Stunning

Everyone's abuzz about the possiblity that Bush and Cheney are directly linked to the group that was involved in the Valerie Plame leak. A story detailing the what is speculated is here.

But a new theory about Fitzgerald's aim has emerged in recent weeks from two lawyers who have had extensive conversations with the prosecutor while representing witnesses in the case. They surmise that Fitzgerald is considering whether he can bring charges of a criminal conspiracy perpetrated by a group of senior Bush administration officials. Under this legal tactic, Fitzgerald would attempt to establish that at least two or more officials agreed to take affirmative steps to discredit and retaliate against Wilson and leak sensitive government information about his wife. To prove a criminal conspiracy, the actions need not have been criminal, but conspirators must have had a criminal purpose.

Then there's this from Stephanopoulos:

Definitely a political problem but I wonder, George Will, do you think it’s a manageable one for the White House especially if we don’t know whether Fitzgerald is going to write a report or have indictments but if he is able to show as a source close to this told me this week, that President Bush and Vice President Cheney were actually involved in some of these discussions.

George Will had his usual glib fat chance type of response.

I have little doubt that these charges are true. Proving it is another thing. It would be so sweet if Fitzgerald had enough evidence to indict Bush and/or Cheney. But I'm not quite getting my hopes up yet.

It would be doubly interesting to see what Congress would do. This type of charge could bring about a genuine Constitutional crisis of enormous proportions.

But I get ahead of myself.....