Posted on 11/03/2005 5:46:38 PM PST by crosslink
Thursday, Nov. 3, 2005 10:17 a.m. EST Questions Raised about Tim Russert's Story
NBC Washington bureau chief Tim Russert told Leakgate probers that he had no idea Joe Wilson's wife Valerie Plame was a CIA employee before her name surfaced in Robert Novak's fateful July 14, 2003 column, and that he was stunned upon learning that Lewis "Scooter" Libby claimed he got that information from him.
But an account by senior NBC correspondent Andrea Mitchell raises questions about whether Mr. Russert may have known about Plame's employment well before the Novak column.
On Oct. 3, 2003, Mitchell was a guest on CNBC's now-defunct "Capital Report," where she was asked by host Alan Murray:
"Do we have any idea how widely known it was in Washington that Joe Wilson's wife worked for the CIA?"
Mitchell replied: "It was widely known among those of us who cover the intelligence community and who were actively engaged in trying to track down who among the foreign service community was the envoy to Niger. So a number of us began to pick up on that." Mitchell's "widely known" characterization flatly contradicts assertions last Friday by Leakgate Special Counsel Patrick Fitzgerald, who repeatedly insisted that Plame's association with the CIA "was not widely known."
But perhaps more importantly, if Plame's work was an open secret in media circles [according to Mitchell], how is it that her boss, Mr. Russert, who - as NBC Washington bureau chief was presumably monitoring developments in "the intelligence community" as they related to the Wilson story - would have been oblivious to this same "widely known" information?
In fact, according to the text of Fitzgerald's indictment, Libby's version of events more closely matches Mitchell's on the subject of who knew about Plame's employment.
Fitzgerald said Libby claimed:
"During a conversation with Tim Russert of NBC News on July 10 or 11, 2003, Russert asked LIBBY if LIBBY was aware that Wilson’s wife worked for the CIA. LIBBY responded to Russert that he did not know that, and Russert replied that all
You can say that again.
I can't believe this case is centering around Libby's or Russert's faulty memory when the Wilsons' possible treason stands there like an elephant in the room.
this is the story I was talking about.
Wouldn't be the first time a member of the Liberal MSM got the meaning of what "IS" wrong now would it.
They have a special place in our society, we gave them special rights to perform their role. When they abuse that to under take a "coup de pen", then like anyone who tries to take away the public's rights and freedoms, they should see jail.
Up to this event, a lot of conservatives have mistaken Timmy as a fair and honest reporter.
He isn't fair nor honest!
1. Point out that Mitchell and others were tracking down Wilson before Wilson wrote his article since he was leaking before then, about the time he joined the John Kerry campaign.
2. The indictment implies otherwise but I have never seen anywhere where Russert denies he brought up "Wilson's wife" - he denied knowing her name.
As Rush has said numerous times, we need to have an in depth investigation of the Wilson's.
IMPEACH RUSSERT!
[...Maybe Tim is the one getting his facts confused...]
OK now I'm confused.
If a reporter misspeaks or "forgets", it's confusion.
If a conservative misspeaks or "forgets", it's perjury?
I would love the justice dept to start asking some questions about Wilson's role, actions and public comments.
So here we have a special prosecutor investigating who "outed" the wife a a journalist....
Much to the horror of the other journalists, the special prosecutor starts calling every Washington Press Corps reporter and columnist to find out who knew what when.
In other words, they are now faced with the prospect of every source in DC refusing to talk with any reporter for the foreseeable future.
The press is gonna close ranks on this one, and by the time they obfuscate and forget there won't be a court case.
Similar post from earlier today (as an fyi...)
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1514897/posts
Thanks
I searched but did not see it.
Obviously Russert should step aside from his prominent NBC news post and the airways until after the Libby case is heard. That would be the only way Libby could get a fair trial under the circumstances given Russert's role in his indictment.
Very odd, considering that Fitzy is going after the Daley machine pretty aggressively. He DID say that the investigation is not over.. more to come.
Simple, it would hurt the side if Tim knew about her supposed CIA work, therefore, he knew nothing don'tyaknow.
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