Blogging Unhinged?

All marriages weather storms, but only this career diplomat and his outed spy wife know what it’s like to be at the center of the year’s biggest political scandal. As the CIA-leak case heated up, Wilson kept criticizing the Administration, while Plame kept a low profile, ultimately leaving the CIA for a better assignment: taking care of the couple’s 5-year-old twins.

Heh!

Karl Rove and Bob Novak, who first published the identity of covert CIA officer Valerie Plame, says he is confident that President George W. Bush knows who leaked Plame’s name.

The ASSociated Press has Bob Novak Says President Knows Leak Source

Columnist Bob Novak, who first published the identity of covert CIA officer Valerie Plame, says he is confident that President Bush knows who leaked Plame’s name.

Novak said that “I’d be amazed” if the president didn’t know the source’s identity and that the public should “bug the president as to whether he should reveal who the source is.”

Novak’s remarks, reported in the Raleigh, N.C., News & Observer, came during a question and answer session Tuesday after a speech sponsored by the John Locke Foundation, a conservative think tank.

Democratic Sen. Charles Schumer urged Bush to identify Novak’s source or to say that he does not know who it is.

Flap bets the response is “Executive Privilege” and neither confirmation nor denial.

Let the fishing expedition of Special Counsel Patrick Fitzgerald waste more taxpayers’ money.

Valerie Plame, the woman at the center of the CIA leak investigation, drives away from her home in Washington December 9, 2005. Plame will retire from the CIA after two decades, a source familiar with her plans said on Tuesday.

The ASSociated Press has Valerie Plame Said to Leave Job at CIA

Valerie Plame, the CIA officer whose exposure led to a criminal investigation of the Bush White House, spent her last day at the spy agency Friday.

Neither the agency nor Plame’s husband would confirm her departure, but two people who have known Plame for a number of years confirmed she was leaving.

Married to Bush administration critic and former U.S. Ambassador Joseph Wilson, Plame was working at agency headquarters in Langley, Va., in 2003 when her CIA status was disclosed by conservative columnist Robert Novak. That triggered a probe that led to the recent indictment of Vice President
Dick Cheney’s chief of staff, I. Lewis Libby.

Plame had served for many years at overseas postings for the CIA, and her employment remained classified when she took a headquarters desk job, traveling overseas periodically.

Thanks for your service……..

The SPY GAME like POLITICS is serious business……..

Please Vote for FullosseousFlap at the 2005 Weblog Awards.

Viveca Novak

The New York Times has Another Time Reporter Is Asked to Testify in Leak Case

A second reporter for Time magazine has been asked to testify under oath in the C.I.A. leak case, about conversations she had in 2004 with a lawyer for Karl Rove, the senior White House adviser, the magazine reported on Sunday.

The reporter, Viveca Novak, who has written about the leak investigation, has been asked to testify by the special counsel in the case, Patrick J. Fitzgerald, about her conversations with Robert D. Luskin, a lawyer for Mr. Rove, the magazine said.

Time magazine did not make clear what information the prosecutor hoped to obtain from Ms. Novak, whose name has not previously surfaced in the case. She has contributed to articles in which Mr. Luskin was quoted.

Another Time reporter, Matthew Cooper, testified this summer about a July 2003 conversation he had with Mr. Rove, but only after the magazine waged a lengthy legal battle.

Time disclosed the prosecutor’s request in a two-paragraph article published on Sunday, reporting that Ms. Novak had been asked to discuss conversations she had with Mr. Luskin, starting in May 2004, when she was covering the investigation.

The article said Ms. Novak was cooperating with the inquiry. It is not known when she will testify; she has not been asked to appear before the grand jury but will instead give a deposition, said Ty Trippet, a Time spokesman.

Another fishing expedition by Fitzpatrick.

Damn, it has been over two years, millions of taxpayer dollars and a second Grand Jury.

And one WEAK indictment.

Time for Fitzpatrick to return to Chicago.

Reuters has Woodward expresses regrets in CIA leak case

Washington Post journalist Bob Woodward on Monday expressed regret about some of his conduct in the CIA leak probe, and compared his pledge not to name his source to the promise he made to “Deep Throat” in the Watergate case.

Woodward, in an interview with CNN’s Larry King, said he should not have voiced personal opinions about the criminal investigation on television and should have informed Washington Post Executive Editor Leonard Downie sooner about his involvement.

One of the best-known investigative reporters in the United States, Woodward revealed last week that he had testified under oath to special prosecutor Patrick Fitzgerald that a senior Bush administration official told him in mid-June 2003 about CIA operative Valerie Plame’s position at the agency.

Woodward said he spoke to his high-level source about Plame approximately a week to 10 days before New York Times reporter Judith Miller’s June 23, 2003 meeting with Vice President Dick Cheney’s chief of staff, Lewis “Scooter” Libby.

Libby was charged last month with perjury and obstructing justice in the leak case, and Fitzgerald said at the time that Libby was the first official known to have told a reporter about Plame.

Well, Woodward’s conduct continues to be self-serving. He is attempting to spin his ethics failure in allowing Judith Miller to be jailed and Scooter Libby to be indicted.

One of two Washington Post reporters famed for coverage of the 1970s Watergate scandal that brought down President Richard Nixon, Woodward has apologized to Downie for waiting more than two years to tell him about his involvement in the Plame case.

“I should have, as I have many, many times, taken him into my confidence. And I did not,” Woodward said.

Woodward said Downie now knows the identity of his confidential source, and called it “fair game” for other reporters to try to figure out who the source is.

But he said he would not violate his promise of confidentiality, calling it “the vital lifeline” of his work as an investigative reporter. “I’m not going to go out and risk that,” Woodward said.

But, Woodward should be forthcoming to Special Prosecutor Fitzgerald if he knows facts that would affect Libby’s case.

“Hopefully, this isn’t going to be 33 years until we find out exactly what happened,” Woodward added, referring to former FBI man Mark Felt, who revealed he was “Deep Throat” earlier this year.

Woodward has come under fire from media experts and Washington Post ombudsman Deborah Howell for withholding what he knew about Plame from Downie and for making public statements dismissive of the investigation without disclosing his own involvement.

In a series of television and radio interviews before publicly disclosing his involvement, Woodward described the leak case as laughable and Fitzgerald’s inquiry as “disgraceful.”

Woodward said he should not have expressed his personal opinions about the investigation on television, adding “I think I was a little hyper and (had) a lot of pent-up frustrations.”

Woodward stood by his earlier assessment that there was no “vast conspiracy to slime” Iraq war critic Joseph Wilson by outing his wife.

Time to withdraw the Libby indictment and end this two year plus investigation.

Fitzgerald is wasting taxpayer’s money.

Related:

CIA Leak Case Watch: Is Armitage Woodward’s Source?

CIA Leak Case Watch: Fitzpatrick Proceeds Before NEW Grand Jury

CIA Leak Case Watch: Joe Wilson wants Washington Post to Probe Woodward

CIA Leak Case Watch: Time to Withdraw the Libby Indictment

CIA Leak Case Watch: Woodward Claim on CIA Leak Disputes Charge

CIA Leak Case Watch: Charges Don’t Directly Address CIA Leak

CIA Leak Case Watch: Lack-Of-Memory Defense for Libby?

CIA Leak Case Watch: Joe Wilson wants Washington Post to Probe Woodward

CIA Leak Case Watch: Time to Withdraw the Libby Indictment

CIA Leak Case Watch: Woodward Claim on CIA Leak Disputes Charge

CIA Leak Case Watch: Charges Don’t Directly Address CIA Leak

So, is Woodward’s and Novak’s SOURCE former Deputy Secretary of State Richard Armitage?

Newsweek makes the case.

This case and indictment against Libby is getting SILLY.

Related:

CIA Leak Case Watch: Fitzpatrick Proceeds Before NEW Grand Jury

CIA Leak Case Watch: Joe Wilson wants Washington Post to Probe Woodward

CIA Leak Case Watch: Time to Withdraw the Libby Indictment

CIA Leak Case Watch: Woodward Claim on CIA Leak Disputes Charge

CIA Leak Case Watch: Charges Don’t Directly Address CIA Leak

CIA Leak Case Watch: Lack-Of-Memory Defense for Libby?

CIA Leak Case Watch: Joe Wilson wants Washington Post to Probe Woodward

CIA Leak Case Watch: Time to Withdraw the Libby Indictment

CIA Leak Case Watch: Woodward Claim on CIA Leak Disputes Charge

CIA Leak Case Watch: Charges Don’t Directly Address CIA Leak

Special Prosecutor Patrick Fitzgerald during a news conference in Chicago November 17, 2005. Fitzgerald said in new court filings that the ongoing CIA leak investigation will involve proceedings before a new grand jury, a possible sign he could seek new charges in the case.

Reuters has Fitzgerald sees new grand jury proceedings.

Special prosecutor Patrick Fitzgerald said in court filings that the ongoing CIA leak investigation will involve proceedings before a new grand jury, a possible sign he could seek new charges in the case.

In filings obtained by Reuters on Friday, Fitzgerald said “the investigation is continuing” and that “the investigation will involve proceedings before a different grand jury than the grand jury which returned the indictment” against Vice President Dick Cheney’s chief of staff, Lewis “Scooter” Libby.

What a waste of taxpayer resources.

Two years later, millions of dollars in costs and he does not obtain the indictments that he desires – prosecutorial misconduct or incompetence comes to mind.

Related:

CIA Leak Case Watch: Joe Wilson wants Washington Post to Probe Woodward

CIA Leak Case Watch: Time to Withdraw the Libby Indictment

CIA Leak Case Watch: Woodward Claim on CIA Leak Disputes Charge

CIA Leak Case Watch: Charges Don’t Directly Address CIA Leak

CIA Leak Case Watch: Lack-Of-Memory Defense for Libby?

Ambassador Joe Wilson and wife, Valerie Plame

Reuters has Plame’s husband wants Post to probe Woodward

Joseph Wilson, the husband of outed CIA operative Valerie Plame, called on Thursday for an inquiry by The Washington Post into the conduct of journalist Bob Woodward, who repeatedly criticized the leak investigation without disclosing his own involvement.

“It certainly gives the appearance of a conflict of interest. He was taking an advocacy position when he was a party to it,” Wilson said.

Woodward testified under oath on Monday to special prosecutor Patrick Fitzgerald that a senior Bush administration official casually told him in mid-June 2003 about Plame’s position at the CIA.

The surprise testimony appeared to contradict Fitzgerald’s assertion that Lewis “Scooter” Libby, Vice President Dick Cheney’s former chief of staff, was the first government official to divulge information to reporters about Plame. The disclosure could prolong the leak investigation as Fitzgerald pursues new leads in the case, lawyers said.

Libby’s defense team contended Woodward’s story undercut Fitzgerald’s case against Libby, who was indicted in late October on charges of perjury and obstruction of justice in the criminal probe, which was launched two years ago.

Wilson, a former ambassador turned White House critic, told Reuters that The Washington Post should reveal the name of Woodward’s source, and conduct an inquiry to determine why he withheld the information for more than two years from his editors and the federal prosecutor.

Before publicly disclosing his involvement in the leak case on Wednesday, Woodward was a frequent critic of Fitzgerald’s investigation in television and radio appearances. Woodward has described the case as laughable and Fitzgerald’s behavior as “disgraceful” and has referred to him as “a junkyard dog.”

Reveal the true source……yeah right.

But, Woodward has it RIGHT…… Fitzpatrick’s investigation is disgraceful……….

Withdraw the indictment.

I. Lewis ‘Scooter’ Libby, Vice President Dick Cheney’s former chief of staff, walks to the U.S. District Court in Washington, Wednesday, Nov. 16, 2005, accompanied by his attorney Theodore V. Wells Jr., at rear.

The Washington Post has Woodward Could Be a Boon to Libby

The revelation that The Washington Post’s Bob Woodward may have been the first reporter to learn about CIA operative Valerie Plame could provide a boost to the only person indicted in the leak case: I. Lewis “Scooter” Libby.

Legal experts said Woodward provided two pieces of new information that cast at least a shadow of doubt on the public case against Libby, Vice President Cheney’s former chief of staff, who has been indicted on perjury and obstruction of justice charges.

The Washington Times has Woodward and the Plame affair

Moreover, perjury is not just lying under oath; it is lying under oath about something material. The other counts against Mr. Libby similarly depend upon a material misrepresentation of fact. In this case, the critical fact was that Mr. Libby heard of Mrs. Plame’s CIA employment from media, as well as from government, sources. The precise media source is irrelevant.

Mr. Fitzgerald could, of course, insist on proceeding with a criminal trial. However, in the interests of justice, and especially since the identity of a covert agent was not revealed in this case, he should simply drop the prosecution now. To paraphrase Gertrude Stein, it is increasingly evident that there is just no there there.

The Washington Times has Withdraw the Libby indictment

In light of these facts, it is at least doubtful whether a reasonable jury would find Mr. Libby guilty. Moreover, as argued by Washington lawyers David Rivkin and Lee Casey in an article appearing on today’s op-ed page, under the U.S. Attorney’s Manual provisions, no prosecution should be commenced unless the attorney representing the government believes that he has evidence that will probably be sufficient to obtain a conviction. Accordingly, Mr. Fitzgerald should do the right thing and promptly dismiss the indictment of Scooter Libby.

There is NO there – THERE.

As Flap has said in previous posts:

CIA Leak Case Watch: Woodward Claim on CIA Leak Disputes Charge

CIA Leak Case Watch: Charges Don’t Directly Address CIA Leak

CIA Leak Case Watch: Lack-Of-Memory Defense for Libby?

Fitzpatrick should drop this case before he embarasses himself and the Justice Department further.

I. Lewis ‘Scooter’ Libby, Vice President Dick Cheney’s chief of staff, walks to the U.S. District Court in Washington, Wednesday, Nov. 16, 2005, accompanied by his attorney Theodore V. Wells Jr., at rear. Libby, who is charged with lying to the FBI and a grand jury about his conversations with reporters in the CIA leak investigation, was at the courthouse to research documents related to his case.

The ASSociated Press has Woodward Claim on CIA Leak Disputes Charge

Bob Woodward’s version of when and where he learned the identity of a CIA operative contradicts a special prosecutor’s contention that Vice President Dick Cheney’s top aide was the first to make the disclosure to reporters.

Attorneys for the aide, I. Lewis “Scooter” Libby, described Wednesday’s statement by the Washington Post’s assistant managing editor as helpful for their defense, although Libby is charged with lying to a grand jury and the FBI, not with disclosing the CIA official’s name.

Previosuly on Flap:

CIA Leak Case Watch: Charges Don’t Directly Address CIA Leak


CIA Leak Case Watch: Lack-Of-Memory Defense for Libby?

“Hopefully, as information is obtained from reporters like Bob Woodward, the real facts will come out,” lawyer Ted Wells said Wednesday.

Woodward, a Pulitzer Prize winning reporter, said he had not told his bosses until last month that he had learned about Valerie Plame’s identity and her work at the CIA more than two years ago from a high- level Bush administration official.

When Woodward learned Plame’s name, he told The Associated Press Wednesday, he was in the middle of finishing a book about the administration’s decision to go to war in Iraq, and didn’t want to be subpoenaed to testify.

“The grand jury was going and reporters were being jailed, and I hunkered down more than I usually do,” Woodward said, explaining why he waited so long to tell Post Executive Editor Leonard Downie Jr. what he knew about the Plame matter.

Because his source in the leak case has refused to be identified publicly, Woodward said his hands are tied. “We can’t tell the whole story. I would like to. It’s one that will be told some day,” he said.

This late in the case revelation deeply hurts the Special Prosecutors case.

Fitzpatrick should drop the charges or offer some lesser misdemeanor plea before the government is embarassed in court.

Great waste of taxpayer funds………..