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Politics : Sioux Nation -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: manalagi who wrote (27675)	7/12/2005 1:19:29 PM
From: Karen Lawrence	Read Replies (3) \| Respond to of 361090

Rove disclosure puts Bush in bind He had promised to punish source of leak July 12, 2005 BY STEVEN THOMMA FREE PRESS WASHINGTON STAFF WASHINGTON -- The White House refused Monday to repeat earlier assertions that any administration official who leaked classified information would be fired. The refusal comes days after Karl Rove, one of President George W. Bush's top aides, was revealed as the source of a news leak that exposed a CIA undercover officer in 2003. The White House's stance came as a fast-growing legal and political controversy erupted around Rove, the deputy White House chief of staff, a longtime friend of Bush and the architect of Bush's two presidential campaigns. Recent news reports have identified Rove as the source of at least one leak to the news media in July 2003 that exposed undercover CIA agent Valerie Plame's identity. Such a disclosure could be a felony. Investigation by a special prosecutor is coming to a head after more than 18 months. But even if Rove didn't violate the law, the proof that he disclosed Plame's identity could damage his effectiveness in public life and focuses attention on whether Bush will punish his aide for leaking the sensitive information. Democrats and interest groups demanded Monday that Bush fire Rove. They also said the president owed the country an explanation of why he was allowing Rove to remain at a sensitive White House post. White House spokesman Scott McClellan declined Monday to reiterate the administration's pledges to punish anyone who leaked Plame's identity. Bush repeatedly pledged after Plame's name was leaked that anyone in the administration who was caught leaking classified information would be punished. "If somebody did leak classified information, I'd like to know it, and we'll take the appropriate action," Bush said on Sept. 30, 2003, the day the Justice Department launched its inquiry. "This investigation is a good thing." McClellan went farther a week later. "If someone in this administration leaked classified information, they will no longer be a part of this administration, because that's not the way this White House operates," he said on Oct. 7, 2003. Plame's identity was first disclosed in July 2003 by conservative columnist Robert Novak, quoting unnamed administration sources. The disclosure effectively ended her career as an undercover CIA officer after her husband, former ambassador Joseph Wilson, accused the Bush White House of distorting intelligence used to justify the war in Iraq. Rove didn't comment Monday. His attorney told the Washington Post this week that Rove discussed Plame with a Time magazine reporter in July 2003 but never identified her by name. Newsweek published e-mails from the Time reporter about his conversation with Rove that reveal Rove identified Plame as a CIA officer, though not by name. Nevertheless, that was enough to shred her cloak of secrecy. Rep. Henry Waxman, D-Calif., said Rove's argument now "would seem to be a distinction without a difference" and pressed anew his standing request for an inquiry into the controversy by the House Government Reform Committee. freep.com