Rep. Holt claims support for CIA leak probe

[NewJerseyDem]

http://www.thehill.com/news/020404/holt.aspx

Rep. Rush Holt (D-N.J.) said this week that Republican lawmakers, including members of the House intelligence committee, have told him privately that he is “doing the right thing” to call for a congressional probe into the White House leak of an undercover CIA operative’s identity — but that they could not support his effort publicly.

Holt, a member of the committee, introduced a resolution last month that would require the White House to turn over all records related to the disclosure of Valerie Plame’s identity. He said some of these Republicans “shifted their eyes to the Speaker’s chair” when saying they could not support his initiative. The resolution failed in committee, losing 10 to 3.

Former ambassador Joseph Wilson, Plame’s husband, said that he has talked in private with Senate and House Republicans and that “they understand that this is not a partisan issue, it is a national security issue.”

Wilson said some GOP lawmakers he talked to showed “real consternation this could have happened under a Republican administration.”

[Eric J in MN]

1. Rush Holt said the same thing about the Voter Confidence Act,

Rush Holt said the same thing about the Voter Confidence Act (a paper trail bill he introduced, HR2239) that Republicans he spoke to privately said they agree with it, but said they can't do anything without the House leadership acting first.

[buycitgo]

2. john dean has article on this......says it could be bad for dems

says the same thing that happened w/Iran Contra is likely to occur here:

pugs get immunized in congress and Fitzgerald's office will not be able to proscute the new Ollie Norths/Poindexters