How the White House Shielded Leakers of Plame's Identity

[babylonsister]

http://www.politicalcortex.com/story/2007/3/23/5253/54611

How the White House Shielded Leakers of Plame's Identity Email Print

By Goverup
03/26/2007 04:29:55 PM EST

Notwithstanding testimony a week ago by James Knodell, Director of the White House Office of Security, evidence suggests that the White House did, actually, investigate the leak of classified information about Valerie Plame's covert CIA identity; but, only after President Bush revised security clearance laws in ways that would get leakers - and himself - off the hook. Rather than have Knodell investigate, it appears Bush tasked Joshua Bolten, then Director of the Office of Managment and Budget (OMB), to provide oversight of the process, per a little noticed Executive Order.

Overall, the evidence suggests a deliberate attempt by the President to legitimize staff leaks and to insulate the leakers from meaningful accountability.

Rep. Henry Waxman Demands Answers from Joshua Bolten

On March 16 letter, Rep. Waxman (D- Calif.) wrote to Joshua Bolten, currently White House Chief of Staff, stating in part:

The testimony of Mr. Knodell appears to describe White House decisions that were inconsistent with the directives of Executive Order 12958, which you signed in March 2003. Under this executive order, the White House is required to "take appropriate and prompt corrective action" whenever there is a release of classified information. Yet Mr. Knodell could describe no such actions after the disclosure of Ms. Wilson's identity.

In closing, Waxman tasked Bolten to do the following things:

(1) to investigate how the leak occurred; (2) to review the security clearances of the White House officials implicated in the leak; (3) to impose administrative or disciplinary sanctions on the officials involved in the leak; and (4) to review and revise existing White House security procedures to prevent future breaches of national security.

But, while Congress, Fitzgerald and the public were slowly learning about how the leaks occurred, the White House was busy insulating itself from accountability and, perhaps, from being forced to disclose what it did - and did not - do. Here, step by step, is how that was done.

STEP 1: Bush Revises Classification and Declassification Authorities to Allow the Vice President to Delegate Authorities to His Staff - March 25, 2003

Context: After Bill Moyers interviewed Joseph Wilson on February 28, a meeting was held in the office of the Vice President, on March 9, where a decision was made to discredit Wilson.

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[Morgana LaFey]

1. Hey! Who can't kick this?? Darn, this is good stuff, folks.

KICK

[ninkasi]

2. How disgusting

We are now living under an administration that is more corrupt than any Mafia family, or street gang, could conceive of. The Bush administration's legacy will be one of absolute corruption, destruction of the Constitution, and the Bill of Rights. Worst administration ever. We are at the lowest point in American history, due to the unbridled lust for money and power of the conservatives who support Bushco.

[steve2470]

3. k&r nt