Will Congress enable Rove and Libby to go free?

Scott Shepard of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports today that possible Congressional investigation into the CIA leak could actually be a smokescreen to provide Rove and Libby and whoever else with immunity from prosecution--just as happened with Oliver North and John Poindexter. I wouldn't put it past them for a second.

As Congress tiptoes into the controversy over the leak of CIA operative Valerie Plame's identity, some lawmakers and analysts worry that the criminal investigation of the matter could be undermined by any congressional grant of immunity from prosecution, as has happened in the past in politically charged investigations.

The cases of key Iran-Contra figures Oliver North and John Poindexter underscore their worries: Both were prosecuted successfully by independent counsel Lawrence Walsh, but their convictions were overturned because Congress had granted them immunity to compel them to testify in the congressional investigation of the Reagan administration's arms-for-hostages deals.