitzgerald, any of which could spell trouble for Rove. The most difficult case for the prosecution to prove is that either Rove or Libby illegally released Plame's name while she was working under cover for the CIA. Short of that, Fitzgerald could indict Rove and Libby on charges of conspiracy, which carry a much lower burden of proof, or even on charges of perjury or lying to the grand jury. The latter is the most likely of the charges since there is some evidence that Rove's testimony has changed significantly over his four grand jury visits.

While the grand jury proceedings are secret, legal analysts watching the case speculate that today's extensive quizzing of Rove may have been used to confront the White House adviser with new evidence or witnesses that contradict his prior testimony. Fitzgerald has stated that he does not expect to require another appearance by Rove, which may mean that he is close to making a determination on possible indictments. While it is possible that he could decide not to indict anyone and issue a report on his findings, that outcome seems unlikely at this point. The nature and targets of any indictments are the open issue. Right now, it seems likely that both Rove and Libby will face some type of charges, something the White House cannot afford heading into the 2006 mid-terms.

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