Indictments

Steve Clemons has just posted this news:

1. 1-5 indictments are being issued. The source feels that it will be towards the higher end.
2. The targets of indictment have already received their letters.
3. The indictments will be sealed indictments and "filed" tomorrow.
4. A press conference is being scheduled for Thursday.

What does a "sealed indictment" mean?  A helpful commenter at Steve Clemons' blog sends us to David Corn's blog for an answer:

"Two words we should think about: sealed indictments." That was said to me by a trustworthy Washington reporter who has been covering the Plame/CIA leak case. He wasn't making a prediction; he was raising a possibility. It could be that special prosecutor Patrick Fitzgerald might choose to file sealed indictments before the grand jury expires at the end of next week. That would mean that the names of the indicted would be unknown to the public--unless the information leaked. Why would Fitzgerald do this? Perhaps he has not finished investigating.

Frustrating as this is to all us kids waiting for Fitzmas, it makes great sense given the alleged extension of the investigation to Italy and perhaps far beyond that.  In fact, it makes me think Fitzmas could be a lot bigger when it finally arrives.