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07/22/2005: Double Super Secret Background...
From yesterday’s Washington Post We now know at least one more puzzle piece about the memo on Valerie Plame’s classification in the CIA: “SECRET”” The paragraph identifying her as the wife of former ambassador Joseph C. Wilson IV was clearly marked to show that it contained classified material at the "secret" level, two sources said. The CIA classifies as "secret" the names of officers whose identities are covert, according to former senior agency officials.
Anyone reading that paragraph should have been aware that it contained secret information, though that designation was not specifically attached to Plame's name and did not describe her status as covert, the sources said. It is a federal crime, punishable by up to 10 years in prison, for a federal official to knowingly disclose the identity of a covert CIA official if the person knows the government is trying to keep it secret.”
It's not merely whether Traitor Karl “Turd” Rove is the only "source" of this leak. Even "discussing" "double super secret background" information with non-classified clearance folks = violation of his ethical Non-Disclosure Agreement and Executive Orders and other moral lapses.
It's would indeed be a *shame* if Rove is not *punished* for those violations that are crystal CLEAR from the e-mail and testimony of Matt Cooper concerning the discussion he had with Ole “Turd” about this classified topic.
Moreover, IF this entire defense of "Turd" is constituted by the phrase: "Yeah, I heard that too" in a conversation that covers TWO MINUTES. That's a LONG time - Try sitting and watching your clock go by and see just how LONG that is. If that's all that was *supposedly* said in a conversation that lasts TWO MINUTES.
Rove is a Dirty Scum Bucket Political Hack (and discusser) of information he should have known was not appropriate to discuss with reporters. This story is long from over and the Icing on the Cake will be the form of any indictments forthcoming from Fitzgerald’s office.
Can’t wait to see those indictments.
Update: The NY Times has this latest entry: For Two Aides in Leak Case, 2nd Issue Rises into the Traitor Rove-gate issues.
Click on the "more" button to read below the fold on this Update
”…The work done by Mr. Rove and Mr. Libby on the Tenet statement during this intense period has not been previously disclosed. People who have been briefed on the case discussed this critical time period and the events surrounding it to demonstrate that Mr. Rove and Mr. Libby were not involved in an orchestrated scheme to discredit Mr. Wilson or disclose the undercover status of his wife, Valerie Wilson, but were intent on clarifying the use of intelligence in the president's address. Those people who have been briefed requested anonymity because prosecutors have asked them not to discuss matters under investigation…”
I’m not sure if this really matters… their supposedly “benign intent”, as this article states it as being: …”not involved in an orchestrated scheme to discredit Mr. Wilson or disclose the undercover status of his wife, Valerie Wilson, but were intent on clarifying the use of intelligence in the president's address.” in what amounts to discussing KNOWN classified information (which according to Matt Cooper was described as “soon to be declassified”) with NON-Security Clearance Times Reporters for receiving such Classified information.
And the second page concludes: ”In addition to ferreting out the original leak, the grand jury is examining the truthfulness of its witnesses, comparing each account with previous testimony. One apparent area of interest is the conflicting accounts given by Mr. Rove and Matthew Cooper, a Time magazine correspondent who has said he spoke to Mr. Rove about Ms. Wilson, about why they spoke on July 11, 2003.
Mr. Rove, said a source familiar with his testimony, told prosecutors that the conversation began under the pretext of discussing welfare reform.
But Mr. Cooper said he had no record or memory of actually talking to Mr. Rove about welfare reform, instead only discussing the Wilson case in their brief chat. The grand jury focused on that apparent discrepancy, Mr. Cooper wrote in an account in Time this week.”
Still see indictments possible in "Turd's" and "Scooter's" Future...and Prison Orange. :-)
Karen on 07.22.05 @ 08:25 AM CST
