NYT: Rove Comes Under New Scrutiny In CIA Disclosure Case

[ruggerson]

http://www.nytimes.com/2005/07/11/politics/11cnd-rove.html?ei=5094&en=5040c3f3cc9a86d2&hp=&ex=1121140800&adxnnl=1&partner=homepage&adxnnlx=1121132535-s7l2OEP0BoBVvxPyYtxvvQ

By DAVID STOUT
Published: July 11, 2005
WASHINGTON, July 11 - The White House went on the defensive today amid a barrage of questions from Democrats and reporters about the presidential adviser Karl Rove and whether he had disclosed the name of a covert intelligence operative in retaliation for criticism of the administration's Iraq policy.

President Bush's chief spokesman, Scott McClellan, declined to repeat his earlier assertions that Mr. Rove, the deputy White House chief of staff, had nothing to do with leaking the name of the operative, Valerie Plame of the Central Intelligence Agency, to get back at her husband, a former United States ambassador who had publicly challenged Bush administration policy.

Nor would Mr. McClellan repeat his earlier statements that any White House staff person who had leaked the name should be fired.

"The president directed the White House to cooperate fully with the investigation, and as part of cooperating fully with the investigation, we made a decision that we weren't going to comment on it while it is ongoing," Mr. McClellan said at a news briefing.

[goclark]

1. kick

[Ksec]

2. question for someone who knows this Plame incident

Did the Senate Intelligence Committee report, that supposedly devoted a whole chapter to this , know who the leaker was? Were their findings definitive?

[cal04]

3. When does Novak's name out?

Will any of our media ask about that? I sure hope that's next

[bread_and_roses]

4. I was relieved that maybe I am not as dim as I thought by this sentence:

from the article cited:

Mr. Novak, meanwhile, has appeared to be under no threat of jail, for reasons that are not clear. He has said he will be able to clear things up one day.

Since Judith Miller went to jail I've been even more confused about why Novak is "under no threat of jail." And I was pretty confused to start with on this.

Meanwhile, as joyous as I would be to see the BA crumbling like Barad Dur, I am still not sure that I want to see it at the price of reporters losing the right to protect confidential sources.

Other posters on this Board have put forth some seemingly sound arguements about why Miller's jailing does not necessarly change the previous status quo on that.

I am not unconvinced, but then, I am not totally convinced either. I am uneasy about it, and wish I wasn't. I also wish I had the time to follow that aspect, research it, as closely as I should

Meanwhile, I guess that since my opinion matters not at all, I guess I'll sit back and enjoy the account of that smug shill Scott McClellan with only such a feeble "talking point" to fall back on - I hope he has to eat worms from every reporter he's stonewalled over the past years. (No offense to worms, useful creatures that they are - it's an old children't ditty.)

immediate edit to clarity quoted sentence

[Behind the Aegis]

10. You are not alone.

I just don't understand why Novak is not "in trouble." I understand that the case is complex. I understand that Miller is not protecting Rove. But, does the Novak thing come down to he didn't know she was an operative or what? I really don't understand, other than his close ties to the WH, how he has received a "free pass." It doesn't compute.

[Coastie for Truth]

5. THAT TRAITOR SHOULD COME UNDER SCRUTINY

He compromised Valerie Flame

He compromised her contacts - both US and foreign.

He put their lives at risk.

He blew the cover - directly and indirectly - of American agents.

What he did was worse then anything that Jonathan Jay Pollard or Larry Franklin or Robert Philip Hanssen or Aldrich Ames ever did - and as an aggravating circumstance he did it from the White House - and as a further aggravating circumstance he did it under the cover of being an Assistant Presidential Chief of Staff, and as a still further aggravating circumstance - he did it for political revenge.

FROM A POSITION OF "SPECIAL TRUST AND CONFIDENCE" --- --- --- HE BETRAYED THE TRUST OF THE AMERICAN PEOPLE

[kurtyboy]

8. This is not about revenge--its pure political CYA

This was never so much about hurting Wilson and his wife as much as a lame coverup of the lie that took us to war.

This is about the coverup of the lie!!!

This is about the coverup of the lie!!!

This is about the coverup of the lie!!!

This is about the coverup of the lie!!!

These folks are scrambling to make us think it is all as simple as some political payback scheme--IT AIN'T!!!!

They're fighting for their lives here, literally, and we gotta keep the fire burning.

DONT BUY THE MYTH, keep pressing for answers.

Trust me on this.

[Coastie for Truth]

9. Rove committed war time treason.

War time treason - exposing the cover of not one intelligence asset - but probably many - and putting all of their lives at risk.

This is much worse then anything that Jonathan Jay Pollard or Larry Franklin or Robert Philip Hanssen or Aldrich Ames ever did.

And, Rove didn't do it out of altruism. He did it for crass political motives. Whether for revenge or for a a cover up. Irrelevant. It's TREASON.

And he besmirched the White House - our White House - yours and mine. Worse then Clinton's alleged indiscretions.

Treason committed from the White House.

Treason under the cover of being an Assistant Presidential Chief of Staff.

And whether to effect a cover up or for political revenge. Treason is treason.

Actions that can cause the deaths of intelligence assets is treason.

Actually, I do not believe in Capital Punishment - except for Wartime Treason - that results in the death of an American service person (including intelligence assets) - and is proved "Beyond a Moral Certainty" - not "Beyond A Reasonabke Doubt" but "Beyond A Moral Cartainty."

What Rove needs for Wartime Treason - worse then Pollard - or Franklin - or Hanssen or Benedict Arnold - is a quick shot of thiopental with a dash of Pavulon pancuronium bromide and a pinch of potassium chloride, by the skilled officers at the Texas Department of Corrections in Huntsville, TX-->

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[WhiteTara]

11. I vote for shot on the wh lawn at noon eom

:kick:

[ihelpu2see]

6. I would like to see the news media begin to focus on

Mr. Wilson as the whistle blower, YES, but also then through in the context of the Downing St. Memo to add in to the debate that there is strong corroborative evidence that the Intel was being FIXED. Mr. Wilson had found this out and retribution was being handed out by the admin. Cheney, Libby, Rummy and Rove.... But some young staffer will do the time if anyone...

[OzarkDem]

7. Three years overdue

Where was the corporate news media before now?

[lovuian]

12. Corporate Media exposed!!! Propoganda Machine Exposed!!!

thats whats at the heart of this!!!