Psychic "Criswell" (L), looks on as Joseph Wilson, husband of a CIA agent at the center of a leak controversy, describes his recent abduction by aliens whom, he claims, "outed my wife, if that's what you want to call it." (AFP/Paul J. Richards)
Posted on 07/14/2005 9:13:31 PM PDT by HAL9000
WASHINGTON (AP) -- Presidential confidant Karl Rove testified to a grand jury that he learned the identity of a CIA operative originally from journalists, then informally discussed the information with a Time magazine reporter days before the story broke, according to a person briefed on the testimony.The person, who works in the legal profession and spoke only on condition of anonymity because of the secrecy of grand jury proceedings, told The Associated Press that Rove testified last year that he remembers specifically being told by columnist Robert Novak that Valerie Plame, the wife of a harsh Iraq war critic, worked for the CIA.
Rove testified that Novak originally called him the Tuesday before Plame's identity was revealed in July 2003 to discuss another story. The conversation eventually turned to former Ambassador Joseph Wilson, who was strongly criticizing the Bush administration's Iraq war policy and the intelligence it used to justify the war, the source said.
The person said Rove testified that Novak told him he had learned and planned to report in a weekend column that Wilson's wife, Plame, had worked for the CIA, and the circumstances on how her husband traveled to Africa to check bogus claims of alleged nuclear material sales to Iraq.
Novak's column, citing two Bush administration officials, appeared six days later, touching off a political firestorm and leading to a federal criminal investigation into who leaked Plame's undercover identity. That probe has ensnared presidential aides and reporters in a two-year legal battle.
Rove told the grand jury that by the time Novak had called him, he believes he had similar information about Wilson's wife from another reporter but had no recollection of which reporter had told him about it first, the source said.
When Novak inquired about Wilson's wife working for the CIA, Rove indicated he had heard something like that, according to the source's recounting of the grand jury testimony.
Rove told the grand jury that four days later, he had a phone conversation with Time magazine reporter Matt Cooper and _ in an effort to discredit some of Wilson's allegations _ told Cooper that Wilson's wife worked for the CIA, though he never used her name.
An e-mail Cooper recently provided the grand jury shows Cooper reported to his magazine bosses that Rove had described Wilson's wife in a confidential conversation as someone who "apparently works" at the CIA.
Robert Luskin, Rove's attorney, said Thursday his client truthfully testified to the grand jury and expected to be exonerated.
"Karl provided all pertinent information to prosecutors a long time ago," Luskin said. "And prosecutors confirmed when he testified most recently in October 2004 that he is not a target of the investigation."
Rove's conversation with Cooper took place five days after Wilson suggested in a New York Times opinion piece that some of the intelligence related to Iraq's nuclear weapons program was twisted to exaggerate the Iraqi threat. Novak's column identifying Wilson's wife as a CIA employee and Cooper's magazine piece came out a few days later.
Pressed to explain its statements of two years ago that Rove wasn't involved in the leak, the White House refused to do so this week.
"If I were to get into discussing this, I would be getting into discussing an investigation that continues and could be prejudging the outcome of the investigation," McClellan said.
You're welcome. We sure need it after what we've been through the last couple of days. I've got a LOT of faith in this administration, but sometimes it's like riding a cyclone.
That is probably right Judith Miller is a WMD expert. They travel in very restricted circles. Or the wife may have told Judy since that was the area she was in at CIA after her "secret agent" days.
Wonder if those days were spent as a call girl gathering info from Johns with acess to interesting information?
Not necessarily. Could be just a difference of recall. A bit of common knowledge gets brought up and people can differ as to how and when it entered the conversation. Rove's reported comment sounds as though it is common knowledge of at least suspected.
Lucy sets up yet another football for Charlie Brown.
Psychic "Criswell" (L), looks on as Joseph Wilson, husband of a CIA agent at the center of a leak controversy, describes his recent abduction by aliens whom, he claims, "outed my wife, if that's what you want to call it." (AFP/Paul J. Richards)
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And one of the few senators who voted against the law they are now trying to use to hang Rove!
Anyway, no doubt she and Wilson had more than one discussion over this subject, he was already hacking against the Bush Administration with the upcoming election and all... she mysteriously quit appearing on all the cable news shows..... and then this Plame affair started.
I really believe she found out from Wilson -- or knew Wilson -- who his wife is/was and probably told Novak (since they often appeared on the same network -- CNN).. Novak called Rove and told Rove who already knew when he spoke to Cooper...
This is my theory at least.
This kind of this MUST NOT be tolerated. I want indictments! I'm *sick* of SECRET grand jury proceedings being front page news.
The idea someone can violate the law, defecate on our judicial processes and be shielded by journalism is totally beyond the pale!
Starting to look like Tony Snow has this figured correctly.
It's smelling something like that isn't it? Since Rove has freed the reporters from confidentiality for himself, his *cannot* be this woman's source. Thus she's protecting someone else entirely. Very curious this is.
That law only applies to prosecutors, grand jurors, etc. - but not to witnesses or their attorneys. It's perfectly legal for Karl Rove and his legal team to disclose his testimony.
Send her to GITMO and squeeze the truth out of her by meeting her every need. Club GITMO her till it feels good. She can't stay in jail forever, soon enough she is going to crack. Isn't her source the same as Cooper's?
Wow, they are mixing a BIG batch of kool-aid today!
...and the President in his own kind and generous way said, "sure why not", if you want to hang yourself why should I try to stop you. Chuck Schumer is a sorry excuse for someone who swore a solemn oath to protect the Constitution of the United States of America. His colors are well known from his days as a basher of the second amendment, using the age old trick of exercising a right enumerated in the Constitution, in an attempt to destroy another right enumerated in the Constitution.
There is a severe penalty for such action, and sooner or later chuck is going to pay, as will all of the idiots in the Senate, who are part of the problem not the solution. Still convinced that the US Senate is the most dangerous body of men and women on the face of the earth, even with the terrorist threat of today. These men have the ability to tear the country apart, and they are doing a masterful job.
May they all receive their just reward while enjoying a swift and generous retirement at public expense, seems like everything they do is at public expense.
Wishing someday for statesmen not senators. Surely there have to be a few in the 100? Certainly a few since the Clinton debacle. I'll name John Thune, because anyone who came after the non impeachment trial of WJC are at least untainted by that judicial event. I'm not cutting that body of fools any slack whatever. We deserve better.
Is it me, or has Rove gained wieght recently?
The DoJ is going to dig as deep as they have to and come down heavy on the participants of this fiasco...
This makes 'Rathergate' seem like a high-school prank in comparison.
And who again called for Rove's "resignation"??
ROUND THE CONSPIRATORS UP AND HANG 'EM HIGH.
Don't blame me!
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