WaPo: The When and How of Leak Being Probed (Plame)

[Robbien]

Timing of Disclosure of CIA Employee's Name a Factor in Deciding if Law Was Broken

By Susan Schmidt

A federal prosecutor investigating whether administration officials illegally leaked the name of an undercover CIA operative has directed considerable effort at learning how widely the operative's identity was disseminated to reporters before it was published last year by columnist Robert D. Novak, according to people with knowledge of the case.

Special prosecutor Patrick J. Fitzgerald is trying to pinpoint precisely when and from whom several journalists learned that Joseph C. Wilson IV, an outspoken critic of the administration, was sent on an Iraq-related intelligence mission after a recommendation by his wife, Valerie Plame, a covert CIA employee. Plame's name first appeared in a July 14, 2003, column by Novak.

The timing could be a critical element in assessing whether classified information was illegally disclosed. If White House aides directed reporters to information that had already been published by Novak, they may not have disclosed classified information.

Fitzgerald is continuing to ask questions that suggest he is still trying to assess the accuracy of some of the more serious allegations about administration leaks to reporters other than Novak, according to people involved in the case. Prosecutors have questioned numerous witnesses, some of them repeatedly, to learn whether two senior White House aides actively peddled Plame's identity to more than half a dozen reporters before Novak revealed it in print -- an allegation made by an anonymous administration official in a Sept. 28, 2003, Washington Post article.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A13258-2004Nov25.html

[Syrinx]

1. do I have this right?

The White Housters may be considered innocent of wrongdoing if they leaked the classified information to other "reporters" before they finally found one sleazy enough to actually print it? Is that right? Their earliest leaks of the classified info in essence declassified it, so that by the time Novak printed it was no longer classified? :shrug:

[Kagemusha]

2. Right or wrong in reality that's not what it *says*

It *says* here that the issue's if the leaking was 'hey lookie here, see what Novak broke' rather than 'hey lookie here, here's some inside dirt no one's supposed to have'

[mrbassman03]

53. Wouldn't that mean that Novak would be guilty of the leak?

If they are putting the blame on whoever "leaked" it first, wouldn't that put it directly on Novak?

[Robbien]

3. It reads to me that

the focus of the investigation is on what and when the WH told all reporters other than Novak. WTF?

Hopefully one of the DUers who knows the ins and outs of this Plame investigation can explain what is happening here.

[librechik]

42. It's all in the byline

After Schmidt, you need read no further--it's all bunk.

[glitch]

49. Good old steno sue - a member of the "we create our own reality" community

otherwise known as "The Psychotics".

Her articles are useful because they tell us what the * admin would like us to believe.
Think of it as "see if they'll bite on this one". :puke:

edited to add: should've read the entire thread before posting. Looks like DU understands steno sue perfectly!

[usregimechange]

5. No, looking at both...

"Prosecutors are also investigating who originally gave Novak the information."

[Just Me]

63. There is no "rule of law" if anyone can escape it.

Our country is fucked.

Perhaps, has been for quite some time.

If the "rule of law" can be bought or bribed,...democracy is IMPOSSIBLE.

Of course, we all know that the "rule of law" has been bought and bribed,....for, pretty much our entire experiment of democracy.

BUT, BUT, BUT,....perhaps,...the LIFE of that experiment called "democracy",...is actually being given breath.

Perhaps, "democracy" is becoming an experiment that is alive. ALIVE!

[TacticalPeek]

4. Anything Schmidt writes on this should be dosed heavily with salt.

She is the apologist and flack for bad guys. This article is a pitch written to the tune sung by lawyers for the perpetrators, and attempts to frame the matter 'just so'.

After reading the article, ask yourself: Why did she write this? Who does she reveal as her likely sources? Why did they talk to her?

[blondeatlast]

16. We need to all read the story carefully, find the errors and weaknesses,

and go after her like crazy with LTTE.

[meg]

33. Well said!

They do not call her Steno Sue for nothing!

Execellent post!

[lancdem]

35. I was about to say that

Steno Sue has written about this before and always engages in WH spin. That's all this is. You can be sure this isn't close to the whole story of what's going on with the investigation.

[lancdem]

41. Steno Sue also could be doing the WH a favor

by putting this out into the public domain, because it could end up being the defense used by anyone indicted.

[grasswire]

6. Susan Schmidt????

Why does that woman still have a job??

[0007]

12. Jays'us ya got me!

Anyone who'd fall for this crap is nuts or ill bred.

[The Zanti Regent]

31. Steno Sue Strikes Again (and lies for her Nazi Masters)

Why does this lying PRESSTITUTE still command a six figure salary?

Oh, I forgot, it's the WHORESHINGTON POST, the 24/7 propaganda organ for the Nazi Party.

[placton]

32. How unfair to the Post!

They only shill for the fascists SIX days a week, FIFTY weeks a year, not all the time as you suggest.

[Stinky The Clown]

7. Earth to Steno Sue .... who ya shillin' for, beatch?

I read into this pap a possible weasel route for the junta ..... Is Fitzgerald about to roll over?

[demgrrrll]

8. Trial balloon. They will see who runs with this and if they can get any

traction from this line. If I could stomach it I would listen to rw radio to see if they are parroting this crap. She is such a hack.
Fitzgerald isn't known for rolling over but they may be trying to roll him.

[lancdem]

37. It sounds like they're trying to pressure Fitzgerald

to end his investigation. Notice the lawyer's statement that investigators are "frustrated." Hmmm...

[wellst0nev0ter]

9. Thanx For Adding The Byline

That way, I can ignore it for the partisan hackjob that it is.

[lovuian]

10. Someone Outed a Covert CIA agent thats a fact!!!

So Fitzgerald maybe looking for an escape route for Bush!!!

But heres the thing

You have a purging of the CIA and CIA retiring and quiting in droves and you wonder WHY FITZGERALD???Because if they sweep this under the rug

THE CIA is DEAD my friends

There is no trust with Bush in control He will out you in a Minute!!!

So lets watch the CIA and the FBI and BUSH play their games

but I would BET ...Bush wants the CIA gone

But heres the other side of the coin

WOULD ANYBODY WANT TO PLAY WITH THE CIA???

[HysteryDiagnosis]

11. One simple problem... the wrong name hangs on the door at 1600

Pennsylvania Avenue. If it were Clinton.... there would have been an impeachment by now.... regardless the facts. You know it's true.

[blondeatlast]

15. Sad but true. nt

[seeker4ever]

17. Damn right!

We are being punked daily. Why don't they just say it's a partisan attack and change the law. Worked for DeLay. No body cared. They can do ANYTHING and the great "public" murmurs a little and goes back to sleep. We are being fu*ked and fu*ked HARD but hey, we're getting used to it.

Fascism? What fascism? Why do you hate Amerika?

This shit's gonna get way worse before/if it ever gets any better.

[Kellis]

66. A truer statement could not be said

AWOL Chimp is untouchable.No matter what he does.He is untouchable.:cry:

[teryang]

13. This article is bullshit

If this is approach taken by the special prosecution this is a whitewash. Everyone with access to classified information knows that it is irrelevant what is published in the press. If the actors knowledge come from a classified source, publication in the press is no defense.

[Sideways]

14. This Is Susan's Approach At A Whitewash

I think Fitzgerald sees things a wee bit differently. I still fervently believe this is a big bad stinking nasty albatross around Bushcos neck.

[teryang]

24. My theory about this sort of investigation

...is that it can go either way, as the string pullers decide on whether they prefer the status quo or whether things have become so bad, they need to dump the current junta.

It really doesn't make that much difference, because the changes that have already been made to the political system have fundamentally changed it for the worse. It isn't going to be fixed by changing the players (although I would like to give it a try).

How the wars go overseas and how the economy goes plays more role than the merits of a case. The law is less relevant than who rules America. One of these potentially decisive ongoing investigations is always necessary in case the real powers behind the throne need to pull the plug.

[Sideways]

28. I Agree

Your last sentence sums it up beautifully and I think the powers you speak of want to pull the rug. Just my 2 Euros. Good to see you BTW.

[feminazi]

56. you're absolutely right, teryang.

i work for a defense contractor. we're always told that it doesn't matter if info has been in the press or not. if it's classified, you aren't to talk about it.....period.

[Kingofalldems]

18. Schmidt was Starr's

steno girl. Nuff said.

[progressoid]

19. And why the hell isn't Novak's ass in jail?

Ultimately, he exposed Plame to the world. At the very least he's complicit.

[blondeatlast]

21. Read these and my commentary; these are tricky bastards indeed...

To constitute a violation of the Intelligence Identities Protection Act, a disclosure by a government official must have been deliberate, the person doing it must have known that the CIA officer was a covert agent, and he or she must have known that "the United States is taking affirmative measures to conceal such covert agent's intelligence relationship to the United States."
What a convenient escape--so if they wanted to get around the law, all they have to do is NOT try to conceal her identity? WTF?

break---this one's the one that SHOUTED at me...

Novak and his lawyer have refused to comment on whether he has been subpoenaed or interviewed by Fitzgerald's office. He has written that Plame's identity was revealed to him in passing by one senior administration official and confirmed by a second official. He has said the intent was not to expose an undercover CIA employee, but to explain why a critic of the Bush administration was selected to investigate possible efforts by Iraq to buy uranium in Africa after Cheney asked for more information on the subject in 2002.
In passing, then confirmed; to a VERY well-known TELEVISION reporter and longtime Washington insider. Right. In passing. The name of a CIA undercover agent. Hey, I talk about this at the water cooler everyday myself. NOT. WTF?

[HysteryDiagnosis]

25. At the very least he's complicit

expertise was only with WMD. I hope Rummy looks in the mirror from time to time when he thinks about all them "thugs" in Iraq and all those "otherwheres" where they are supposed to do as we say and not as we do.

[blondeatlast]

20. I copied and pated the whole article into Word, then got busy

deconstructing it, with more to go.

I'm thinking that with other's help doing the same, we can cause a real headache not just for WaPo, but for the administration as well.

Here's a sampling:

This lawyer and two others involved in the case said Fitzgerald has been trying to sort out whether White House officials mounted a campaign to leak Plame's identity, or whether they were merely spinning information that Novak's column had already put into the public domain.
Cover Novak, cover the leakers--and poof! It's no longer a MASSIVE BREACH OF NATIONAL SECURITY! Isn't that convenient???
Prosecutors are also investigating who originally gave Novak the information.

break---

As part of his efforts, Fitzgerald has been battling reporters in court, demanding that they disclose conversations with confidential sources
The reporters are the bad guys, kids, not your Judicial and Executive branches.

break---Oh, this one's REAL good. kiddies...

To constitute a violation of the Intelligence Identities Protection Act, a disclosure by a government official must have been deliberate, the person doing it must have known that the CIA officer was a covert agent, and he or she must have known that "the United States is taking affirmative measures to conceal such covert agent's intelligence relationship to the United States."
What a convenient escape--so if they wanted to get around the law, all they have to do is NOT try to conceal her identity? WTF?

break---this one's the one that SHOUTED at me...

Novak and his lawyer have refused to comment on whether he has been subpoenaed or interviewed by Fitzgerald's office. He has written that Plame's identity was revealed to him in passing by one senior administration official and confirmed by a second official. He has said the intent was not to expose an undercover CIA employee, but to explain why a critic of the Bush administration was selected to investigate possible efforts by Iraq to buy uranium in Africa after Cheney asked for more information on the subject in 2002.
In passing, then confirmed; to a VERY well-known TELEVISION reporter and longtime Washington insider. Right. In passing. The name of a CIA undercover agent. Hey, I talk about this at the water cooler everyday myself. NOT. WTF?

That's my four paragraphs, although I found lots more holes. If you've got a few minutes, try it yourself--it was kind of fun!

[progressoid]

30. That's F#@*&ing brilliant!

There's doublespeak to cover their collective asses. God, I want to hurl.

[blondeatlast]

40. Why, thank you! nt

[Merlot]

47. "after a recommendation by his wife"

Don't forget this repitition of a lie to make it accepted as truth.

Valerie Plame never recommended her husband for the job, they asked her if he would be interested.

[LastLiberal in PalmSprings]

52. That was the first thing I noticed

and it told me all I needed to know about the veracity of the rest of the story. The "fact" that Wilson's wife caused him to be sent on this mission (implicitly to embarrass Bush) has long ago been discredited. Steno Sue's repetition is like Cheney's assertion that Saddam had WMDs despite the lack of any evidence to support it.

[rdmccur]

48. Madsen

How does this check with the Madsen story that came out yesterday?
(e.g. see post 96 by Karmadillo in the discussion on it)

[FighttheFuture]

64. A point about Wilson... he was not a crtitic of BushCo...

until after they ignored his findings and published a lie. He was pretty respectful of his place, and of the Administration, regardless of his political views.

[davsand]

22. Doesn't this sound like a multiple person leak?

As I read this article, it seems to me that SEVERAL folks in the WH were out there spinning AND leaking the info on Plame. It sounds less and less like this is a cover up and more like a cluster f*&K, and this article points that out.

Fitzgerald must be going nuts trying to figure out just exactly WHERE the leak originated from given all the names being bandied about. I have not been following the Plame threads here at DU, but it was pretty evident in the article that they know that not only was it leaked from the WH, it was then SPUN out of the WH as well.

If there is ANYBODY I have faith in to get to the root of the mess it is Fitzgerald... Maybe he will take the whole mess down!


Laura

[chiburb]

23. Me too, Laura, me too.

I trust his honesty and integrity and believe he'll do a dillgent, thorough job. I don't know the ultimate result, but I do trust the process.

Btw, after this is over maybe he can run for mayor of Chicago?

:-)

[davsand]

44. I've wondered how "Little Dick" feels about him.

After Fitz brought down Ryan and his buddies I wondered if "Little Dick" Daley felt a whole lot better so see him gone from Illinois. Kinda like that BIG sigh of relief...

Fitz is a lot of things, but he's nobody's puppet. If it is there he's gonna find it, and he's gonna go after it. Chicago could do a lot worse than Fitz in the Mayor's office--but you just KNOW the rest of the machine will make sure it never happens.

Sigh... Maybe once he nails the Plame thing down he will be enough of a national hero that he can win in spite of the machine--I dunno.


Laura

[peekaloo]

29. The woman who wrote this is nicknamed "Steno Sue"

partisan hack who's paid to mislead.

peace.

[blondeatlast]

38. What's the word--um...

CONSPIRACY?

First, to expose her, then to put the blame anywhere but on the WH and Novak.

[Cocoa]

26. beginning to make the public case

for the inevitable failure to hold anyone accountable.

Nice job, Sue, and your editors at the Post, for your loyal service to your bosses. :toast:

[spanone]

27. Notice in the article how they matter of factly print

that Wilson was sent to Niger on 'the recomendation of his wife'. Didn't Dick the Fuck Cheney send Wilson to Niger????????

[Rose Siding]

34. That one line in the 2nd paragraph reveals bent of the sourcing...

and the whole direction of the article
Steno Sue must be so happy to have her old 90's job back....Just hang out and wait for the phone to ring.

[Whoa_Nelly]

36. How conveeeenient!

You're right, spanone. The inference is that it's all Plame's fault that Amb. Wilson went to Niger...and thus it now becomes a case of guilt by association that Plame started the dirty war in Iraq and made the Chimp tell lies in his 2003 SOTU address.
Geez Louise! Will the lies ever catch up to the thieves in the WH??? :mad:

[blondeatlast]

39. Hell yes, I noticed that...

This article stinks to high heaven, wish I could print my entire deconstruction here--and I've only touched the surface.

[Whoa_Nelly]

43. Post your deconstruction in GD?

Would like to read it.

[blondeatlast]

46. Actually it's in this thread, post 20.

I welcome any input.

Damn story is so full of double-speak and holes I couldn't halp myself.

[sallyseven]

45. This statement "she recommended it"

was a lie then and it is a lie now. The washington Post is a kiss a.. for the bush administration.

[Carolab]

50. Trying to scapegoat NoFacts

If Novaks won't divulge his source he'll go to jail. If Novaks is otherwise made to say who told him, that violates a journalist's right to protect his source and sets up a poor precedent. However, Novaks could "volunteer" this information to save his skin (and go into the witness protection program).

[Just Me]

51. Yes. It is a critical moment IF, IF, IF the "slackers" prosecute it,...

,...

,...without enforcement of the "rule of law",...there is no law.

Democracy simply does NOT exist if the "rule of law" has no impact.

No wonder so many outside this nation have declared an uncivilized western nation.

The American people are ruled (not free),...and they don't even know it.

The American people have been brainwashed into thinking they are more "free", more "secure",...and have never been presented with the ACTUAL FACTS by a media news that has been labeled the new enemy, "liberal".

I offer a prayer: "HELP THEM!!!!!"

ON EDIT: deleted expletives that are "unacceptable".

[inupstateny]

54. Why not just ask?

Why haven't they asked Robert Novak who gave him the information?

Sources are not protected by law as another reporter is now learning. The other reporter is facing contempt charges and may go to jail.

[talk hard]

55. Probe Schmobe

If anybody seriously thinks the bottom will be gotten to in this "investigation," you must also believe Bunnypants got 3.5 million votes more than Kerry.

With a stranglehold on government, they should just quit the charade and quit wasting taxpayer money and all our time speculating on it.

[Dr Fate]

57. Are National Democrats demanding that Bush go under oath about this?

Are prominent DEMS demanding accountability on TV in every single appearance- or at least for Karl Rove?

OH-thats right- that would be to agressive. Swing voters dont like agressive politicians.

[lancdem]

58. Bush has already been interviewed by Fitzgerald

I'm not sure if it was under oath. I think it was.

[Keirsey]

59. 'Ethics of Sue Schmidt' New Area of Study at Nation's Universities

Curiousity strikes again. Googled "Steno Sue".

'Ethics of Sue Schmidt' New Area of Study at Nation's Universities

Schmidt actions 'radical departure from journalistic ethics'

To :

One of my students in an applied ethics course e-mailed me this AM a documented allegation that Ms. Schmidt of the Washington Post was retaliating against letter writers critical of her positions. She was alleged to have looked up the employers of these letter writers and then sent them a copy of the letter, apparently in the hopes of having a job action taken against them. The student asked if we could discuss this in class next week. Is the allegation true? If so, some justification of the practice alleged to Ms. Schmidt is needed--this being a radical departure from journalist ethics. If not, the record ought to be set straight. Any information you could send would be useful.

More about the retaliating emails:

http://www.mediawhoresonline.com/steno.htm

[Robbien]

60. The American Prospect article said it was true

http://www.prospect.org/webfeatures/2002/05/nyhan-b-05-07.html
quote:
There can no longer be any doubt that Schmidt did send the e-mails in question. After a phone conversation with Getler in which he refused to confirm or deny the allegations, I received an e-mail stating the following:

<>>As I said, The Post views this as an internal matter and is dealing with it that way. I deal with news issues involving material the Post has published. My understanding is that Ms. Schmidt did respond to two e-mails there were written on the electronic equivalent of letterhead stationery. I'm told that the Post has no formal or written policy on this, and my guess is that it had not come up before. I'm told that Ms. Schmidt has been told that she should not have contacted the e-mailer's employers, and should not do it again, even though there was understanding of her feelings and her desire to let their employers know they were using the names of those organizations to attack her.

In addition, the supervisor of Andrew Rentschler, one of the readers, also confirms that she received an e-mail from Schmidt.

[blondeatlast]

61. Time to subject Steno sue to the same sort of scrutiny, as well as WaPo?

I believe it is.

Anyone with me?

[Dr Fate]

62. But if no one is talking about it on TV, then it did not happen.

I guess national DEMS are still assuming "the Liberal media" will eventually get around to it- so that is why thet are silent...

Repubs would CERTAINLY not be afraid to talk about it if it was Clinton, Gore, or Kerry involved.

[saracat]

65. Fitzgerald, who was supposed to be so fair, is looking to exonerate the WH

with timing. He wants to find Novk published the info before the WH told him. Well then how did Novak know? Chicken and egg. But the object is to clear the WH and "Unka Bob" might be hung out to dry!