Karl Rove, President Bush's chief political advisor, spoke with Time magazine's Matthew Cooper during a critical week in July 2003 when Cooper was reporting on former ambassador Joseph C. Wilson IV, a public critic of the Bush administration who was also the husband of CIA operative Valerie Plame.
Rove is identified in Cooper's notes from that time period, which Time, under court order, turned over on July 1 to special prosecutor Patrick Fitzgerald. Fitzgerald is investigating whether senior administration officials leaked Plame's name to reporters as retaliation after Wilson, in a New York Times editorial, accused the Bush administration of twisting intelligence to justify a war with Iraq.
As word has spread that Rove was identified in Cooper's notes, speculation has run rampant that Rove was the leak.
MSNBC's senior political analyst, Lawrence O'Donnell, wrote today on the Huffington Post website: "I revealed in yesterday's taping of the McLaughlin Group that Time magazine's e-mails will reveal that Karl Rove was Matt Cooper's source. I have known this for months but didn't want to say it at a time that would risk me getting dragged into the grand jury."
O'Donnell added: "Since I revealed the big scoop, I have had it reconfirmed by yet another highly authoritative source. Too many people know this. It should break wide open this week. I know Newsweek is working on an 'It's Rove!' story and will probably break it tomorrow."
Meanwhile, one of the two lawyers representing a witness sympathetic to the White House told Newsweek that there was growing "concern" in the White House that Fitzgerald is interested in Rove.
Rove's lawyer, Robert Luskin, confirmed that Rove talked with Cooper, but said Rove never identified Plame in those conversations. Luskin said Fitzgerald assured him in October and again last week that Rove is not a target of his investigation.
Article comments
— go to most recent comments1 - Bennett
Hmmmmm... Be it hittin' the fan?
2 - HW Saxton
Four months in jail isn't that long of
a sentence.Considering just WHO and what
may be at stake here, it is hardly to be
considered harsh punishment. I'm fairly
sure that if Cooper & Miller do go to
jail behind all of this,the compensation
to be given will more than make up for
any hardships suffered. Of course these
are all GREAT BIG If's.
3 - RJ
If Rove did it, he has to go. Immediately.
4 - gonzo marx
thank you RJ..you have just gone a long way in restoring my peculair Faith in humankind
Excelsior!
5 - Silas Kain
If Rove is guilty or even appears guilty in the public forum, immediate resignation is the first order of business. The second would be a Grand Jury probe to decide on an indictment. Many believe that Mr. Rove has served this country well. In many instances he probably has. If, in fact, he had even the remotest connection to this CIA leak, it is incumbent upon President Bush and the Department of Justice to proceed forthwith in an unbiased investigation that presents the facts. National security has been something that Democrat and Republican Administrations have handled poorly. If anything, the lessons of 9/11 should encourage this Administration to insure that these kind of security leaks, no matter how minor, stop.
6 - Silas Kain
Sunday newspapers across America and the Middle East are opining on Karl Rove's comments before a New York conservative audience last week. If the negative backlash is any indication, it seems that the growing rumor mill surrounding Rove's involvement in the Plame CIA leak will reach massive proportions by the middle of the week. What is normally a slow news cycle over the Independence Day holiday, the resignation of Sandra Day O'Connor and the growing public outcry against Mr. Rove will keep the White House press machinery in full gear.
For the good of his President and the good of the country, Karl Rove should immediately step down from his position of power in the Bush Administration. Public opinion against this Administration continues to increase and a Rove resignation may help level off the rapid loss of American confidence in this President. Members from both sides of the aisle in Congress should spend this Independence Day break urging the White House to take immediate action.
7 - Shark
If Rove did it, he's guilty of treason -- which is punishable by DEATH.
Gotta run; time to reconsider my opposition to the death penalty!
8 - Dave Nalle
Snark. You need to look up the definition of treason some time. Hint: it's definied in the Constitution, an obscure document you're probably not familiar with.
Dave
9 - KC
So it's sounding like it was Rove in the Whitehouse with an email. Nothing too alarming here I suppose.
I believe it would only be treason if he gave the information out directly to an enemy of the U.S., and I don't think we're calling the press that, at least not yet.
10 - MDE
Question: Assuming the worst and Rove blew it, what crime did he commit and what are the associated penalties?
Mark
11 - Steve S
it should be noted here that Republican/conservative commenters think it is no big deal to 'out' American spies for political purposes. It's no big deal. It's not alarming. Not if it's for political gain.
12 - gonzo marx
MDE,
there is a federal Law against naming covert intelligence operatives
raised to the level of a federal felony, that's just how important it is according to our Laws
it should be quite informative to see how this is handled...if the allegation is confirmed...if so, both Rove and Novak should be up in front of a federal grand jury for indictment, anything less will more than likely get the GOP blasted irreperably by both the MSM and the Dems...not to mention the Blogosphere
when even hardcore GOP members like RJ above clearly see and understand just how wrong the action of revealing a covert Operative is to our National security...it would be completely indefensible
i agree in part, with Silas' assessment of the Story breaking in a few days, after the holiday...most of the programs are already in the "can" and set for O'Connor, Rove's speech, the Pres speech etc..
but watch McLaughlin Group today on PBS to see the beginning of the shitstorm
then i would bet tuesday will start the rumblings
with the two reporters who did NOT write anything possibly heading to jail on "contempt" charges...this should hit big and hard and i just cannot see any scenario that allows for Rove or Novak to survive
Excelsior!
13 - Dave Nalle
There's a very important word in the title of the original post here 'speculation'.
Dave
14 - KC
"with the two reporters who did NOT write anything possibly heading to jail on "contempt" charges...this should hit big and hard and i just cannot see any scenario that allows for Rove or Novak to survive" ---gonzo marx
Compared to other things that have happened during this administration as rotten as outing an operative is I just don't see it becoming the blow up you predict. As cynical as it sounds I think there should be justice in this case, I'm just not holding my breath.
15 - gonzo marx
yes, Mr Nalle...i understand the whole "speculation" bit
that's why i said watch McLaughlin...the first bit telling what is in the Time documents is revealed there...still not "proof" but it is the beginnings of evidence being revealed to the public
please note i did say, "...if the allegation is confirmed...", to stay in the Realm of unproven speculation
i am interested in your Thoughts here, Mr Nalle...if this is confirmed by the Time documents, and perhaps Novak's sealed testimony to the prosecutor ....even the other journalist who is heading to jail on contempt charges, should he decide to reveal his source
do you think this calls for both Novak and whomever leaked this information, to be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the Law?
Excelsior!
16 - Dave Nalle
I don't think Novak should necessarily be prosecuted. I'm not sure that a law which singles out journalists for revealing information of any kind is a good idea. Prosecuting whoever leaked the info might be reasonable, depending on the context in which it was done.
The problem in this case, however, is that her status as a CIA operative was widely known not just to people in government, but all over Washington. Leaking that information was semi-meaningless since it was already common knowledge, if not officially confirmed. There's a defence to be made from the fact that the parties involved probably didn't think they were leaking something which others didn't already know.
Dave
17 - gonzo marx
so you come done in favor of allowing a Federal Law to be broken with impunity that concerns the identity of covert intelligence operatives?
and here i had thought that the GOP was staunch in supporting National Security Interests?
or don't you believe that keeping covert operatives identities secret is relevant to National security?
speculation here, i am betting if it was a Dem that leaked this info, the GOP would be frothing at the mouth to hang them, and folks like Coulter would be dragging out erroneous "Treason" cries (you know, like the title of one of her recent books equating "liberals" with "treason")
your mileage may vary
Excelsior!
18 - KC
If it helps anyone---Time Online.com: When to give up a Source byline Bill Saporito
"For one thing, it's still unclear whether any laws were broken in the Plame revelation. (Deliberately disclosing an operative's name is illegal but only if the government is actively trying to conceal its relationship with that person.)"
Link: http://www.time.com/
article: /0,9171,1079464,00
So it's not only a matter of who did what, but if what they did is simply a matter of bad ethics or breaking the law.
Rolling out the electric chair is premature even in the name of what's good for the goose is good for gander.
19 - gonzo marx
just watched the actual segment on McLaughlin...information is corroborated by Lawrence O'Donnel of MSNBC, who has seen the documents...confirms it is Rove in the Time documents, and is prepared to go to the Grand Jury and testify if called
one thing i had not thought of , which was brought up in the segment, Rove may be brought up on perjury charges as well as for violating the Law concerning revealing the name of a covert Operative
it is also suggested in the segment, that Novak may have told everything to the prosecutor, and that would explain why he is not yet under indictment...
in the Opinion of your humble Narrator, this one makes Watergate look like a two bit burglery...oh wait, it was...and between the violation of federal law concerning covert operatives as well as possible perjury charges (and we know that perjury is enough to impeach a president, according to the GOP) then Rove could be in for some serious problems
thoughts?
Excelsior!
20 - Dave Nalle
No, gonzo. I think that journalists and their sources should be protected, regardless of the federal law. If there's fault here, it lies with those who leaked the information, not the journalists.
The other issue is that it's not clear at all that any laws have been broken.
Dave
21 - gonzo marx
/sigh
was Plame a covert operative for an Intelligence agancy?
yes..and has been confirmed in many places, not the least the prosecutor involved in this case...this Issue was elevated by the WH itself, and the special prosecutor appointed by the Administration
was this information published by Novak?
yes
is there a Federal Law prohibiting revealing the names of covert intelligence Operatives?
yes
nuff said?
Excelsior!
22 - Bennett
If Novak fingered Rove, weeks and weeks ago, why has it all been hush hush?
23 - gonzo marx
we don't know who or what Novak talked about, it's all sealed...but since he has not been brought up on any contempt charges, it is relatively safe to postulate that he has satisfied the prosecutor and judge in these matters
my point concerning him is NOT who his "source" was...but the fact that he is the one that published the Name of the Operative...so in both the letter and spirit of the Law...violated the federal edict protecting covert Intelligence operative's identities
Excelsior!
24 - Dave Nalle
All true, Gonzo. But I don't much like the idea of a law which makes journalists liable to be punished for what they write. If it's a national security issue, then the info should never have been released to the journalist in the first place and the fault lies with whoever released the info.
dave
25 - KC
Bennett--"If Novak fingered Rove, weeks and weeks ago, why has it all been hush hush?"
It always comes in twos. This time it's the Supreme Court/Leak double feature.