Comments on: Cheney Told Libby that Wilson’s Wife Worked for CIA

By: Hellblazer

Hellblazer — Tue, 25 Oct 2005 18:58:35 +0000

The Hapless Boob Defense

Know it's been making the rounds even before now, but it's really becoming the foundation defense the defenders of the administration seem to be relying upon:Neither Cheneny nor Libby--not even, presumably Tenet--apparently had any idea that Valerie ...

By: Hal

Hal — Tue, 25 Oct 2005 18:19:10 +0000

Also, note the dates. The memo was written on June 10th. The conversation with Cheney and Libby is on the 12th. Dollars to donuts that this memo, or the the request that produced it, was the source for Cheney, Tenet and Libby. If so, there is simply no way that they weren't aware of her secret status, James.

By: Hal

Hal — Tue, 25 Oct 2005 18:10:34 +0000

I suppose everyone has forgotten about the memo that was all the news a while back. You know, the one which marked Plame's name as Secret and not to be exposed to foreigners? Perhaps the CIA is even more compartmentalized than I suspect, but if this memo marked her status as secret, then I'm pretty darn sure that anyone else who knew about it also knew that it was secret. This excuse that they "didn't know" is almost impossible to believe given the people involved and their clearance levels. I mean, you'd have to believe they were all a bunch of bumbling boobs who should never have been granted clearance to believe what's being pushed here... Is that really the defense that James is pushing? That they're all just bumbling, well intentioned boobs?

By: Ron

Ron — Tue, 25 Oct 2005 15:50:22 +0000

And this still doesnât explain why the CIA itself originally requested this investigation in the first place
I agree, the things the CIA has asked for investigations on, and the things they haven't asked for investigation on, are illuminating.

By: odograph

odograph — Tue, 25 Oct 2005 15:31:37 +0000

An interesting possibility, I guess. Well, it is just a possibility. It's not like I made an assumption about which lawyer it was, and got all "bloggeriffic" in my indignation ;-)

By: legion

legion — Tue, 25 Oct 2005 15:25:41 +0000

And this still doesn't explain why the CIA itself originally requested this investigation in the first place... This could still track back to Tenet if he did not tell Cheney and/or Libby that Plame was covert & should be protected. One of the core questions in this whole affair has been what Plame's exact role within the CIA was, and whether or not she was actually a covert operative. Wouldn't ten minutes' access to the CIA's personnel files by a properly-cleared person be able to clear that friggin' question up? It seems to me that that question _must_ have been answered long ago in the investigation... And if Plame _wasn't_ undercover, there's no reason for the defense not leaking that info already.

By: Jason

Jason — Tue, 25 Oct 2005 15:19:14 +0000

Is ignorance an excuse? Yes it is. It is only an illegal act if one is not ignorant of the secret status of the agent. Ignorance is the only excuse.

By: ken

ken — Tue, 25 Oct 2005 15:05:46 +0000

Neither Cheneny nor Libby--not even, presumably Tenet--apparently had any idea that Valerie Plame Wilson's status as a CIA agent was supposed to be a secret.

Since all three of these people presumably have top secret clearances what they discuss amongst themselves is not at issue.

It is their responsibility however when discussing CIA personal with the press to make sure that the person they are talking about is not officially covert, right? Is ignorance an excuse? I don't think so. Not when issues of national security is at stake and the people in question are entrusted with our nations secrets.

By: Unpartisan.com Political News and Blog Aggregator

Unpartisan.com Political News and Blog Aggregator — Tue, 25 Oct 2005 14:39:55 +0000

Cheney told top aide of CIA officer?

Notes in the hand of a federal prosecutor suggest the chief of staff to Vice President Dick Cheney f

By: James Joyner

James Joyner — Tue, 25 Oct 2005 13:57:08 +0000

Odograph: An interesting possibility, I guess. Certainly, leaks by the defense team are less problematic than those by the prosecution, since the latter is state action and the rules of the game are intentionally written to protect the defendant.

Regardless, lawyers have a duty to obey judges' orders regarding confidentiality of evidence.

By: DC Loser

DC Loser — Tue, 25 Oct 2005 13:46:00 +0000

Uh...no, Tenet wasn't the leaker as he was answering a direct question from the VP regarding official matters. It was in the perogative of the VP to ask for clarification concerning the Niger matter as part of his duties concerning national security. Now, what happened to that information once it was passed is what Fitzgerald is trying to get to the bottom of.

By: Leopold Stotch

Leopold Stotch — Tue, 25 Oct 2005 13:21:20 +0000

In other words, Ms. Plame's identity was actually betrayed by the then-director of the CIA.

By: McGehee

McGehee — Tue, 25 Oct 2005 13:14:47 +0000

Somebody tell that damn horse to get out of my face or I'm gonna mess him up!

By: odograph

odograph — Tue, 25 Oct 2005 12:21:18 +0000

Who starts the war, McGee or the horse?

By: DL

DL — Tue, 25 Oct 2005 12:16:19 +0000

This entire fiasco is starting to sound like a popular "race track" song of the 40s. The lyrics went somnething like this:

The owner told Clarence the clocker
And Clarence told jockey McGee.
The jockey of course, passed it onto the horse
And the horse told me!