COURT SCHEDULES ORAL ARGUMENTS IN WILSON CASE

by S-Q @ 8:06 PM MDT


The Joseph and Valerie Wilson Legal Support Trust

On May 17, 2007, Judge John D. Bates will hear oral argument on the defendants' motions to dismiss Joe and Valerie Wilson's complaint against Bush administration officials, as well as the motion to dismiss filed by the United States.

Defendants Cheney, Libby, Rove and Armitage have all claimed that they are entitled to immunity from suit, because when they put into place their scheme to deliberately retaliate against Joe Wilson by revealing Valerie Wilson's status as a covert CIA operative, the law was not clearly established that doing so violated the Wilsons' constitutional rights. They have also argued that each of the constitutional claims, brought under the First and Fifth Amendments, does not state a cognizable claim.

The United States has argued that it should be substituted for the common law tort claims against the individual defendants for publicly disclosing private facts, because each of the defendants was acting within the scope of his employment when he revealed, or caused to be revealed, Valerie Wilson's status as a covert CIA operative.

The court has given each side 60 minutes in which to present argument.