Special Prosecutor's Probe Centers on Rove, Memo, Phone Calls

[brettdale]

http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=10000103&sid=awksAN7mYRZY&refer=us

Special Prosecutor's Probe Centers on Rove, Memo, Phone Calls

July 18 (Bloomberg) -- The fate of White House Deputy Chief of Staff Karl Rove may rest with the old Watergate question: What did he know and when did he know it?

Special Prosecutor Patrick Fitzgerald's investigation of the leaking of a Central Intelligence Agency agent's name is now focused on how Rove, one of President George W. Bush's closest advisers, and other administration officials dealt with a key fact in an equally key memo.

[redacted]

1. Thanks for good article with new facts.

[jsamuel]

2. key part = "and other administration officials"

[maddezmom]

3. Ari, Novak, Scooter and Rove

July 7, 2003, informed top administration officials that the wife of ex-diplomat and Bush critic Joseph Wilson was a CIA agent. Seven days later, Wilson's wife, Valerie Plame, was publicly identified as a CIA operative by syndicated columnist Robert Novak.

On the same day the memo was prepared, White House phone logs show Novak placed a call to White House Press Secretary Ari Fleischer, according to lawyers familiar with the case and a witness who has testified before the grand jury. Those people say it isn't clear whether Fleischer returned the call, and Fleischer has refused to comment.

The Novak call may loom large in the investigation because Fleischer was among a group of administration officials who left Washington later that day on a presidential trip to Africa. On the flight to Africa, Fleischer was seen perusing the State Department memo on Wilson and his wife, according to a former administration official who was also on the trip.

In addition, on July 8, 2003, the day after the memo was sent, Novak discussed Wilson and his wife with Rove, who had remained in Washington, according to the New York Times.

[DemReadingDU]

6. Why would Novak call WH on July 7, 2003?

Someone must have called Novak first, then Novak called WH to confirm with Ari Fleischer?

[The White Tree]

4. Conversation between Karl Rove and his wife

per Coopers description of what Rove said to him on the phone.

Rove's Wife: Honey, on the way home can you stop and pick up some eggs, bread, milk, cookies.

Rove: Sure honey, but I may be a little late, have some extra work to do in the office. I love you. I've already said too much.<click>

I mean, honestly, how could you interpret that to mean he had to go? Sounds like Cooper is hedging to me. Sounds like Rove knew or at least thought after he said it that he probably should not have made the comment.

[bear425]

5. I know! That didn't pass the smell test with me either. n/t

[rateyes]

7. I still don't understand why, even in this great

article, only the 1982 law against revealing an undercover operatives name is referenced. Why not the Espionage Act? It strictly forbids the sharing of ANY classified information--i.e. the Memo Powell took with him on AF-1 with ANY non-authorized person. What the hell is Fleischer reading it for? You can't tell me that a press secretary has clearance to see it. So, that's crime #1. And, if Fleischer shares it with reporters---crime #2---And, if reporters, (as Rove says, but contradicted by Novak) shares it with Rove, LIbby----crime #3--Novak is a spy against the U.S.--as is Fleischer, as is Powell, etc. etc. etc.

ANY person, authorized or unauthorized who has CLASSIFIED info that can harm the U.S. and reveals it(that memo certainly qualifies)is guilty of this law--and, anyone trying to cover up such crime, even if they didn't personally share the info--is also guilty of the crime.


Isn't it funny that everyone is saying "yeah, I saw it, but, no I didn't tell anyone."

Again, befuddled as to why no one is referencing this law.

[slutticus]

8. "In addition, there is strong reason to believe...

...that Fitzgerald is hunting big game, according to several legal experts."

:D

[buddha8]

9. smirking chimp

While this story is clearly heating up people I beleive should read Mike Whitney's column over a theSmirkingChimp.com. It is chilling. Bush now has the freedom to deploy the U.S. Military in American cities if he 'perceives a threat'. The National Security Service under John Negroponte is now consolidating folks. What we have here is the clear beginnings of a new SS or domestic Police force ala the Gestapo. They are beholden to no one but the President. This means they can arrest en masse dissidents in the street, dissappear anyone they perceive as a threat which ofcourse would include journalists,dissidents, partisans etc.

This is the last step in the consolidation of a new American facism. People are not taking this seriously. That this law passed so easily while all this other stuff is going on is frightening. Guess what. If this rove thing gets to close to Bush he can now simply start arresting people and claim that National security is being threatened. And he can do it legally. People are still in very deep denial on just how far all this has gone.

[ClintonTyree]

10. I hope Fitz isn't giving the rest of the cabal a pass........

I know he's concentrating on Rove, but it seems there are multiple felons here. Scooter, Ari, Cheney......christ, you need a scorecard to keep the whole mess of liars straight!
I'm sure Fitz is doing a good job though, he's no dummy and he isn't going to leave any rock unturned (which is where the entire bush administration dwells, under rocks.)

[paineinthearse]

11. .

:kick:

Pardon, I was away, but would have given this its 3rd "greatest" nomination.