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.
ohhh. This is gonna got good.
By the way. I cant type.
I think ,but I may wrong, that the AP is writing this article, NYT just wrote a similar article, as a first step for liberals and their media whores to start their pullout from this deep sh*t that they have immersed themselves in. They know now that no law have been broken, even worse it was one of their own who started the leak and Karl Rove just heard it from some journalist.
From the author of the statute in question.
http://www.worldnetdaily.com/news/article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=45266
The reporters leaked to Rove!!!!
Karl Rove, President Bush's chief adviser, leaves Air Force One upon arrival from Indianapolis, Ind., at Andrews Air Force Base, Md., Thursday, July 14, 2005. Rove's allege involvement in a news leak that exposed a CIA officer's identity has made him a political liability for President Bush, who has not yet talked about Rove's future in the administration, or his actual role in the leak. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)
"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."
Rove wasn't involved in the leak. Reporters called him with the info!!!!
The withdraw has begun. The NYT has officially called off the dogs.
I bet it was Wilson himself that leaked it. What an idiot, didn't want to tell his wife it is an idiot, so he is playing dumb.
Another marriage ends in devoice.
Anyone knows about the mood right now at DUmmieLand?
BREAKING HARD!!!!!
MSM jailed for Treason.
Sadly, no one here to report it.
The White House doesn't have to explain anything. It's the 'RATS, their toadies in the Liberal MSM and their K-Y boy, little Joey Wilson who made this crap up. If they want it explained to them, I suggest they start up a group therapy gig with some shrinks. Rush said something today that I've been feeling also. They put these charges out there trying to do a Martha Stewart Rope a Dope on them. They were hoping for a coverup or miss-step in hopes of nailing the administration on something else. They knew these charges against Rove weren't going to fly. They were just hoping. More proof that DemocRATS are losers. Big losers.
Hell, he has been through 2 already. He'll get over it.
and the circumstances on how her husband traveled to Africa to check bogus claims of alleged nuclear material sales to Iraq.??
Something smells.
"The person, who works in the legal profession and spoke only on condition of anonymity....."
How about a subpoena to find the source of this leak? OK, I really would just like to see another journalist thrown in jail. And getting a lawyer fired too would be a bonus.
This thread should be in breaking news.
So somebody has leaked about the leak?
Man, like is grand, ain't it?
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.