Does Rove have high security clearance?

[Dookus]

I'm wondering about this....

Since Rove is in the political office, not policy, does he have the security clearance that would've allowed him to know Plame's CIA status?

The reason this is important is because the law against naming operatives only applies to people who have such access.

My fear is that Rove does NOT have this access, and will be able to simply point to somebody else and say "he told me", or even worse, "it was such common knowledge, I don't even remember who first mentioned it - but everybody knew."

[sistersofmercy]

1. Good point!

My first thought was, well, he would most likely know through someone else. I think even if he is the rat and fingers another for revealing her identity to him, he would still go down for it but obviously take others with him. If Rove goes down, he won't go down alone, I think.

[Bozita]

2. Rove IS high security clearance.

Rove runs that White House like none of his predecessors.

He makes all of the political calls.

It just happens that all of the WH policy decisions have political ramifications.

[Dookus]

3. Perhaps...

but if he doesn't have the legal clearance to know about Plame's CIA status, then he cannot be prosecuted. Only people WITH such clearance who reveal the information are liable.

[Dookus]

4. bump...

I really hope somebody knows the answer to this. It will really decide whether Rove gets "frog-marched" outta the White House or whether he sits back and laughs.

[maggrwaggr]

5. that's a very interesting question

but one would assume within about 99.9% that he would have the highest security clearance there is.

As high as the president's, right? It wouldn't make sense if he didn't.

God, it just hit me how really weird to think of George Idiot Bush with that kind of security clearance. My Dad had a really high security clearancein the Army and it's really weird to think that this IDIOT FOOL MONKEY has the highest security clearance there is.

Scary. Surreal.

[Dookus]

6. yes...

my first thought was "of course he has that clearance". But the more I thought about it, the more I questioned it.

He IS the political director, after all. That may not confer automatic clearance. Second, he may just be smart enough to have protected himself, legally, by NOT having such clearance.

[Dookus]

7. kick

I'm really hoping somebody here knows the answer.