CNN/AP: Plame to testify on Capitol Hill

[PhilipShore]

http://www.cnn.com/2007/POLITICS/03/16/plame.congress.ap/">Link


Committee Chairman Henry Waxman, D-California, says he wants to know whether the White House appropriately safeguarded Plame's identity. During the obstruction of justice and perjury trial of Cheney's former top aide, I. Lewis "Scooter" Libby, it was revealed that many in the Bush administration knew Plame worked for the CIA but not that it was classified.

Fitzgerald never charged anyone with the leak and he told Waxman he could not discuss his thoughts on the case.

Scheduled to testify Friday were attorney Mark Zaid, who has represented whistle-blowers; attorney Victoria Toensing, who said early on that no law was broken and has criticized the CIA's handling of the case; and J. William Leonard, security director of the National Archives, who was to discuss general procedures for handling sensitive information.

"Valerie's going to be talking in general about the need to protect intelligence assets," her attorney, Melanie Sloan, said prior to her appearance before the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee. "She's basically talking about how important national intelligence is and about how leaking is bad."