The CIA Agent Flap: FBI Asks for Reporters to Talk

TIME ^ | Jan. 02, 2004 | JOHN F. DICKERSON AND VIVECA NOVAK

[cyncooper]

Investigators are pressing Administration officials to let journalists tell whatever they know about the leak of a CIA agent's identity

FBI investigators looking into the criminal leak of a CIA agent’s identity have asked Bush Administration officials including senior political adviser Karl Rove to release reporters from any confidentiality agreements regarding conversations about the agent. If signed, the single-page requests made over the last week would give investigators new ammunition for questioning reporters who have so far, according to those familiar with the case, not disclosed the names of administration officials who divulged that Valerie Plame, wife of former ambassador Joe Wilson, worked for the CIA.

While irregular, the move is not unprecedented. Various officials were told from the start that such a request might be made. Along with the recusal this week of Attorney General John Ashcroft, this suggests that investigators are ready to enter the next stage of the probe. U.S. Attorney Patrick Fitzgerald has been named special prosecutor to oversee the inquiry. The FBI has already extensively re-interviewed some White House officials using emails and phone logs from their search to press for the identity of the leaker. “They are taking this very seriously,” says one close to the case.

Lucy Dalglish, executive director of the Reporters' Committee for Freedom of the Press, says asking people who are in the universe of possible suspects to sign such a document is unusual, though not unheard of. "From the prosecutors' point of view, it is likely a precursor to subpoenaing journalists to testify before a grand jury, and then asking a judge to hold them in contempt if they refuse to do so," she noted.

It's plain that White House officials are under some pressure to sign the documents. "They can't refuse," said one individual who's familiar with the case. "The worst thing to be accused of here is not cooperating with the investigation." But reporters are not likely to feel the same pressure. Journalists rarely divulge the identities of confidential sources even when threatened with contempt citations so the releases may make little difference. Still, in a post-9/11 world, a case involving the disclosure of a covert agent's identity could be taken very seriously by a judge, who would have the power to jail a member of the press for refusing to cooperate with a grand jury.

For an administration that at times holds a very dim view of the press, the reputation of the Bush White House and the future of some of its officials may hang on the profession’s ethical standards.

[cyncooper]

I just saw Viveca Novak on CNN by chance and heard her discussing this with Cooper Anderson. She referred quite breathlessly to what a serious crime this is. Note: Karl Rove's picture is prominently featured on Time's website headlining this story and Anderson asked Novak if it's known if Rove signed the form yet, implying that Rove is the one.

Good try CNN and TIME. This will be yet another dry hole in your neverending effort to paint the Bush administration with the scandal brush.

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[EllaMinnow]

Bump.

[prairiebreeze]

For an administration that at times holds a very dim view of the press, the reputation of the Bush White House and the future of some of its officials may hang on the profession’s ethical standards.

LOL! Bush's administration is doomed then! Pfft! This means nothing in the end, I believe. The administration will sign the releases and the journalists still do not have to divulge sources. Unless the judge is a Dim with a huge grudge, I don't see Novak going to jail either.

Prairie

[arasina]

For an administration that at times holds a very dim view of the press, the reputation of the Bush White House and the future of some of its officials may hang on the profession’s ethical standards.

That sounds almost like a threat.

Why is it okay for the MEDIA/PRESS to be secretive and have their notes protected above and beyond "regular people," but it's not okay for the PRESIDENT to have certain information that is seen only by those determined to have a "need to know"?

[EllaMinnow]

Did you see this?

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1050418/posts

[cyncooper]

No! I had not seen that. I clicked your link and saw the headline and had to laugh. THIS I can't wait to read. Back soon...

(I wish this investigation would net none other than the Wilsons themselves. How satisfying that would be.)

[prairiebreeze]

Thanks for that link!

Prairie

[spoonfork2000]

If the liberal press was not willing to move on the Memogate scangdal that Sean Hannity broke, they should stop being so hypocritical over this issue.

[patriciamary]

I wouldn't give these people anything. The Bush adminstration should sign nothing.

[Zack Nguyen]

This is a serious matter. It does make it a little more difficult to feel sorry for the CIA operative and her husband when they do a photo shoot for Vanity Fair, nevertheless, revealing the names of clandestine and covert operators can get people killed, not to mention the loss for our national security.

[Zack Nguyen]

For an administration that at times holds a very dim view of the press, the reputation of the Bush White House and the future of some of its officials may hang on the profession’s ethical standards.

I'm sure the Time writer is delighted that someone in the Bush Administration (if that is indeed where the leak came from) is now at the mercy of the media.

[Howlin]

This "agreement" will not hold water; the reporter-source privilege lies with the REPORTER, not the source.

Even if everybody at the White House were to sign this thing -- which I cannot imagine why ANYBODY would sign away their confidentiality -- the reporter is the one who would have to decide to "give up" the source.

It's not going to happen.

[Howlin]

Read the link in #6 and then come back and tell me about national security.

Everybody in D.C. knew who she was -- for YEARS.

[cyncooper]

That's why I want to know who the democrat is who told Cliff May about Wilson's wife. Before the Novak article had even appeared in print.

The problem here seems to be the assumption of some that it was the WH who leaked in effort to harm the Wilsons, when all credible accounts to date indicate the information was a) not a secret, and b) offered up to explain the otherwise unexplainable reason Joseph Wilson, of all people, was sent by the CIA to Niger.

Also, the only wrongdoing to date appears to be by a small group within the CIA who were trying to undermine the U.S. War on Terror.

Yes, this is a very serious matter.

[cyncooper]

I say they should all sign. They aren't the leakers anyway.

The reporters will still play coy and pretend like they know someone in the administration was the leaker when they good and well it was not. But they can claim their "reporter confidentiality" ethic and get to play the game from both sides.

[cyncooper]

Heavens! They are all panting at the prospect of bringing down this administration. They were even invoking the word "impeachment", as ludicrous as that is regarding this story, a few months ago.

They'll disregard anything that illustrates the deviancy of dems for as long as they can get away with it.

[jackbill]

Hey, FBI. Up yours.

Signed:

A senior administration official.

[11th Earl of Mar]

If this was an issue that hurt Democrats, the media would be calling the FBI a bunch of NAZIs for asking them to reveal their sourses.