Posted on 07/19/2005 9:45:45 AM PDT by Maceman
Dear Mr. President:
In June 2004, you said that you would fire anyone found to be involved in the disclosure of Valerie Wilson's identity as a covert CIA agent.1 Today, you significantly changed your position, stating that you would remove Karl Rove or other White House officials involved in the security breach only "if someone committed a crime."2
Your new standard is not consistent with your obligations to enforce Executive Order 12958, which governs the protection of national security secrets. The executive order states: "Officers and employees of the United States Government ... shall be subject to appropriate sanctions if they knowingly, willfully, or negligently ... disclose to unauthorized persons information properly classified."3 Under the executive order, the available sanctions include "reprimand, suspension without pay, removal, termination of classification authority, loss or denial of access to classified information, or other sanctions."4
Under the executive order, you may not wait until criminal intent and liability are proved by a prosecutor. Instead, you have an affirmative obligation to take "appropriate and prompt corrective action."5 And the standards of proof are much different. A criminal violation of the Intelligence Identities Protection Act, which Special Prosecutor Fitzgerald is investigating, requires a finding that Mr. Rove "intentionally disclose[d]" the identity of a covert agent.6 In contrast, the administrative sanctions under Executive Order 12958 can be imposed without a finding of intent. Under the express terms of the executive order, you are required to impose administrative sanctions – such as removal of office or termination of security clearance – if Mr. Rove or other officials acted "negligently" in disclosing or confirming information about Ms. Wilson's identity.7
I have enclosed a fact sheet on Karl Rove's Nondisclosure Agreement and its legal implications, which provides additional detail about the President's national security obligations. I urge you to act in compliance with Executive Order 12958 and your responsibility to safeguard national security secrets.
Sincerely,
Henry A. Waxman Ranking Minority Member
1 Press Conference: President Discusses Job Creation With Business Leaders (Sept. 30, 2003). 2 Bush: CIA Leaker Would Be Fired if Crime Committed, Reuters (July 18, 2005); Bush: Any Criminals in Leak to Be Fired, Associated Press (July 18, 2005). 3 Executive Order 12958, sec. 5.5(b). 4 Id. at sec. 5.5(c). 5 Id. at sec. 5.5(e). 6 50 U.S.C. sec. 421(a). 7 Executive Order 12958, sec. 5.5(b).
Waxman has to make a statement every so often to verify that his stupidity.
If Waxman would worry a bit more about his own
responsibilities maybe he could do better.
That photo shows what a pin head he is.
The way the Dems are acting, Rove is guilty. No need for a trial. Just a carpenter, to build the gallows.
Waxman needs to get the original quote, compare it to the recent quote, and then explain to us how they are different. In both cases, the President said he wanted to know who did it and promised to take care of anyone who broke the law...
Geez, the poor SOB is so awfully ugly. His ideas are ugly, too. But then, look when they came from, ay?
He was in the Army with my father. My dad says he was big A$$hole then too and he enjoyed busting on him when he was a recruit. He made Waxy clean the latrine with a toothbrush.>:-)
There is a reptillian alien living inside Waxman. It's dying to get out. Trouble is, it has to assume human form in front of television cameras.
Question for Mr. Waxman:
Exactly how much paper do you waste every year that goes no where but into the trash can?
Yeah, Waxman is really the one to get on his high horse about things like this. Remember his mantra during the Travelgate hearings? It was: "So What?" Clinton wanted to fire the travel office staff and hire his cronies? So what? Clinton wanted to use the FBI to smear and ruin the life and reputation of Billy Dale? So what, he's allowed to do that. Clinton wanted to lie and obstruct justice and boink interns? So what? That's our boy, Mr. Henry "So What?" Waxman, the complete and utter slob.
Thanks for the laugh!
"He made Waxy clean the latrine with a toothbrush.>:-)"
Ha ha.... if only we could make Waxy and all of his Demagogic Party pals (Teddy the Swimmer, Schrumer, et al) spend the rest of their lives scrubbing latrines with toothbrushes...... that would be a more fitting occupation for those charlatans!
QUESTION: Given recent developments in the CIA leak case, particularly Vice President Cheney's discussions with the investigators, do you still stand by what you said several months ago, suggesting that it might be difficult to identify anybody who leak the agent's name? And do you stand by your pledge to fire anyone found to have done so?
BUSH: Yes. And that's up to the U.S. attorney to find the facts.
But Bush's actually earlier pledge was (September 30, 2003):
Q: Do you think that the Justice Department (search) can conduct an impartial investigation, considering the political ramifications of the CIA leak, and why wouldn't a special counsel be better?
THE PRESIDENT: Yes. Let me just say something about leaks in Washington. There are too many leaks of classified information in Washington. There's leaks at the executive branch; there's leaks in the legislative branch. There's just too many leaks. And if there is a leak out of my administration, I want to know who it is.
And if the person has violated law, the person will be taken care of. And so I welcome the investigation. I -- I'm absolutely confident that the Justice Department will do a very good job. There's a special division of career Justice Department officials who are tasked with doing this kind of work; they have done this kind of work before in Washington this year.
I have told our administration, people in my administration to be fully cooperative. I want to know the truth. If anybody has got any information inside our administration or outside our administration, it would be helpful if they came forward with the information so we can find out whether or not these allegations are true and get on about the business.
Yes, let's see, Kemper -- he's from Chicago. Where are you? Are you a Cubs or White Sox fan? (Laughter.) Wait a minute. That doesn't seem fair, does it? (Laughter.)
Q Yesterday we were told that Karl Rove (search) had no role in it --
- THE PRESIDENT: Yes.
Q -- have you talked to Karl and do you have confidence in him --
THE PRESIDENT: Listen, I know of nobody -- I don't know of anybody in my administration who leaked classified information. If somebody did leak classified information, I'd like to know it, and we'll take the appropriate action.
And this investigation is a good thing. And again I repeat, you know, Washington is a town where there's all kinds of allegations. You've heard much of the allegations. And if people have got solid information, please come forward with it.
And that would be people inside the information who are the so-called anonymous sources, or people outside the information -- outside the administration. And we can clarify this thing very quickly if people who have got solid evidence would come forward and speak out. And I would hope they would.
And then we'll get to the bottom of this and move on. But I want to tell you something -- leaks of classified information are a bad thing. And we've had them -- there's too much leaking in Washington. That's just the way it is.
And we've had leaks out of the administrative branch, had leaks out of the legislative branch, and out of the executive branch and the legislative branch, and I've spoken out consistently against them and I want to know who the leakers are.
And why do I get the impression that the press knew something and was gunning for Rove from 2003?
Was she properly classified? I don't think so, so basically your letter is destined for the WH outhouse.
Good. Too bad it didn't help his humility any, though.
I can feel the tension in the air! Wohh...
President Bush should tell Henry A. Waxman, "Waxman your are a POS". If anyone needs to be fired it's Waxman.
Henry Waxman is still in Congress?
Come on, don't make fun of people who are unable to read and write! Poor Mr. Waxman demonstrates his inability to read and understand in this letter: I'll let someone else critique his writing.
It is obvious to every normal person that Rove is a treasonous traitor who hates children and small animals. I heard he hate liberals with huge noses too!!
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