The special prosecutor investigating the outing of CIA officer Valerie Plame Wilson canceled a scheduled meeting with his grand jury because he was called back to Chicago to deal with last-minute elements of a case involving erstwhile media tycoon Conrad Black, RAW STORY has learned.
As of Tuesday evening, Fitzgerald had intended to meet with the grand jury Wednesday, but on early Wednesday morning, Fitzgerald received word from his staff at his Chicago office that he was needed to deal with the Conrad Black case, attorneys familiar with the case said. In addition to serving as a Special Prosecutor in Washington, he remains the U.S. Attorney for Northern Illinois.
Fitzgerald flew back to Chicago Wednesday.
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Black, a former newspaper mogul, was indicted by US federal prosecutors Thursday on racketeering and obstruction of justice charges. Fitzgerald announced the indictments after they were returned by a federal grand jury Thursday afternoon.
Fitzgerald was tapped to investigate the outing of covert CIA operative Valerie Plame in December 2003.
Late Tuesday evening, RAW STORY received word from two attorneys close to the CIA leak case that Patrick Fitzgerald intended to meet with the grand jury Wednesday morning to present the recently obtained sworn testimony from Robert Luskin, Karl Rove's attorney, and Time magazine reporter Viveca Novak. Attorneys say Fitzgerald still intends to brief the grand jury on these matters.
Originally published on Thursday December 15, 2005
The special prosecutor investigating the outing of CIA officer Valerie Plame Wilson canceled a scheduled meeting with his grand jury because he was called back to Chicago to deal with last-minute elements of a case involving erstwhile media tycoon Conrad Black,