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Cheney 'Authorized' Libby to Leak Classified Information
National Journal ^ | 2.9.06 | Murry Waas

Posted on 02/09/2006 10:33:40 AM PST by conserv13

Vice President Dick Cheney's former chief of staff, I. Lewis (Scooter) Libby, testified to a federal grand jury that he had been "authorized" by Cheney and other White House "superiors" in the summer of 2003 to disclose classified information to journalists to defend the Bush administration's use of prewar intelligence in making the case to go to war with Iraq, according to attorneys familiar with the matter, and to court records.

According to sources with firsthand knowledge, Cheney authorized Libby to release additional classified information, including details of the NIE, to defend the administration's use of prewar intelligence in making the case for war.

Libby specifically claimed that in one instance he had been authorized to divulge portions of a then-still highly classified National Intelligence Estimate regarding Saddam Hussein's purported efforts to develop nuclear weapons, according to correspondence recently filed in federal court by special prosecutor Patrick J. Fitzgerald.

Beyond what was stated in the court paper, say people with firsthand knowledge of the matter, Libby also indicated what he will offer as a broad defense during his upcoming criminal trial: that Vice President Cheney and other senior Bush administration officials had earlier encouraged and authorized him to share classified information with journalists to build public support for going to war. Later, after the war began in 2003, Cheney authorized Libby to release additional classified information, including details of the NIE, to defend the administration's use of prewar intelligence in making the case for war.

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


TOPICS: Government; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: cheney; cia; cialeak; cialeakplame; classified; horsemanure; leak; libby; murrywaas; plame; scooter; waas; wilson
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To: frankjr
Just now on Fox News, they read a statement from Libby's defense team that said they have NO intention of raising as a defense anything about VP authorization to leak classified information. They added no one on their team has discussed the potential defenses with anyone outside of among themselves.

I'm glad you heard that too. And just about 45 minutes ago, MSNBC was reporting as fact that Cheney told Libby to out Plame. Does the MSM do a lick of research? Just a tad?

101 posted on 02/09/2006 5:46:31 PM PST by Peach (Islam is an army disguised as a religion (Freeper Hoosier-Daddy))
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To: rvoitier; holdonnow

Jonathan Broder and Joe Conason, are longtime friends of Sidney Blumenthal

Conason (who often teamed up with Murray Waas in the past)

Murray Waas has twice threatened to sue Mark Levin for libel.





http://tinyurl.com/asf4u


102 posted on 02/09/2006 6:26:33 PM PST by kcvl
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To: jazusamo
"Beyond what was stated in the court paper, say people with firsthand knowledge of the matter, Libby also indicated what he will offer as a broad defense during his upcoming criminal trial: that Vice President Cheney and other senior Bush administration officials had earlier encouraged and authorized him to share classified information with journalists to build public support for going to war."

I would bet quite a few dollars that this will NOT be Libby's "broad defense." The MSM will beat on this accusation for months, then they will be greatly disappointed in Libby's trial testimony.

103 posted on 02/09/2006 6:36:35 PM PST by carl in alaska (The democrats did not invent treason, but they invented the use of treason as a political strategy.)
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To: Cboldt; Howlin; the Real fifi

Cbdoldt, you noticed the exact same parts of the article I did: the body of the text states that there was no testimony indicating Cheney authorized anything regarding the leaking of Plame's background, but Waas buries this information in such a way that the casual reader would not notice this and would go away with a false impression. Also, Waas is alleging to report on what is supposedly sealed grand jury testimony, which Libby is not free to comment on to confirm or refute. I would like to see an indictment of each and every reporter and editor who has aided and abetted the flagrant breaking of the law by the continuous leaking of grand jury testimony in this investigation, as well as impeachment proceedings against Fitzgerald himself, because it has become very clear after months and months of chronic leaks that he is allowing these leaks to flow from his office unchecked in order to influence public opinion against the accused. This is a flagrant abuse of Fitzgerald's office and a gross disregard of Libby's rights.


104 posted on 02/09/2006 6:39:38 PM PST by Fedora
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To: kcvl

Mark Levin stated that Libby's lawyers are denying this story. The hourly news report right after that reported the story and mentioned the denial.


105 posted on 02/09/2006 6:39:38 PM PST by Tymesup
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To: demlosers

Murray Waas, one of the conspiracy hounds who has tried unsuccessfully to persuade the journalistic fraternity and the rest of the country that Ronald Reagan and George Bush are responsible for the crack cocaine epidemic in our inner cities.


During Monicagate, Murray Waas, Jonathan Broder, David Talbot, etc. received an invitation, thanks to Clinton adviser Sidney Blumenthal, to a White House party where they met with Hillary & Bill Clinton. It was billed as a birthday party for Sidney Blumenthal's wife.


106 posted on 02/09/2006 6:40:38 PM PST by kcvl
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To: carl in alaska

I agree with that. When I referred to more anonymous sources, I meant to point to the fact that another writer supposedly has info out of the Grand Jury. I just find it hard to believe unless they name their source.


107 posted on 02/09/2006 6:45:13 PM PST by jazusamo (A Progressive is only a Socialist in a transparent disguise.)
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To: Fedora
Waas is alleging to report on what is supposedly sealed grand jury testimony, which Libby is not free to comment on to confirm or refute.

Libby is perfectly free to confirm or refute his own testimony before the GJ. It's the jurors who are sworn to secrecy, not the witnesses.

I would like to see an indictment of each and every reporter and editor who has aided and abetted the flagrant breaking of the law by the continuous leaking of grand jury testimony in this investigation, as well as impeachment proceedings against Fitzgerald himself ...

I don't know what criminal laws were broken by publication. Libby might have a defamation suit, but only if the report is false and the publisher knew it was false and published it as true, anyway.

108 posted on 02/09/2006 6:47:25 PM PST by Cboldt
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To: Fedora

I think he made this up by twisting information in Fitz' affidavit in which he says Libby testified he t=was tasked to explain portions of the NIE to Miller and was concentrating on that part of the conversation and not the fact that Plame was in the agency. Beginning in spring of 2003 portions of the NIE were declassified and both Tenet and Rice spoke to reporters from time to time about the non-classified portions.

On the other hand there was no Fitzmas and Cinco de NSA and Cinco de Abramoff have been cancelled so expect more and more feverish conspiracy theories to surface. Last week's was a twisted version of the problem with archiving the emails which quickly morphed into the notion that the WH was destroying evidence. Remember?


109 posted on 02/09/2006 6:54:06 PM PST by the Real fifi
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To: Cboldt
Libby is perfectly free to confirm or refute his own testimony before the GJ. It's the jurors who are sworn to secrecy, not the witnesses.

Okay. That was not the impression I had gotten from some previous reporting on this.

I don't know what criminal laws were broken by publication. Libby might have a defamation suit, but only if the report is false and the publisher knew it was false and published it as true, anyway.

Depends if he files the suit in the US or Britain :-)

110 posted on 02/09/2006 6:54:52 PM PST by Fedora
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To: the Real fifi
I think he made this up by twisting information in Fitz' affidavit

Interesting.

111 posted on 02/09/2006 6:57:13 PM PST by Fedora
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To: conserv13
"According to sources with firsthand knowledge, Cheney authorized Libby..."

Are these the same sources that just through any and all crap onto the wall to see what sticks? Makes sense to me.

112 posted on 02/09/2006 6:59:01 PM PST by SlightOfTongue
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To: Peach

FNC just reporting the opposite during the newsbreak now - saying Cheny did order Libby to talk. what's up with this story?


113 posted on 02/09/2006 7:15:58 PM PST by oceanview
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To: Cboldt

do you know if Libby and his attorney are entitled to have a transcript of his GJ testimony?


114 posted on 02/09/2006 7:34:41 PM PST by tazannie
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To: tazannie

lesse now........

Pres Bush outlines what we have prevented

Reid and dembots are nailed with Abramoff toxic spill....

Lets cloud the water with a story that trashes the Presiden and Admistration which is not confirmed. Just like the 80's Don Henley song Dirty Laundry

I went through the anti nuke kook BS in the 80's. This is deja vu all over again.


WE now have the ability to respond with information


115 posted on 02/09/2006 8:07:18 PM PST by slapshot (""USAF- when you absolutely, positively need it delivered on target, on time, right away)
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To: oceanview
What's up is the evil Cheney outed a CIA agent so she would die, and cover up his WMD lie, for war, and our national security could be compromised, and the terrorists would hit us again, so he could torture some more bad guys and Haliburton could funnel he and Lynn billions for mansions, cars, and trips!

That's whats up I tell ya!
116 posted on 02/09/2006 8:15:11 PM PST by roses of sharon ("I would rather men ask why I have no statue, than why I have one". ) (Cato the Elder)
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To: All
If people read into this article and the "Bush met Abramhoff 12 times" article, they would see that neither have any substance, just unnamed sources and conjecture stating facts presented in a misleading fashion.
This is more left wing media garbage to change the topics of the Sunday morning shows from Bush and the good job we've done on terrorism and the economy to Plame, Plame, Plame and Abramhoff, Abramhoff, Abramhoff.

Yawn..
117 posted on 02/09/2006 8:28:39 PM PST by newnhdad (All your government branches are belong to us!!)
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To: Alamo-Girl

Ping, since your site is being quoted.

Can you shed any further light on Murray Waas?


118 posted on 02/09/2006 8:43:02 PM PST by FreedomPoster (Guns themselves are fairly robust; their chief enemies are rust and politicians) (NRA)
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To: conserv13

Sounds like another Dan Rather BS parade


119 posted on 02/09/2006 8:47:13 PM PST by jw777
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To: conserv13

ping for later


120 posted on 02/09/2006 8:47:55 PM PST by TNdandelion
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