Karl Rove-Should he stay or should he go?
White House Won't Comment on Any Involvement By Karl Rove in Leak of CIA Agent's Identity
White House spokesman Scott McClellan refused to comment yesterday (July 11th) on any involvement of top presidential adviser Karl Rove in leaking the identity of CIA agent Valerie Plame, saying repeatedly in a contentious news briefing that he couldn't say anything because the leak is under investigation. Reporters continued to press McClellan, pointing out that he'd freely spoken in the past two years about the case, even saying that Rove was not involved, however McClellan refused to budge, saying the investigator had asked the White House not to comment during the probe.
The tough questioning came after Rove's lawyer, Robert Luskin, acknowledged that Rove spoke to Time magazine's Matthew Cooper, one of the reporters who disclosed Plame's name in July 2003. In an e-mail to his bureau chief at the time, Cooper described the conversation, saying Rove told him that former ambassador Joseph Wilson's trip to Africa to investigate administration claims that Saddam Hussein had tried to buy uranium from Niger hadn't been authorized by CIA Director George Tenet or Vice President Dick Cheney. Instead, quote, "it was, [Rove] said, Wilson's wife, who apparently works at the agency on weapons of mass destruction issues, who authorized the trip."
After his trip, Wilson wrote a New York Times Op-ed piece saying the uranium claim was untrue, and he has since charged that he wife's identity as a CIA agent was disclosed in retaliation. Ruskin has said that his client didn't disclose Plame's name, and was just warning Cooper off writing that the CIA or Cheney had authorized the trip, not trying to out Plame.
President Bush has promised to fire anyone found to have leaked Plame's identity, and Democrats yesterday were calling on him to dismiss Rove or at least take away his security clearance. Among them was Senator Minority Leader Harry Reid of Nevada said, "The White House promised if anyone was involved in the Valerie Plame affair, they would no longer be in this administration. I trust they will follow through on this pledge. ... this rises above politics and is about our national security."
During the time of the leak, Rove was Bush's top political adviser, and he now serves as deputy White House chief of staff. Rove is one of Bush's closest confidants, and the president described him publicly as the, quote, "architect" of his re-election.
Do you think Rove is guilty of any wrongdoing?
Should Rove be fired?
posted by Pat Campbell @ 9:50 AM
4 comments
4 Comments:
Was Rove responsible for the CIA agent's identity being revealed to the public? No, Cooper (Rove's source) printed his story AFTER Novak had already revealed the agent. ONLY IF Rove was Novak's source would he be guilty.
Interesting how Rove is being investigated by a prosecutor for this very crime yet he's already been found guilty by liberals. Yet detainees in Guantamo Bay who have been captured on the battlefield are presumed innocent by these same liberals.
antiliberal
Antiliberal, good point about the Gitmo detainees. The Liberals don't consider them enemy combatants because they weren't wearing "real" uniforms. Heck, they probably don't consider the homice bombers as enemy combatants either because they weren't any witnesses to prove that they actually saw them "do it" and they are now targeting Iraqui civilians, not U.S. soldiers. Maybe they should send the ACLU to defend the rights of the bombers to "express themselves freely."
I think it would be prudent to temporarily lift his security clearance. I think given the evidence that it might be premature to ask for a resignation. However, if he turns out to be Novak's source as well -- he should be fired and charged with something serious.
If Rove is found to have leaked this agents identity he should go, period. Outting an undercover agent is surely a crime of the highest order. Lives were put at risk, this is an outrage!
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