http://www.guardian.co.uk/uslatest/story/0,1282,-3211957,00.htmlFBI Opens Probe of Bush Staff on CIA Leak
Wednesday October 1, 2003 1:31 AM
By TERENCE HUNT
AP White House Correspondent
WASHINGTON (AP) - The FBI began a full-scale criminal investigation Tuesday into whether White House officials illegally leaked the identity of an undercover CIA officer, and President Bush ordered his staff to cooperate with the first major probe of his administration.
Democrats demanded the appointment of a special outside counsel but Bush resisted. ``I'm absolutely confident that the Justice Department can do a good job,'' he said on a re-election fund-raising stop in Chicago.
``If somebody did leak classified information, I'd like to know it and we'll take the appropriate action,'' Bush said. ``And this investigation is a good thing.''
Democratic leaders said Attorney General John Ashcroft was too close to the White House to conduct an impartial investigation. ``We don't have confidence in John Ashcroft ... and we know without a doubt that somebody broke the federal law,'' Senate Democratic leader Tom Daschle said.
House Democratic leader Nancy Pelosi said, ``If there ever was a case for the appointment of a special counsel, this is it.''
more...