The Latest In The Non-Leak Story

I haven't blogged too much on the latest happenings in the Plame world but with some news coming out recently I figured it was about time.  First, Wizbang gives a great rundown on the history of this thing:

1. The Wilsons arranged for Joseph Wilson to take the trip to Africa on behalf of the CIA for their own reasons. Whether this was to jump-start his career or make a political attack against the Bush administration is unknown.
2. Wilson himself began politicizing his trip when he started lying about two things: who chose him to go, and what he found.
3. The exposing of Plame's employment at the CIA was a direct consequence of her and her husband's actions, intended to prove the lies Wilson was telling about who sent him and what he found.
4. Although he has not publicly stated so, the actions of Special Prosecutor Fitzgerald indicate that he does not believe that the publicity that Plame worked for the CIA violated any laws.
5. Scooter Libby is once again proof of the old adage that "it isn't the crime, but the coverup." If Libby had simply told the truth about telling the truth about Joe Wilson's lies, he most likely wouldn't be under indictment.

Then we have Robert Novak coming out swinging since be given the a-ok to begin speaking again :

[...]For nearly the entire time of his investigation, Fitzgerald knew — independent of me — the identity of the sources I used in my column of July 14, 2003. A federal investigation was triggered when I reported that former Ambassador Joseph Wilson's wife, Valerie Plame Wilson, was employed by the CIA and helped initiate his 2002 mission to Niger. That Fitzgerald did not indict any of these sources may indicate his conclusion that none of them violated the Intelligence Identities Protection Act.

[...]The news broke Sept. 26, 2003, that the Justice Department was investigating the CIA leak case. I contacted my longtime attorney, Lester Hyman, who brought his partner at Swidler Berlin, James Hamilton, into the case. Hamilton urged me not to comment publicly on the case, and I have followed that advice for the most part.

The FBI soon asked to interview me, prompting my first major decision. My attorneys advised me that I had no certain constitutional basis to refuse cooperation if subpoenaed by a grand jury. To do so would make me subject to imprisonment and inevitably result in court decisions that would diminish press freedom, all at heavy personal legal costs.

I was interrogated at the Swidler Berlin offices Oct. 7, 2003, by an FBI inspector and two agents. I had not identified my sources to my attorneys, and I told them I would not reveal them to the FBI. I did disclose how Valerie Wilson's role was reported to me, but the FBI did not press me to disclose my sources.

[...]In these four appearances with federal authorities, I declined to answer when the questioning touched on matters beyond the CIA leak case. Neither the FBI nor the special prosecutor pressed me.

I have revealed Rove's name because his attorney has divulged the substance of our conversation, though in a form different from my recollection. I have revealed Harlow's name because he has publicly disclosed his version of our conversation, which also differs from my recollection. My primary source has not come forward to identify himself.

When I testified before the grand jury, I was permitted to read a statement that I had written expressing my discomfort at disclosing confidential conversations with news sources. It should be remembered that the special prosecutor knew their identities and did not learn them from me.

In my sworn testimony, I said what I have contended in my columns and on television: Joe Wilson's wife's role in instituting her husband's mission was revealed to me in the middle of a long interview with an official who I have previously said was not a political gunslinger. After the federal investigation was announced, he told me through a third party that the disclosure was inadvertent on his part.

Following my interview with the primary source, I sought out the second administration official and the CIA spokesman for confirmation. I learned Valerie Plame's name from Joe Wilson's entry in "Who's Who in America."

I considered his wife's role in initiating Wilson's mission, later confirmed by the Senate Intelligence Committee, to be a previously undisclosed part of an important news story. I reported it on that basis.

And then he went on Fox News with this interview.  The whole 13 minute interview is below (best viewed on firefox)

[gv data="http://www.floppingaces.net/novakhume3.flv"][/gv]

Joe Wilson's lie that Cheney sent him to Niger was the first lie in a long list of lies.  Then the lies about what he found in Niger were another brick in the wall of lies.  His outrage over the "outing" of his supposed covert wife was just another feeble attempt to continue on his mission, the bringing down of the Bush Administration.

Now what do we have, a obviously partisan Special Prosecutor charging Libby for perjury….not ONE person charged for the leak of Plame's name because she was so obviously NOT covert.  Too many people knew she was a CIA agent to seriously consider her covert. 

The big story to me is how in the world can the left still be so upset about this non-leak while they care little that there papers did major damage to our national security by leaking the SWIFT program and the wiretap programs. 

Other's Blogging:

• The Discerning Texan
• Iowa Voice
• Newsbusters
• Gateway Pundit
• JustOneMinute
• Expose The Left