Investigators ask officials to free reporters from confidentiality

[hobbes159]

MSNBC and NBC News
Updated: 6:35 p.m. ET Jan. 02, 2004
WASHINGTON - The FBI is focusing on the White House as the probable source of the unauthorized disclosure of the identity an undercover CIA officer and has asked staffers to sign a form releasing reporters from any promises of confidentiality they may have made to their sources, NBC News has learned.

Legal experts said that while the signed forms would almost certainly have no legal standing, they could be used to push journalists, possibly under threat of subpoena, to disclose who was responsible for revealing the covert status of former CIA operative Valerie Plame.

<snip>

Justice Department officials told NBC News that the FBI could not conduct a thorough inquiry without being able to investigate the reporters involved in the leak, but legal experts said the request appeared to be unprecedented.

<snip>

Other experts said the form would most likely have no standing in court because judges have found that the reporter-source privilege belongs to the journalist and is not the source’s to renounce.
Nor would any reputable journalist be likely to comply anyway, they said.

http://msnbc.msn.com/id/3840566/
********************

Interesting tactic...

[grytpype]

1. Finally.

This is great news. It's the obvious thing to do. Maybe Novak will keep his sacred trust (i.e., will continue to protect Rove et al.) but I'll bet at least one reporter comes forward.

I've been saying we'd know the leakers by summer, looks like it'll be by Valentine's Day!

[Green4Dean]

2. Better story...

http://www.time.com/time/nation/article/0,8599,570189,00.html

The CIA Agent Flap: FBI Asks for Reporters to Talk
Investigators are pressing Administration officials to let journalists tell whatever they know about the leak of a CIA agent's identity
By JOHN F. DICKERSON AND VIVECA NOVAK
Time

[Cocoa]

3. "No reputable journalist would comply"

i.e. Novak could comply.

[fearnobush]

4. Novak could fold. But Rove, never.

This sudden re-exposure of the CIA name leak by the evil admin is timed in Rove fashion. I can smell that rat 300 miles away. 1, Ashcroft steps down and gives the case to Comey on New Years Eve Eve when no one is watching. 2, We have a High Terror alert, with mistaken identities from 6 canceled French flights. Everyone is watching this.
3, We have New Years Eve with no bad guys around blowing us up at home. (Everyone is suppose to be worried) 3, We have the 1st Mad Cow case in the USA last week (Everyone still watching the RNC pundits say how great a job the evil admin is doing in stopping the spread, while, like in South Park, blaming Canada). Not to be naive but, doesn't the timing of this look a little planned??? So may be the Bush does have something to fear, or lose. <http://www.bustbob.com/petition/>

[nadinbrzezinski]

5. That is why you are getting many other

distractions

Look this is starting to reach high... and the list of who leaked what is VERY SHORT... only idiocy like this can bring the boys down.

Weather forecast for the beltway, hot misserable and opresive, and I do not meat the actual weather forecast, just the political one

[NNN0LHI]

6. Didn't Novak reveal a source another time? I don't remember the details

Anyone know? Thanks in advance.

Don

[Fleshdancer]

7. My favorite part of the Time article:

It's plain that White House officials are under some pressure to sign the documents. "They can't refuse," said one individual who's familiar with the case. "The worst thing to be accused of here is not cooperating with the investigation."

Their disgusting actions are finally starting to backfire.

[madfloridian]

8. Couldn't this set a bad precedent for journalists and their sources?

I would think this could be used in ways that might keep people from talking to journalists in the future. That would not be a good scenario.