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| Project Gunwalker: Jan 24 Hearing -- Cunningham to Invoke the Fifth |
| 2012-01-23 |
| Patrick Cunningham, chief of the criminal division of the U.S. AttorneyÂ’s office in Phoenix, will invoke his Fifth Amendment right against self-incrimination during a deposition scheduled Tuesday with Congressional investigators. The other night, Texas Rep. Blake Farenthold, a member of the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, appeared as a guest on Fox NewsÂ’ Lou Dodds Program. He was not sympathetic to CunninghamÂ’s situation. Link is to video
Cunningham’s announcement marks the first time in the year-long investigation of Operation Fast and Furious that someone has invoked the Fifth Amendment right to remain silent. Many believe it was due to happen sooner or later. It is fair to question why Cunningham believes he may self-incriminate by answering questions, or what he may know that could be subsequently used against him in a court of law. Others have come forward from the beginning; people whose careers have been damaged because they blew the whistle. In less than two weeks, Attorney General Eric Holder is scheduled to testify before the House Oversight Committee, chaired by California Congressman Darrell Issa. It would not be unfair to speculate just what it is that Cunningham will not discuss that might have steered questions to Holder by Issa, Farenthold and their colleagues. What appears to be on Farenthold’s mind, as well as many others, is the lesson learned from Watergate almost 40 years ago. “The truth always bubbles up in these issues and these facts, and it just takes a while to get there sometimes. I’m frustrated with how long it is taking to get there, but again, you’ve got a cover-up and everyone knows in Washington it’s the cover-up that gets you.”—Congressman Blake Farenthold |
| Posted by:Sherry |
| #9 Maybe it's a signal that he knows somebody who knows more than he does. |
| Posted by: gorb 2012-01-23 23:53 |
| #8 It would not surprise me if Cunningham dangled that 'Fifth' out there to see if there will be an immunity offer. Asclose as he was to the epicenter, he may have gotten a dose of 'conscious' and wants to right the wrongs. i think he should behiring a car starter and food taster, especially if the immunity offer is made....... |
| Posted by: USN, Ret. 2012-01-23 21:57 |
| #7 In Cunningham's position I too would plead the Fifth. Wouldn't trust Holder, of course, but wouldn't trust Issa either. |
| Posted by: Glenmore 2012-01-23 20:21 |
| #6 Richard, I have seen several things on the internet about how careful you have to be when talking to cops (and that goes double for FBI and/or Congress). Even if you are completely innocent. Cops can take anything you say and potentially turn it into evidence against you. Invoking the Fifth does NOT mean you are guilty, even though a lot of people think that is the case. As the Scooter Libby case shows, all it takes is misremembering something, and suddenly you are looking at hard time. |
| Posted by: Rambler in Virginia 2012-01-23 19:09 |
| #5 This smells. However, you'll recall how they got Libby. His memory diverged from somebody else's memory and the feds had some handwritten notes and...the jury was convinced that he couldn't have forgotten what he said and so he was lying when he said he forgot it. IOW, it was a matter of a finding of how good Libby's memory was. If you can't get Fitzmas, at least you can prosecute dueling memories. I'd claim the Fifth if a fed asked me how my day was going. |
| Posted by: Richard Aubrey 2012-01-23 17:09 |
| #4 Have to love how a chief of a criminal division in the US Attorney's Office can invoke the Fifth on a criminal matter, and the MSM ... doesn't really care. If only he were a Republican... |
| Posted by: Steve White 2012-01-23 15:55 |
| #3 "Could you come to the office and bring your entire career with you?..." |
| Posted by: mojo 2012-01-23 15:32 |
| #2 No 'Fifth' in Mexico. Honor extradition. If nothing more than a trade for a cartel boss. |
| Posted by: Procopius2k 2012-01-23 15:22 |
| #1 offer him immunity if he rolls over on the higher-ups. If he doesn't testify then he's in contempt of court = potential jail time |
| Posted by: Frank G 2012-01-23 15:21 |