From Rep. Waxman’s office (PDF):
Today, news reports revealed that Karl Rove, the White House Deputy Chief of Staff and the President s top political advisor, confirmed the identity of covert CIA official Valerie Plame Wilson with Robert Novak on July 8, 2003, six days before Mr. Novak published the information in a nationally syndicated column. These new disclosures have obvious relevance to the criminal investigation of Patrick Fitzgerald, the Special Counsel who is investigating whether Mr. Rove violated a criminal statute by revealing Ms. Wilson’s identity as a covert CIA official.
Independent of the relevance these new disclosures have to Mr. Fitzgerald s investigation, they also have significant implications for: (1) whether Mr. Rove violated his obligations under his “Classified Information Nondisclosure Agreement” and (2) whether the White House violated its obligations under Executive Order 12958. Under the nondisclosure agreement and the executive order, Mr. Rove would be subject to the loss of his security clearance or dismissal even for “negligently” disclosing Ms. Wilson s identity.
From the outset, Novak has claimed that he didn’t dig out her identity, it was “given” to him.
Does that leave open the possibility that he got the info elsewhere and confirmed it with Rove? Of course. Would that absolve Rove of blame? Not by a long shot.
Except that Rove didn’t disclose her identity, Novak did.
Them Goalpoasts be Movin!!!
When I took a journalism class last year, one of the topics was interview techniques and tactics, especially with subjects who don’t trust you. I remember one of the techniques for squeezing information was to state a rumor as fact and see how the subject responds.
Another tip was that when the subject spills info he’s not supposed to, no matter how juicy the revelation, act like it’s old news.
just sayin’. This thing’s more twisted than a snake on acid. If Rove didn’t spill it to Novak, that doesn’t mean he didn’t spill it to other journalists (Cooper). Remember, just because it’s out there as a rumor doesn’t mean you’re allowed to reveal it. Also, someone had to spill it to Novak, and I’m still waiting on that. The rumor mill says it’s someone in State or the CIA.
I quake with fear that Dugger is about to launch forth with an astounding argument against the actual substance of OW’s post; now that he’s truly and soundly smacked down…
…the headline.
Have at it, then.
“ROVE BROKE THE LAW”
Well, no need for a special prosecutor then, is there? Since Oliver has already judged Rove guilty, I guess the smart thing to do is move to the sentencing stage. Do you get pronounce sentence too?
BTW, it would be interesting to know about your secret sources of information - the ones that allow you to pronounce guilt, so easily. Not that I doubt, mind you, for you evidently are one of the few people who also knows where OBL is (Pakistan!), putting our military and intelligence services to shame.
Dugger, Transcendentalist. What a Very Singular Deep Young Man this Deep Young Man Must Be
Don’t forget Miller. There is a reason why she isn’t cooperating, and I don’t think it is to protect Rove. She is either protecting herself and there is no source, or she is protecting an as-yet-unseen source.
Hedley suggests an important point.
Many commenters refer to Miller “protecting her source.” That’s not quite right. She refuses to testify. Whether she’s protecting a source is a matter for speculation.
If the secret leaker to Novak was Cheney, it will never be made public. Deny, deny, deny, deny…….
They are so good at hiding the truth. Remember they represent family values. The Bush family values include high oil prices, tax cuts for multi-millionaires, and sending other people’s family members to Iraq to be picked off by suicide bombers. Bring back the draft and draft the people who voted for Bush. The people who think Bush is doing such a great job in Iraq should quit their jobs and go join the Army and volunteer for duty in Iraq.
Not much is going right for BushCo these days. It sucks when your biggest success is just keeping team members out of jail.
For those who can think for themselves, here are a couple good blogs that will help put things in proper perspective.
This, from Crooks and Liars (and there is a lot more there worth reading!)
Lawrence O’Donnell refutes another GOP Talking point on Valeri Plame
And this, from The Light Of Reason
JOSEPH MACGUFFIN WILSON AND REMEMBERING THE BIG PICTURE
Basically, you have to remember two things:
1. The CIA requested a Grand Jury because they believed a crime had been committed. You don’t get a Grand Jury otherwise. It was the Bush (Republican) Administration that convened the Grand Jury. So, blaming the Democrats (or anyone else) for a *witch hunt* is obviously insane.
2. Joseph Wilson is *NOT* the target, or the reason for the investigation! (No matter how much the right would like everyone to think he is) His wife, Valerie Wilson-Plame is! And if she were NOT a valid CIA under-cover operative at the time, the Grand Jury would never have been convened!
The Republicans may now regret appointing a Grand Jury, and are now trying to discredit the investigation, but they have NOBODY to blame but their own stupidity, arrogance and criminality. If they didn’t do anything wrong, none of this would be happening.
1. If Valerie Plame were not a valid CIA operative, there would be no Grand Jury.
2. If nobody in the Administration outed her, then the Administration would NOT be trying to confuse and discredit the investigation.
3. Since this Administration *IS* now trying to discredit and confuse the investigation so strongly, they must be guilty. Otherwise, there would be no reason for them to do so, if they had nothing to hide.
Cheers.