Informed Speculation

Kudos to Jeralyn Merritt of TalkLeft, who, as part of a moderated live discussion at the Washington Post, shot down some of the more extreme claims already flying in the wake of the Libby verdict:

Memphis, Tenn.: Now that it’s been established by uncontroverted, sworn testimony that not only Libby but Rove and Cheney as well were responsible for leaking classified information, do you think the President will (or should) fulfill his promise about firing anyone responsible for the leak? And do you think anyone who was involved in the leak will (or should) have their security clearance revoked?

Jeralyn Merritt: I don’t think the verdicts found that anyone leaked classified information. That charge was never brought. The jury repeatedly was instructed that Mrs. Wilson’s actual employment status, that is, whether it was covert or classified, was not before them.

This trial only resolved whether Scooter Libby lied to investigators in the fall of 2003 and the grand jury in March, 2004 and obstructed justice by his false grand jury testimony.

Exactly so…