WASHINGTON, DC (KNX) -- The New York Times is reporting that Special Prosecutor Patrick Fitzgerald is expected to decide within the next two to three weeks whether or not to indict President Bush's chief advisor, Karl Rove, for perjury in the scandal over the outing of a CIA agent.
MSNBC is reporting that Fitzgerald has contacted Rove's attorney and informed him that there will be no indictment within the next ten days.
Rove made his fifth grand jury appearance earlier this week and, according to lawyers involved in the case, Fitzgerald now has all the information he needs to decided whether to indict the man they call "Bush's brain" or drop the case altogether.
Fitzgerald will reportedly weigh Rove's latest testimony, comparing it to his earlier statements to the grand jury as well as the testimony of others, including a sworn statement that Rove's lawyer gave to the prosecutor earlier this year.
Rove has reportedly known for over a month that he was going to be called before the grand jury again and has known since last fall that he would have to answer more questioning by Fitzgerald.
Last week, Rove was relieved of his policy duties within the White House power structure, but retained as a political advisor to the president. White House staffers say the move was part of an overall shake up of the West Wing and had nothing to do with Rove's uncertain legal situation.
Fitzgerald will have to decide whether or not Rove was telling the truth in 2004 testimony about his role in leaking information about the identity of CIA operative Valerie Plame.
Critics accuse the White House of outing Plame as retribution for an op-ed piece her husband, former ambassador Joseph Wilson, wrote exposing the fact that the stories of Niger selling yellowcake uranium to Saddam Hussein were false.
Rove spokesman Mark Corallo said the long-time presidential confidant would be cleared. "We're confident at the end of this that Mr. Fitzgerald is going to find that Karl has been totally truthful and not only has done nothing wrong but has done everything right," Mr. Corallo said.
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