You liberals are so, uh, liberal with facts & reality. I see
no proof of a felony. Perhaps you are unaware of the criteria
necessary to commit such a felony.
.... Under the Intelligence Identities Protection Act of 1982, the person disclosing the covert agent’s identity must have “authorized access to classified information that identifies a covert agent” and must “intentionally” disclose it. Whether this official had authorized or unauthorized knowledge of Ms. Plame’s status is not clear. If the official’s knowledge was “unauthorized,” he/she apparently could not be prosecuted.
To complicate matters, Plame may not fall under the technical legal definition of a “covert” officer.
Further, the official must have “intentionally” exposed Plame. According to Robert Novak’s account of his interview, neither officer appeared to have premeditated the exposé. Novak recounted the event:
<<<
During a long conversation with a senior administration official, I asked why Wilson was assigned the mission to Niger. He said Wilson had been sent by the CIA's counterproliferation section at the suggestion of one of its employees, his wife. It was an offhand revelation from this official, who is no partisan gunslinger. When I called another official for confirmation, he said: "Oh, you know about it."
In addition to one “offhand” remark, the second official reacted on the spur of the moment, without premeditation or intent. Thus, it would seem the officials were innocent of wrongdoing under the Intelligence Identities Protection Act.
Allegations have since surfaced that the same, nameless “senior administration officials” had tried to plant Plame’s name and occupation with a half-dozen other reporters without success, before unloading the story on Novak. Novak denies the charge. Perhaps more tellingly, since this story surfaced – citing a third nameless “senior administration official” as its source – no reporter has come forward to corroborate this charge. Does it seem plausible that the average glory-seeking, leftist reporter approached by top White House brass would remain silent, refusing to 1) accept the attendant publicity that would go with making a breakthrough story; and 2) indict the Bush Administration as a gang of liars? Much less that six reporters would remain silent for nearly four months? The thought strains credulity....
Message 19477717
Nicholas Kristof says Aldrich Ames had already outed Plame in 1994. He adds that Democrats are hyperventilating when they say her life has been put in danger.
Message 19395222
Justice Could Decide Leak Was Not a Crime
dev.siliconinvestor.com
About That Leak...
Message 19401983
Large File of Evidence Is Available in C.I.A. Leak Case
Message 19644705
Why the Plame special prosecutor should close up shop
dev.siliconinvestor.com |
