Read 'em and Weep

Via Atrios, the Washington Post reports that Fitzgerald is specifically authorized to investigate perjury and obstruction of justice:

Weeks after he took over the investigation 22 months ago into the unauthorized disclosure of a CIA operative's identity, special counsel Patrick J. Fitzgerald got authority from the Justice Department to expand his inquiry to include any criminal attempts to interfere with his probe, according to a letter posted Friday on Fitzgerald's new Web site.

Fitzgerald is nearing a decision on whether he will prosecute anyone when the federal grand jury term ends Friday. The letter specified that he could investigate and prosecute "perjury, obstruction of justice, destruction of evidence and intimidation of witnesses."

"Weeks after he took over the investigation." What happened in those first weeks that prompted him to seek this authority? Was he maybe running into some pushback? Some discrepancies in their stories?

That's speculation, of course...but as Peggy Noonan says, it would be irresponsible not to speculate.