Free Scooter!

Andrew McCarthy on the Plame Blame Game:

As I've said, I wish there were no indictment. Being as objective as I can be, I think (a) there's grave reason here to be concerned that politics is being criminalized; (b) the White House absolutely should have gotten the truth out about Wilson given the important public policy stakes involved (and I wish they had bragged about doing it rather than allowing the media to cow them into being defensive about it); (c) DOJ should have had the courage to end the investigation at a very preliminary stage — without appointing a special prosecutor and conducting massive interviews — if it was legally clear that the standards for an espionage act or cover agent identity protection act violation could not be met; and (d) there may have been a strong case for exercising prosecutorial discretion in Libby's favor given that Wilson's execrable conduct was apparently unchargeable.

It's about time Fitzgerald figured this out. Where there is no underlying crime, lying about it, especially on a matter that could easily be mere confusion, is not worth the candle.