Andy, if the evidence of Libby’s perjury was overwhelming, that is not conveyed in the indictment. I don’t know whether it’s the nature of criminal indictments to save evidence or withhold certain information, but if it isn’t, then the indictment of Libby is a very weak one. My speculation is that Fitzgerald was holding the indictment in question over Libby’s head to get him to reveal information about others, and when Libby didn’t give him what he wanted, Fitzgerald did his thing.

Patrick Fitzgerald is clearly an eminent public servant deserving of great respect. But even eminent public servants become blinded by their own intensity. Libby’s indictment came, remember, after the jailing of a reporter for 85 days and threats to jail other reporters in an almost unprecedented display of Javertism — the pursuit of justice unalloyed by reason.