CIA letter to Rep Conyers; Jan 30 2004 -- White House had 67 days to align

[understandinglife]

Earlier today, DUer 'hang a left' posted a thread entitled "I love DU - from the archives-WH was notified SEPT. 26- 4 DAYS TO OBSTRUCT!!":

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=104x4194532

See the comments for some useful historical details.

Began digging for further details and, no surprise, found google pointing me to Talking Points Memo where Josh Marshall has covered some interesting and relevant past history on this matter.

The link to a copy of the letter from the CIA to Congressman Conyers:
http://www.talkingpointsmemo.com/docs/plame.cia.letter.pdf

Josh had posted the letter a year and a half ago, in which the CIA's Director of Congressional Affairs highlights the Agency's multiple attempts to get the Ashcroft Justice Department to do something about the Plame leak.

At the time of posting the letter, he summarized the following:

"According to the letter the CIA first contacted Justice by phone on July 24th, 2003. They followed up on July 30th, 2003 with a letter advising them of a possible violation of criminal law and informing them that they had opened their own investigation.

The folks at the CIA seem not to have gotten an altogether satisfactory response to the July 30th letter because they again sent the letter, by fax, on September 5th, 2003.

Then on September 16, 2003 they contacted Justice yet again to inform them that they (i.e., CIA) had completed their investigation. They provided a memo summarizing their findings and requested that the FBI begin a criminal investigation of the matter.

Finally on September 29th, Justice notified the CIA that they had in fact begun an investigation."

http://www.talkingpointsmemo.com/archives/week_2004_02_01.php#002527

Here is the link to today's reminder of these events:

http://www.talkingpointsmemo.com/archives/week_2005_07_24.php#006161

So, the boys and girls at the White House and the Justice Department didn't have just 12 hours, or 84 hours to get their stories straight. They had from July 24, 2003, i.e., 10 days after Novak's article, to align.

Mr Fitzgerald must be one fantastic prosecutor to have managed to gather enough info to convince those judges of the national security implications of outing Ms Plame. Perhaps he's just a good listener, because one thing you know for certain, if you let Bush and the neoconsters talk for more than a few sentences you are going to hear a lie.

WATCH IT; SPREAD IT http://www.bushflash.com/right.html

Peace.

www.missionnotaccomplished.us - How ever long it takes, the day must come when tens of millions of caring individuals peacefully but persistently defy the dictator, deny the corporatists their cash flow, and halt the evil being done in Iraq and in all the other places the Bu$h neoconster regime is destroying civilization and the environment in the name of "America."

[understandinglife]

1. Congressman Conyers latest blog at Huffington Post and letter

07.26.2005 Rep. John Conyers

What About the Ten Week Gap?

Going back a couple of years, I wrote two letters on September 29, 2003 about Treasongate. The first was a public letter (http://www.house.gov/judiciary_democrats/agleakcianameltr92903.pdf) -- to the Department of Justice asking for a Special Prosecutor (I think I was the first Member of Congress to ask, but I have no illusions that my letter forced their hand).

The second (http://www.house.gov/judiciary_democrats/cialeakinfoltr92903.pdf) was not a public letter. It was to Central Intelligence Agency Director George Tenet. I was troubled by reports that the DOJ was, to put it mildly, being less than responsive to the CIA concerns about the leak. The response I received (http://www.house.gov/judiciary_democrats/cialeakinforesp13004.pdf), reported way back then by Josh Marshall of Talkingpointsmemo on a Friday night (it is amazing how I always get the most valuable responses to my letters on Friday nights), added some stunning detail to the Justice Department's footdragging. Mr. Marshall reminds us about the story today.

The letter indicates that the Central Intelligence Agency was repeatedly stonewalled by the DOJ and, in fact, couldn’t even get their letters answered or calls returned. Here are some details:

More at the link:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/theblog/archive/john-conyers/what-about-the-ten-week-g_4723.html

Raw Story is now covering this, as well:
http://rawstory.com/news/2005/Judiciary_Democrats_seek__investigation_into_12hour_0726.html

Peace.

www.missionnotaccomplished.us

[mod mom]

2. Conyers and his staff are as sharp as tacks. Is 78 years young really too

for president? I have interacted with Conyers house judiciary staff and I will say they are not only impressive, but down to earth and approachable! Glad these determined patriots are on our side.

Thanks to you UL for your continued excellent posts!

[understandinglife]

4. He would be an outstanding President at 90!

Thank you.


Peace.

www.missionnotaccomplished.us

[mod mom]

7. but we will need a real leader when bu$h and the complicit rethugs fall +

since Kerry conceded w/o a fight, perhaps we do not have to wait for 2 years. Since the last election was a total fraud, which will be proven as soon as the thugs fall, why not push for a real leader who has fought even in our darkest hours, unafraid of the neocons or the labels placed upon us by MSM.

[understandinglife]

28. I agree and I would be delighted if Congressman Conyers were President ...

... now. In fact, he has proven himself more worthy of that position than anyone else in this Nation, today.


Peace.

www.missionnotaccomplished.us

[fooj]

14. He is a wise, experienced patriot!

I know a few Americans like that...:pals:

Peace.

[hiley]

15. mod mom

I am with you, he would be a most excellent President and bring the staff along.
Hiley

[understandinglife]

3. July 26, 2005 Letter to Inspector General Fine

July 26, 2005

Dear Inspector General Fine:

We write to request that you immediately commence an investigation of the Department of Justice's handling of the investigation of the leak of the identity of a covert CIA operative's identity by high-ranking Administration officials. Press reports and other information obtained by House Judiciary Committee Democrats appear to demonstrate that on at least two separate occasions, DOJ personnel acted to permit delays in the investigation, which may have resulted in the loss or destruction of critical evidence.

First, over this past weekend we learned that then-White House Counsel Alberto Gonzales received what appears to be a "heads-up" about the commencement of the investigation from Justice Department officials in the evening of September 29. Through White House staff, he asked DOJ personnel if it was permissible to wait an additional 12 hours to notify the White House staff of the investigation and presumably direct the staff to preserve all relevant documents and records relating to the inquiry. According to Mr. Gonzales, "Department of Justice lawyers" gave their assent to this delay:

I specifically had our lawyers go back to the Department of Justice lawyers and ask them, "Do you want us to notify the staff now, immediately or would it be okay to notify the staff early in the morning?" And we were advised, go ahead and notify the staff early in the morning, that would be okay.

Notwithstanding this request, Mr. Gonzales informed the White House Chief of Staff Andrew Card about the investigation. It is not yet known who the White House Chief of Staff advised about the investigation prior to the Counsel's official notification twelve hours later.

For example, this twelve hour head start is a clear and troubling departure from Department practice. When White House contacts with Enron became essential to that investigation, then-Deputy Attorney General Christopher Wray immediately directed the White House to preserve all e-mails, memos, notes, letters and other documents from Enron employees or "any individual acting officially or unofficially, directly or indirectly on behalf" of the company. Less than an hour after receiving the directive, Mr. Gonzales issued an "administrative alert" directing officials to comply.4

Second, we previously received information about a similar delay with respect to the original criminal referral of this matter by the Central Intelligence Agency. In a letter to Ranking member Conyers, dated January 30, 2004 (enclosed), the CIA describes repeated delays and inaction by the Department. The Agency notes that Executive Order 12333 requires the Central Intelligence Agency to report to the Attorney General "possible violations of criminal law." Pursuant to this requirement, according to the letter, the CIA did the following:

On July 24, 2003, a CIA attorney left a phone message for the Chief of the Counterespionage Section of the Department of Justice noting his concern with recent stories apparently exposing the identity of Valerie Plame, an employee of the agency working under cover. There was apparently no response from the Department.

On July 30, 2003, the CIA reported to the Criminal Division of the DOJ a possible violation of criminal law concerning the unauthorized disclosure of classified information. There was apparently no response from the Department.

The CIA again transmitted their concerns by facsimile on September 5, 2003.

On September 16, in accordance with the Agency's standard practice in these matters, the CIA advised the Department that it had completed its own investigation of the matter, provided a memorandum setting forth the results of the investigation and requested that the FBI undertake a criminal investigation of the matter.

Finally, on September 29, 2003-sixty-seven days after the initial concerns were expressed by CIA employees-the DOJ responded and advised the CIA that the Counterespionage Division had requested that the FBI initiate an investigation of this matter.

Thus, it appears, that not only did DOJ personnel countenance a 12-hour delay in notifying White House staff to preserve all records (while the White House Chief of Staff was given a heads up of the existence of the investigation), but that the DOJ also appears to have ignored repeated entreaties from the CIA to initiate a law enforcement investigation into this matter several months before hand. We would therefore urge you to examine the extent that this course of conduct and other delays by the Department are consistent with standards of prosecutorial conduct and integrity.

Please respond to us at your earliest convenience though the Judiciary Committee Minority Office, 2142 Rayburn House Office Building, Washington, DC 20515.

Peace.

www.missionnotaccomplished.us

[understandinglife]

21. Names of the members of Congress who signed the letter:

John Conyers, Jr.

Bill Delahunt

Rick Boucher

Sheila Jackson Lee

Marty Meehan

Chris Van Hollen

Jerrold Nadler

Robert Wexler

Anthony Weiner

Bobby Scott

You may want to call or email them and thank them.


Peace.

www.missionnotaccomplished.us

[Nothing Without Hope]

5. So they had TWO MONTHS to clean things up. Guess I have to write

AGAIN. Wish I had known that earlier.

Good work as always, UL.

[EFerrari]

10. Wow, just wow. You could feel the tension building, though

as soon as the WH talking points began to finger intellegence.

Tenet took one for the team -- and managed to get out before the investigation really got underway. He was nobody's fool.

[Nothing Without Hope]

6. The public report that the CIA asked the DOJ to investigate was on

Sept 26, not Sept 29, as pointed out in the links found in the first thread that you cite:
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=104x4194532

Now we find out that in fact, the WH knew the investigation would happen long before this. The famous 12 hour gap really does look like a red herring - something to draw the investigation into a dead end.

[understandinglife]

8. Yes. Gonzales didn't "slip" on Sunday; that was just a distraction ...

... to the amply documented, very active suppression (cover-up) by the White House and DoJ of an investigation.

The CIA did their own investigation any way. So, one can begin to imagine all the inconsistencies that Mr Fitzgerald may well have uncovered during his investigation. Couple that with the obvious national security implications of the leaks and it's no wonder the judges did all they could to help him get indictments.

It is time for whomever in the Senate still serves the Constitution and the American people to take a walk to 1600 Pennsylvania Ave and tell Bush and Cheney to resign.

Otherwise, it is time for millions of Americans to knock on the door of the White House and peacefully escort Bush, Cheney and their neoconster hoodlums to the nearest jail for incarceration prior to trial.


Peace.

www.missionnotaccomplished.us

[Just Me]

9. *LOL* I'm sure Fitzgerald is an especially exceptional "listener".

:rofl:

Heck, what would a cover-up of a cover-up of a cover-up of a,...be called? Cover-up cubed?

:rofl:

Good grief,...could we count on one hand REAL facts revealed by this administration? I just don't think so. Crazy!!!

[Nothing Without Hope]

11. I tried to email Frank Rich at the NYT about this, but mail was

undeliverable. The address I used was from Congress.org:
[e-mail]

Does anyone have a valid email address for Frank Rich?

I also emailed Keith Olbermann and Brad of Bradblog.

[understandinglife]

13. Didn't work for me, either. I fax'd him the info. Thanks for sending ...

... to the others. I've also sent it to Larry Johnson and David Swanson, just so they know it is receiving increasing attention.


Peace.

www.missionnotaccomplished.us

[Junkdrawer]

12. Mr. Rove, of course I understand..Oh, care for some more rope???

:evilgrin:

[understandinglife]

16. And then we have the forgetful Bolton ....

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2005/7/26/163648/643

http://www.peacecandy.com/gwbush/remindus
REMIND US

Peace.

www.missionnotaccomplished.us - How ever long it takes, the day must come when tens of millions of caring individuals peacefully but persistently defy the dictator, deny the corporatists their cash flow, and halt the evil being done in Iraq and in all the other places the Bu$h neoconster regime is destroying civilization and the environment in the name of "America."

[understandinglife]

26. And, Novak, suffered some amnesia today, as well ....

From Think Progress:

Bob Novak Lies Again

Here’s what Bob Novak just told Candy Crowley on CNN:

NOVAK: “I can’t — I can’t tell anything I ever talked to Karl Rove about, because I don’t even think I talked to him about anything, even the time of day, on the record.”

Oh really?

Bob Novak op-ed, The New York Post, May 3, 1999

“According to Iowa sources, Rove asked for cancellation of this year’s vote. Iowa Republican Chairman Kayne Robinson declined, though voting this time will be limited to Iowans. Rove, however, told me he definitely made no cancellation request and merely joked about busing in Texans.”

More at the link including comments from a troll whom is readily squashed:

http://thinkprogress.org/2005/07/26/bob-novak-lies-again

Oh, and Bobbie boy, just whom is that next to you?


AP Photo/Lauren Shay

Peace.

www.missionnotaccomplished.us

[understandinglife]

17. Brad Blog: CIA LETTER: DOJ Ignored CIA Leak Investigation Request for 67

... DAYS:

http://www.bradblog.com/archives/00001630.htm


Peace.

www.missionnotaccomplished.us

[hang a left]

18. Kudos to you.

So really the date is September 16, 2003 that the criminal referral was sent to the GJ. That is the protocol for investigations of this manner. The CIA completes it's investigation, reports it's findings, and requests a formal inquiry to the Department of Justice.

[paineinthearse]

19. Rep. Conyers' letter to CIA Director Tennent referenced in his blog today

See http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=132x1958612

He references it in a 7/26 letter to Inspector General Fine "...request(ing) that you immediately commence an investigation of the Department of Justice's handling of the investigation of the leak of the identity of a covert CIA operative's identity by high-ranking Administration officials..."

[opusprime]

20. Awesome work!!

The power of this site never ceases to amaze me.

[understandinglife]

24. Hey, welcome to DU, opusprime!!

:hi:



http://www.newsparkproductions.org/

Peace.

www.missionnotaccomplished.us

[EFerrari]

22. kick

[paineinthearse]

23. Summary of HJC (Dems) recent Rovegate efforts

(John Conyers is the ranking member) See http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=132&topic_id=1958735&mesg_id=1958735

[rumpel]

25. On a sidenote: CIA letter clearly says an employee operating under cover,

Pat Roberts is still disputing that, he knows better than anyone, this is aiding and abetting a serious crime.

[understandinglife]

27. Excellent catch!! Yes, Senator Roberts is not only spinning he's now ...

.... an accomplice in the ongoing crime(s).

One thing for sure, these folk are a bonanza for the legal profession -- can you just imagine how many millions of hours of fees they're going to generate.

Here's my email alerting some to this salient issue:

July 26, 2005

Good afternoon ....,

In an exchange at DU, rumpel noted something so glaringly obvious, that I needed to be sure that it is both highlighted and spread far and wide -- reason being, the obvious is often missed.

In the letter from Stanley Moskowitz, Director of Congressional Affairs, CIA, to Congressman Conyers on 30 January, 2004, the first paragraph explicitly states "... to request an investigation of the disclosure earlier that year of an employee operating under cover."

That is an unambiguous statement by an official of the CIA that the "employee" for which the CIA had been attempting to convince the DoJ to open an investigation, was "operating under cover."

Senator Pat Roberts and all the other folk, who persist in obscuring the nature and scale of the crimes (destroying Ms Plame's cover, the intelligence infrastructure associated in any way with her and endangering her and anyone who ever was associated with her) by spinning the nature of Valerie Plame's CIA covert status are, thereby, actively aiding and abetting the perpetrators of those crimes.

They should be indicted, as well.

Peace,

p.s. Referenced DU thread:
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=104&topic_id=4196003&mesg_id=4198176

Peace.

www.missionnotaccomplished.us

[understandinglife]

29. And, someone should explain to shills like Bay Buchanan, that they ....

... are aiding and abetting when they spin to cover-up crimes against our national security.

Brad Blog just covered the following:

VIDEO - Bay Buchanan on TreasonGate: 'No There There'

Unprecedented Outting of CIA Operative by White House no 'Real Problem' According to GOP Pundit/Apologist

Bay Buchanan gets busy. Today she was helping the White House and the Republican Party minimize the implications of the National Security breach committed by the unprecendented White House outting of a covert CIA asset. One who had been working with the agency on WMD, we might add.

She blamed the media, of course, for "turn this into some kind of a scandal."

Link at Brad Blog to the video:

http://www.bradblog.com/archives/00001634.htm

They are all traitors. They all support the destruction of our national security infrastructure in order to continue the perpetration of the liars whom are responsible for our soldiers dying and suffering in an illegal war and occupation.


Peace.

www.missionnotaccomplished.us

[ellenfl]

30. i noticed that too.

CIA letter clearly says an employee operating under cover

i guess that means that the cia was actively trying to preserve vp's cover.

ellen fl

[Independent_Liberal]

31. Kick!

[bleever]

32. DU means: following promising avenues of inquiry, and

running into great minds with whom you have the pleasure of previous acquaintance.

UL, I just hope your professional life isn't suffering from the very well-spent time you invest in fleshing out these bleeding-edge stories.

I just made a post about why Gonzales' phone call to Card was really unnecessary, and here you've got it all spread out on the table.

You, sir, are a jewel in the watch of DU.

:patriot:

[understandinglife]

34. I am truly touched by your comments. My 'professional life' and my ...

... 'life-long bioscience pursuits' demand that I take up this battle, now.

We will have no science of living systems if these traitorous, treacherous, anti-science, anti-humanity, anti-civilization, evil creatures prevail.

What I do at DU is done for the sake of humanity, our Constitution and the protection of the ability of future generations to study and expand our understanding and our respect for life.

Peace, my friend.

And, "I believe" ......

[Just Me]

33. .

:7