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Dean Says Cheney May Have Broken the Law
AP ^ | 2/13/6 | TONI LOCY

Posted on 02/13/2006 10:28:23 AM PST by SmithL

WASHINGTON -- Democratic Party Chairman Howard Dean said Monday that Vice President Cheney should resign if he ordered a top aide to leak classified information to the media to defend the invasion of Iraq.

On CNN's "American Morning" program, Dean repeated calls he first made Sunday, saying Cheney may have broken the law if he ordered his former chief of staff, I. Lewis "Scooter" Libby, to share secret information with reporters in 2003.

"If Vice President Cheney has, in fact, ordered the leaking of political information — of intelligence information, that means he has to step aside," Dean said on CNN. "We don't know if it's true, but he has been accused of it. If it's true, he has to step aside."

On Sunday, Democratic and Republican senators said Special Counsel Patrick Fitzgerald should investigate Cheney and others in the CIA leak probe if they authorized Libby to give secret information to reporters.

Sen. Jack Reed, D-R.I., called the leak of intelligence information "inappropriate" if it is true, and said, "I think he (Fitzgerald) has to look closely at their behavior."

Sen. George Allen, R-Va., said a full investigation is necessary. "I don't think anybody should be releasing classified information, period, whether in the Congress, executive branch or some underling in some bureaucracy," said Allen, who appeared with Reed on "Fox News Sunday."

According to published reports last week, Libby told a federal grand jury that he disclosed in July 2003 the contents of a classified National Intelligence Estimate as part of the Bush administration's defense of intelligence used to justify invading Iraq.

Fitzgerald said in the documents it was his understanding that "Mr. Libby testified that he was authorized to disclose information about the NIE to the press by his superiors."

(Excerpt) Read more at sfgate.com ...


TOPICS: Constitution/Conservatism; Culture/Society; Government; News/Current Events; War on Terror
KEYWORDS: chairmandean; cheney; cialeak; dean; quailgate
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To: SmithL
Dean Says Cheney May Have Broken the Law---

What........ no license in Texas?

21 posted on 02/13/2006 10:50:23 AM PST by beyond the sea (Let's give them something to talk about............. howaboutlovelovelove?)
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To: SmithL
Fitzgerald should investigate Cheney and others in the CIA leak probe if they authorized Libby to give secret information to reporters.

It's not yet been announced by Fitzgerald - though memorably evaded by Fitzgerald - whether any intelligence violation was committed by anyone.

"Mr. Libby testified that he was authorized to disclose information about the NIE to the press by his superiors."

Fun fact: all classification (and declassification) authority is derived from the President Of United States.

EXECUTIVE ORDER 12958

CLASSIFIED NATIONAL SECURITY INFORMATION

Sec. 1.4. Classification Authority. (a) The authority to classify information originally may be exercised only by:

(1) the President;

(2) agency heads and officials designated by the President in the Federal Register; or

(3) United States Government officials delegated this authority pursuant to paragraph (c), below.

22 posted on 02/13/2006 11:00:23 AM PST by angkor
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To: Aurric dihydrogen oxide
Yes, I'd say that someone working with the CIA being outed is reason to resign.

Ummm... No.

Plame wasn't "covert" under the definition of the statute, as far as I have been able to tell. Further, the motivation for the revelation has to be established as deliberately harming the nation.

Having someone who works at the CIA actively undermining an elected administration is a relevant fact - especially given the subterfuges that are coming to light on the Plame/Wilson side of the equation. If Cheney did break the law, there should be punishment. But to presume guilt in the face of outrageous lies from the other side is ludicrous.

23 posted on 02/13/2006 11:00:42 AM PST by MortMan (Trains stop at train stations. On my desk is a workstation...)
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To: SmithL

Didn't this ALL get covered already with the Merry Fitzmas that never came?

The only person indicted in Fitzgerald's investigation was Scooter Libby.

END OF STORY!

If Cheney broke the law, he would have been indicted. He wasn't.

Dean, STFU!


24 posted on 02/13/2006 11:22:20 AM PST by Eagle of Liberty (Wrong is wrong even if everybody is doing it; Right is right even if no one does it.)
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To: Aurric dihydrogen oxide

See post #24. Fitzmas was last year. It already came and went.


25 posted on 02/13/2006 11:26:14 AM PST by Eagle of Liberty (Wrong is wrong even if everybody is doing it; Right is right even if no one does it.)
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To: SmithL

Cheney should resign and immediately frog marched to jail!

Hey, anyone listening? down here! it's me Howard Dean!

Hey MSM are you listening? hello!

I'm the big cheese now, I matter! HELLO!!!
26 posted on 02/13/2006 11:30:59 AM PST by TheForceOfOne
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To: SmithL
"We don't know if it's true, but he has been accused of it......

That's all the liberal media needs for a hangin'.

27 posted on 02/13/2006 11:49:20 AM PST by Just Lori (If you don't stand for something, you'll fall for anything.)
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To: Jersey Republican Biker Chick
Know why VP Cheney shot that Lawyer while Quail hunting in Texas?

Practise round. He was getting ready of his hunting trip with Howard Dean this weekend.

28 posted on 02/13/2006 11:49:22 AM PST by MNJohnnie (Conservatives...lack sufficient cynicism to properly assess the nature of their liberal opponents)
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To: HawaiianGecko
Howard Dean is the poster child for the "Don't perform brain surgery on yourself" movement.
29 posted on 02/13/2006 12:16:31 PM PST by Cheburashka
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To: MNJohnnie

I like the way you think!!


30 posted on 02/13/2006 12:22:18 PM PST by Jersey Republican Biker Chick (Cleverly disguised as a responsible adult.)
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To: MortMan
Dear Members of the Fevered Left,

Perhaps Phlame's status was classified...If so,
Perhaps she was working covert in the last 5 years...If so,
Perhaps Cheney and Libby knew that...if so,
Perhaps Cheney suggested Libby leak....if so,
Perhaps that was taken as Authorization...if so,
Perhaps Cheney did something wrong...if so,
Perhaps it was a serious crime...if so,

WE MAY GET CHENEY!!!!

P.S. We are having a few MINOR problems with proving each of these links beyond a reasonable doubt; among them: we have no specific evidence Ms. Phlame was a classified employee; we have no evidence she worked overseas in that status as a covert employee in the last five years; we know that Libby has not, himself, been charged with any crime related to the leaking, the same crimes we hope Cheney committed; Libby may be referring to someone else than Cheney; Libby may not have been authorized by "a suggestion"...AND besides, all the rumors about Libby's statement may be wrong (as they have so many times before).

DO NOT LET REALITY DAMPEN YOUR HOPES, you know our creeds of the fevered left: "Reality is what we want it to be in our our lurid imaginings and nightmares" and "Perception's in our lurid imaginings and nightmares are Reality".

Besides, we may get a liberal judge who agrees.
31 posted on 02/13/2006 12:28:11 PM PST by Max_Parrish
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To: SmithL

Release your gubenatorial records NOW, Dr. Dean!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

WHAT ARE YOU HIDING?


32 posted on 02/13/2006 1:12:53 PM PST by jw777
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To: SmithL

...whereas Howard Dean has been accused of setting heavily inhabited slum tenements afire at 3am, whilst listening to the techno strains of Moby and snacking lightly on sauteed PBA fetuses.

of course, we don't *know* that this is true, but I suspect it is likelier to be true than anything Dean says about anything.


33 posted on 02/13/2006 3:49:49 PM PST by King Prout (many accuse me of being overly literal... this would not be a problem if many were not under-precise)
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To: TheForceOfOne

ROTFLOL!

Love the hamster Dean or whatever it is.

And FROG MARCHED! LOL!


34 posted on 02/13/2006 6:59:59 PM PST by little jeremiah
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To: SmithL
He did forget the newly required $7 stamp which Cheney remedied. That would be about it.
35 posted on 02/13/2006 7:00:56 PM PST by A CA Guy (God Bless America, God bless and keep safe our fighting men and women.)
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To: little jeremiah

LOL

Anything in the rodent family is a suitable stand in for Dr. Scream.


36 posted on 02/13/2006 7:08:46 PM PST by TheForceOfOne
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To: SmithL
Y-A-W-N!!!
37 posted on 02/13/2006 7:09:35 PM PST by Fruitbat
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To: TheForceOfOne

Dr. Scream.

The man needs to be tied up.


38 posted on 02/13/2006 7:09:41 PM PST by little jeremiah
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To: SmithL

bttt


39 posted on 02/13/2006 7:10:05 PM PST by nopardons
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To: little jeremiah

I bet he'd look pretty good in an I-love-me jacket,


40 posted on 02/14/2006 7:32:20 AM PST by SmithL (Sarchasm: The gulf between the author of sarcastic wit and the person who doesn't get it.)
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