Cooper Details Rove Conversations About Plame

Fox News ^ | 7/13/05

[areafiftyone]

WASHINGTON — Journalist Matt Cooper (search) on Wednesday told reporters he would give them details of his grand jury testimony detailing a conversations with White House aide Karl Rove (search) about a CIA operative — in a future issue of Time magazine.

"I'm not going to scoop myself today," Cooper, a White House correspondent for the news weekly, said outside the U.S. District Court Wednesday afternoon.

Cooper spoke after a two-and-a-half hour appearance before the grand jury investigating the leak of CIA officer Valerie Plame's (search) identity. He was one of several journalists to whom Plame's identity was leaked following the publication of an editorial written by her husband, former ambassador Joseph Wilson (search), in which Wilson criticized the Bush administration.

One of those journalists, Judith Miller (search) of The New York Times, is in jail for her refusal to name the person who revealed Plame's identity to her. Last week, Cooper escaped a similar citation for contempt of court when he told the judge his source had waived confidentiality, freeing him to testify before the grand jury.

"Today I testified and agreed to testify solely because of a waiver I received from my source," Cooper said outside the courthouse. "Once a journalist makes a commitment of confidentiality to a source, only the source can end that commitment."

The grand jury is tasked with finding out if whoever leaked her identity to the press two years ago did so with the intent of burning her cover, possibly in retaliation for Wilson's criticisms of the administration's claims that Iraq's nuclear program.

[Fedora]

I've been attributing Miller's behavior to extortion rather than courage. She's compromised sources before, hasn't she?--think I remember another thread where we were just discussing that. That would seem to rule out principle as her motivation for protecting her source here.

If Cooper's grand jury testimony is supposed to be sealed, it seems like he can say anything he wants about it and no one else can confirm whether it's true or not.

[Primetimedonna]

Thanks for clearing up the nine year reference. So, if she was still working undercover in "private industry" type jobs, she would still technically be undercover.

[Primetimedonna]

Would Fitzgerald be trying to get a perjury charge against Rove or someone else?

Thanks for the clarifications.

[Patriot from Philly]

I don't know. Cooper seemed smug to me. Hope this turns out OK.

[Dems_R_Losers]

Didn't Cooper stab Rove in the back? Who released the e-mail to Newsweak?

AHA!

Finally someone asks the right question, the one NOBODY in the MSM wants to touch. How did Newsweek get this email??? And why??? These are the two most competitive magazines on the planet! WHY would anyone at Time "leak" something this explosive to Newsweek???

[Cboldt]

... if she was still working undercover in "private industry" type jobs, she would still technically be undercover.

As a practical matter, I think that scenario is an impossibility. Once outed as a spy, the person is no longer suitable for spy duty, regardless of any supposed cover story.

Plus, it's well assumed that nobody retires from the CIA, ever.

[Cboldt]

Miller isn't in jail because the Times wanted to protect Rove.

By William E. Jackson, Jr.
Published: April 07, 2005 3:00 PM ET

It is my contention, based on conversatons with legal sources, that she basically was a "carrier," around Washington, of the rumor about Plame's real identity, but not a reporter actively covering a story. She was, in this view, both a source for, and a witness to, disclosure by sources of Plame's identity.

Plame Game Enters Bottom of 9th Inning

See also What was Judith Miller Up To?

I recently (as in, in the last hour or so) read a very unflattering piece about Miller in Editor and Publisher, that paints Miller as "unstable" during her talking tour.

[cyncooper]

Shermy, did you see this in the article? Senate hearing next week. I'm sure all involved will put on quite a show, most likely to the detriment of transparency, truth and real reporting.

Cooper also said he would be testifying next week before a Senate committee on a federal shield law for reporters, a measure he supports.

[Darkwolf377]

I can't go that far with someone who tipped off potential terrorist fundraisers, allowing them to shred documents beofre investigators could get to them.

[pbear8]

I thought what was said in a grand jury stays in a grand jury?

You may say whatever you want about your own Grand Jury testimony, but no one else may.

You're thinking Vegas =)

[RetiredArmy]

Reply to #17: "What? Me Worry??" LOL

[Texas Songwriter]

The NEW YORK TIMES demanded Novak give up his sources.

Novak refused.

THE NEW YORK TIMES demands a special prosecutor.

Now, THE NEW YORK TIMES demands Ms.Miller refuse to give up her source.

WHY IS NOT THE MAIN STREAM MEDIA NOT ASKING MS.MILLER WHY,WHY,WHY SHE WILL NOT NAME HER SOURCE.

The question of who is interesting. The question of why is more interesting.

[Kay]

A question for you, if you know. Remember there is an ongoing Independent Council investigation from the Clinton years. It is due to be released this summer. Democrats tried to defund it's release a few months ago but bloggers discovered it and Republicans were able to change the senate bill at the last minute.

Just wondering, but what if all of this business about Rove is overshadowing the release of that IC report? Unfortunately, I can't remember the name of that Independent Council. Can you?

[Mike Darancette]

I get it now, but he could lie about his testimony and no one could say different.

[Monti Cello]

The entire 'Plame affair' is so stupid on its face, especially considering the woman was not undercover for a decade. It's a trumped-up nothing.

If this lame attempt at scandal actually splashes back on Dem/media shoes, it will add to the entertainment factor if nothing else.

So far this whole case is reading like a lame novel. Let's hope there's a twist at the end and just desserts are served.

Rove isn't a svengali, but he is good at political jujitsu and I think any jujitsu artist would love to have an opponent as drunk, evil and overreaching as the Democrats.

[Cboldt]

Now, THE NEW YORK TIMES demands Ms.Miller refuse to give up her source.

I'm not sure that's true. She may be tight-lipped on her own, without regard to the effect this has on the NYT.

This is a link to the unflattering piece I mentioned a couple of posts up. ...

Judith Miller Goes With What She's Got

It has a few interesting statements ...

... on March 23, a friend-of-the-court brief was submitted by 36 news organizations arguing that there is substantial evidence "to doubt that a crime has been committed" by the leaker. ...

What is Miller's public campaign - waged all across the country - all about, other than a transparent attempt to rehabilitate her damaged reputation as a journalist?...

The irony is that, rather than protecting her newspaper, she is imperiling it by rejecting out of hand the idea of some sort of negotiated compromise with the prosecutor. A veteran Times reporter critically reflected on her role in the Plame case: Around the water cooler of the Washington bureau, there is a strong feeling that "for the second time in two years, she will have brought disgrace to The Times."

[Shermy]

I missed that. What a joke. The judges said even if that were the law, he wouldn't be protected - for protecting a crime.

[Wild Irish Rogue]

" Something about the e-mail that Cooper sent his bureau chief makes me wonder if Rove even mentioned that Wilson's wife worked for the CIA.
Cooper wrote that Rove said it was wilson's wife, who apparently works at the agency on wmd [weapons of mass destruction] issues who authorized the trip."

What I wonder is, did Rove say "wilson's wife, who apparently works at the agency on wmd . . .", or did Rove only say "wilson's wife", and Cooper, who already knew where she worked, himself added the explanation of where she worked?"

That is one scenario the media ignores. Another is that Mr Mandy Grunwald already knew Valerie Plame's name and job, but, what was new info- was that she was the one who recommended Wilson for the mission.
The Cooper/Grunwalds and the Clintons are long time buddies. The Wilsons attended many Clinton functions- I find it inconceivable that Cooper didn't already know who Plame was and what she did, before he spoke to Rove.
I only hope Rove's notes are more detailed than Cooper's.
Byron York said today that Rove gave Cooper a waiver 18 months ago-the text of which was written by the Special Prosecutor, Peter Fitzgerald.
Cooper's drama queen performance last week, claiming that he had just that morning gotten a last minute waiver, was a lie.
The only thing that happened that morning was that Cooper's lawyers called Rove's lawyer( and not vice versa as Cooper claimed ) and asked for a reiteration of the waiver.
Cooper's story doesn't pass the smell test on many levels.

[Primetimedonna]

Thanks again...can't tell you how much I appreciate all of your clarifications!!

[Cboldt]

What I wonder is, did Rove say "wilson's wife, who apparently works at the agency on wmd . . .", or did Rove only say "wilson's wife", and Cooper, who already knew where she worked, himself added the explanation of where she worked?

That question has to be asked, because the e-mail is ambiguous as to representing the way communications flowed.