Josh Gerstein of The New York Sun scores a big scoop regarding the Plame investigation.

The federal prosecutor investigating the alleged involvement of White House officials in the leak of a CIA operative's identity spent most of the lunch hour today meeting with the chief judge of the federal district court in the nation's capital, Judge Thomas Hogan.

As reporters massed outside an elevator lobby leading to the grand jury rooms, the special prosecutor, Patrick Fitzgerald, apparently slipped out a back exit to conduct the noontime meeting with Judge Hogan.

Editor & Publisher's Greg Mitchell has more on the meaning of the story.

CNN reports that prosecutor Patrick Fitzgerald met with the judge handling the case for 45 minutes today, after seemingly exiting the area. Speculaton: The two either discussed how to handle the pendlng indictments and/or Fitzgerald formally requested that another grand jury be put in motion when this one expires on Friday.

And for what it's worth, Richard Sale, a former UPI reporter (though it's unclear if this is pre- or post-Moon ownership of the news service), pipes in with this item.

An hour ago I was contacted by a U.S. government official close to the Fitzgerald case. This person told me that there WILL be indictments announced later this afternoon, and the Special Prosecutor will hold a press conference tomorrow.

More to come on the story as it breaks...