Time magazine talked to Bush's guru for Plame story.

By Michael Isikoff
Newsweek
July 11 issue - Its legal appeals exhausted, Time magazine agreed last week to turn over reporter Matthew Cooper's e-mails and computer notes to a special prosecutor investigating the leak of an undercover CIA agent's identity. The case has been the subject of press controversy for two years. Saying "we are not above the law," Time Inc. Editor in Chief Norman Pearlstine decided to comply with a grand-jury subpoena to turn over documents related to the leak. But Cooper (and a New York Times reporter, Judith Miller) is still refusing to testify and faces jail this week.

At issue is the story of a CIA-sponsored trip taken by former ambassador (and White House critic) Joseph Wilson to investigate reports that Iraq was seeking to buy uranium from the African country of Niger. "Some government officials have noted to Time in interviews... that Wilson's wife, Valerie Plame, is a CIA official who monitors the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction," said Cooper's July 2003 Time online article.

Now the story may be about to take another turn. The e-mails surrendered by Time Inc., which are largely between Cooper and his editors, show that one of Cooper's sources was White House deputy chief of staff Karl Rove, according to two lawyers who asked not to be identified because they are representing witnesses sympathetic to the White House. Cooper and a Time spokeswoman declined to comment. But in an interview with NEWSWEEK, Rove's lawyer, Robert Luskin, confirmed that Rove had been interviewed by Cooper for the article. It is unclear, however, what passed between Cooper and Rove.

The controversy began three days before the Time piece appeared, when columnist Robert Novak, writing about Wilson's trip, reported that Wilson had been sent at the suggestion of his wife, who was identified by name as a CIA operative. The leak to Novak, apparently intended to discredit Wilson's mission, caused a furor when it turned out that Plame was an undercover agent. It is a crime to knowingly reveal the identity of an undercover CIA official. A special prosecutor was appointed and began subpoenaing reporters to find the source of the leak.

Novak appears to have made some kind of arrangement with the special prosecutor, and other journalists who reported on the Plame story have talked to prosecutors with the permission of their sources. Cooper agreed to discuss his contact with Lewis (Scooter) Libby, Vice President Dick Cheney's top aide, after Libby gave him permission to do so. But Cooper drew the line when special prosecutor Patrick Fitzgerald asked about other sources.

Initially, Fitzgerald's focus was on Novak's sourcing, since Novak was the first to out Plame. But according to Luskin, Rove's lawyer, Rove spoke to Cooper three or four days before Novak's column appeared. Luskin told NEWSWEEK that Rove "never knowingly disclosed classified information" and that "he did not tell any reporter that Valerie Plame worked for the CIA." Luskin declined, however, to discuss any other details. He did say that Rove himself had testified before the grand jury "two or three times" and signed a waiver authorizing reporters to testify about their conversations with him. "He has answered every question that has been put to him about his conversations with Cooper and anybody else," Luskin said. But 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 the prosecutor is interested in Rove. Fitzgerald declined to comment.

In early October 2003, NEWSWEEK reported that immediately after Novak's column appeared in July, Rove called MSNBC "Hardball" host Chris Matthews and told him that Wilson's wife was "fair game." But White House spokesman Scott McClellan told reporters at the time that any suggestion that Rove had played a role in outing Plame was "totally ridiculous." On Oct. 10, McClellan was asked directly if Rove and two other White House aides had ever discussed Valerie Plame with any reporters. McClellan said he had spoken with all three, and "those individuals assured me they were not involved in this."

If Rove can escape the accusation of revealing the identity of Plame, he is prolly still on the hook for perjury (if he had previously testified to the grand jury that he had no convo with Cooper, which is at least what he told Scott McClellan).

Originally posted by Debaser
If Rove can escape the accusation of revealing the identity of Plame, he is prolly still on the hook for perjury (if he had previously testified to the grand jury that he had no convo with Cooper, which is at least what he told Scott McClellan).
Wishful thinking much? McClellan didn't say anything about Rove denying he talked to Cooper. He said that Rove had told him that he had no involvement in leaking classified information to any reporter.

http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2003/10/20031010-6.html#c

Q Scott, earlier this week you told us that neither Karl Rove, Elliot Abrams nor Lewis Libby disclosed any classified information with regard to the leak. I wondered if you could tell us more specifically whether any of them told any reporter that Valerie Plame worked for the CIA?

MR. McCLELLAN: Those individuals -- I talked -- I spoke with those individuals, as I pointed out, and those individuals assured me they were not involved in this. And that's where it stands.

Q So none of them told any reporter that Valerie Plame worked for the CIA?

MR. McCLELLAN: They assured me that they were not involved in this.

Q Can I follow up on that?

Q They were not involved in what?

MR. McCLELLAN: The leaking of classified information.

If Rove talked to Cooper, but didn't tell him that Plame was in the CIA, and then he testified as such to the grand jury; then it would seem he's in the clear. I don't see any reason at all to assume that Rove is anywhere close to the hook for perjury based on what we know. There are all sorts of things he "could have" perjured himself on: he could have lied about his age on the stand, he could have lied about what he had for breakfast that day, etc....but there's about as much evidence for those as there is that he lied about his conversations with Cooper.

You're arguing semantics.

Originally posted by Debaser
You're arguing semantics.
So? That's what you're supposed to do when someone takes an inaccurate meaning out of a plain statement. There's nothing wrong with a semantics battle if its warranted. Besides, if you really think that the excerpt I posted from the press conference really says that Karl Rove told Scott McClellan that he never spoke to Matt Cooper, period; then I'd say you're the one arguing semantics. The question asked was plain and specific, and so was the answer; and they don't point towards what you or the Newsweek article insinuate.

That's not to say Rove told the truth on the stand. But until more info comes out on what he testified to, as well as what he said to Cooper, any perjury talk is just wishful thinking. He's definitely not 'prolly' on the hook based on what's known.

no one in that administration will ever have to break a sweat.

perfect moral angels.

What Karl Rove said to Matt Cooper:

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/8525978/site/newsweek/

Karl Rove did it. He outed Valerie Plame. Whether he knew at the time she was undercover is supposed to be debatable. But then again, Rove is deputy chief of staff for chrissakes and I assume that the fact that Valerie Plame is a undercover CIA agent is classified information.

Also, this confirms at least Rove's lawyer is a liar...

Karl Rove’s lawyer, Robert Luskin told Bloomberg News (http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=10000087&sid=aEjeGfPGmLBY&refer=top_world_news) on July 3, 2005:

"[Karl Rove] did nothing wrong, did not disclose Plame’s identity, and did not reveal any confidential information."

I guess he forgot to use his "knowingly" qualifier in that one interview.

Im sure he did, but this isnt it yet.

QUESTION: The Robert Novak column last week . . . has now given rise to accusations that the administration deliberatively blew the cover of an undercover CIA operative, and in so doing, violated a federal law that prohibits revealing the identity of undercover CIA operatives. Can you respond to that?

McCLELLAN: Thank you for bringing that up. That is not the way this President or this White House operates. And there is absolutely no information that has come to my attention or that I have seen that suggests that there is any truth to that suggestion. And, certainly, no one in this White House would have given authority to take such a step.

Scott McClellan
Press Briefing
July 22, 2003

QUESTION: Scott, has there ever been an attempt or effort on the part of anyone here at the White House to discredit the reputations or reporting of former Ambassador Joe Wilson, his wife, or ABC correspondent Jeffrey Kofman?

McCLELLAN: John, I think I answered that yesterday. That is not the way that this White House operates. That's not the way the President operates . . . No one would be authorized to do that within this White House. That is simply not the way we operate, and that's simply not the way the President operates.

QUESTION: In all of those cases?

McCLELLAN: Well, go down -- which two?

QUESTION: Joe Wilson and his wife?

McCLELLAN: No.

Scott McClellan
Press Briefing
July 23, 2003

QUESTION: Wilson now believes that the person who did this was Karl Rove . . . Did Karl Rove tell that . . .

McCLELLAN: I haven't heard that. That's just totally ridiculous. But we've already addressed this issue. If I could find out who anonymous people were, I would. I just said, it's totally ridiculous.

QUESTION: But did Karl Rove do it?

McCLELLAN: I said, it's totally ridiculous.

Scott McClellan
Press Briefing
September 16, 2003

This morning, ABC News producer Andrea Owen happened to find herself near Karl Rove (who was walking to his car), and an ABC camera.

Owen: "Did you have any knowledge or did you leak the name of the CIA agent to the press?"

Rove: "No."

At which point, Mr. Rove shut his car door as Ms. Owen asked, "What is your response to the fact that Justice is looking into the matter?"

ABC News
The Note
September 29, 2003
(courtesy of Think Progress)

QUESTION: Has the President either asked Karl Rove to assure him that he had nothing to do with this; or did Karl Rove go to the President to assure him that he . . .

McCLELLAN: I don't think he needs that. I think I've spoken clearly to this publicly . . . I've just said there's no truth to it.

QUESTION: Yes, but I'm just wondering if there was a conversation between Karl Rove and the President, or if he just talked to you, and you're here at this . . .

McCLELLAN: He wasn't involved. The President knows he wasn't involved.

QUESTION: How does he know that?

McCLELLAN: The President knows.

Scott McClellan
Press Gaggle
September 29, 2003

QUESTION: Weeks ago, when you were first asked whether Mr. Rove had the conversation with Robert Novak that produced the column, you dismissed it as ridiculous. And I wanted just to make sure, at that time, had you talked to Karl?

McCLELLAN: I've made it very clear, from the beginning, that it is totally ridiculous. I've known Karl for a long time, and I didn't even need to go ask Karl, because I know the kind of person that he is, and he is someone that is committed to the highest standards of conduct.

QUESTION: Can you say for the record whether Mr. Rove possessed the information about Mr. Wilson's wife, but merely did not talk to anybody about it?

McCLELLAN: I don't know whether or not -- I mean, I'm sure he probably saw the same media reports everybody else in this room has.

QUESTION: When you talked to Mr. Rove, did you discuss, did you ever have this information?

McCLELLAN: We're going down a lot of different roads here. I've made it very clear that he was not involved, that there's no truth to the suggestion that he was.

Scott McClellan
Press Briefing
September 29, 2003

QUESTION: Yesterday we were told that Karl Rove had no role in it. . .

THE PRESIDENT: Yes.

QUESTION: Have you talked to Karl and do you have confidence in him . . .

THE PRESIDENT: Listen, I know of nobody -- I don't know of anybody in my administration who leaked classified information. If somebody did leak classified information, I'd like to know it, and we'll take the appropriate action.

George W. Bush
Remarks to Reporters
September 30, 2003

McCLELLAN: Let me make it very clear. As I said previously, he [Karl Rove] was not involved, and that allegation is not true in terms of leaking classified information, nor would he condone it.

QUESTION: He does not condone people pointing reporters toward classified information that's been released; he would not condone that either? Is that what you're saying?

McCLELLAN: The President doesn't condone the activity that you're suggesting, absolutely he does not.

Scott McClellan
Press Briefing
October 1, 2003

QUESTION: Scott, you have said that you, personally, went to Scooter Libby, Karl Rove and Elliot Abrams to ask them if they were the leakers . . . Why did you do that, and can you describe the conversations you had with them?

McCLELLAN: They're good individuals, they're important members of our White House team, and that's why I spoke with them, so that I could come back to you and say that they were not involved. I had no doubt of that in the beginning, but I like to check my information to make sure it's accurate before I report back to you, and that's exactly what I did.

QUESTION: So you're saying -- you're saying categorically those three individuals were not the leakers or did not authorize the leaks; is that what you're saying?

McCLELLAN: That's correct.

Scott McClellan
Press Briefing
October 7, 2003

QUESTION: Scott, earlier this week you told us that neither Karl Rove, Elliot Abrams nor Lewis Libby disclosed any classified information with regard to the leak. I wondered if you could tell us more specifically whether any of them told any reporter that Valerie Plame worked for the CIA?

McCLELLAN: I spoke with those individuals, as I pointed out, and those individuals assured me they were not involved in this. And that's where it stands.

QUESTION: So none of them told any reporter that Valerie Plame worked for the CIA?

McCLELLAN: They assured me that they were not involved in this.

Scott McClellan
Press Briefing
October 10, 2003

Rove also adamantly insisted to the FBI that he was not the administration official who leaked the information that Plame was a covert CIA operative to conservative columnist Robert Novak last July. Rather, Rove insisted, he had only circulated information about Plame after it had appeared in Novak's column.

The American Prospect
Plugging Leaks
March 8, 2004

I didn't know her name. I didn't leak her name.

Karl Rove
CNN Interview
August 31, 2004

"Karl did nothing wrong. Karl didn't disclose Valerie Plame's identity to Mr. Cooper or anybody else . . . Who outed this woman? . . . It wasn't Karl." Luskin said Rove "certainly did not disclose to Matt Cooper or anybody else any confidential information."

Rove attorney Robert Luskin
CNN Interview
July 4, 2005

Luskin confirmed that Rove and Cooper had spoken prior to the publication of the original Time article, but said that Rove “did not tell any reporter that Valerie Plame worked for the CIA” nor did he “knowingly disclose classified information.”

Newsweek
Turning Up the Heat
July 6, 2005

Rove told Cooper that Wilson's trip had not been authorized by "DCIA"—CIA Director George Tenet—or Vice President Dick Cheney. Rather, "it was, KR said, wilson's wife, who apparently works at the agency on wmd [weapons of mass destruction] issues who authorized the trip." Wilson's wife is Plame, then an undercover agent working as an analyst in the CIA's Directorate of Operations counterproliferation division . . . Rove was speaking to Cooper before Novak's column appeared; in other words, before Plame's identity had been published

Newsweek
Matt Cooper's Source
July 10, 2005

this is just hilarious to watch McClellan squirm.

whitehouse press conf this morning (http://movies.crooksandliars.com/Scotty_Rove.mov)

i like hearing scotty answer questions with

"i've answered your questions"


good stuff.

thank god miller is jailed and novak isn't. the post 911 justice has been SERVED

Originally posted by Debaser
this is just hilarious to watch McClellan squirm.


It actually is. The only way it would be funnier if it had been Fleischer. Too bad.

McClellan is a little bitch. I liked Ari Fleischer better. At least he had some semblance of a backbone.

Originally posted by spa ced
McClellan is a little bitch. I liked Ari Fleischer better. At least he had some semblance of a backbone.

To me Fleischer seemed sleezer than McClellan. I can sorta see him thinking to himself "I sound like a total ass."

obviously this is a biased source and i'm not pretending to be in the know here, but they did a big segment on the daily show today on this and the footage of mcclellan was just awesome. 2 years ago he said accusations againt rove were "ridiculous" and now he says it's wrong to talk about "ongoing criminal investigation", a phrase he repeated at least ten times. comedy gold.

Originally posted by neopryn
obviously this is a biased source and i'm not pretending to be in the know here, but they did a big segment on the daily show today on this and the footage of mcclellan was just awesome. 2 years ago he said accusations againt rove were "ridiculous" and now he says it's wrong to talk about "ongoing criminal investigation", a phrase he repeated at least ten times. comedy gold. People really need to stop relying on the Daily Show for news

Even Jon Stewart said that

Originally posted by Nimrod's Son
People really need to stop relying on the Daily Show for news

Even Jon Stewart said that

You get more truth from the Daily Show than from foxnews.

Daily Show on Karl Rove (http://movies.crooksandliars.com/The%20Daily_Show_Rove_Leak.mov)

it's funny, because the daily show will show you white house press conferences, but foxnews, and most prime time media won't.

it's like, uh, like the daily show is too, um, like, ignorant to know that that footage is supposed to be a secret. we the people only deserve uptotheminute coverage of disappearing or crazy white women and their corresponding family members.

Heh the white house didn't have much of a response about Rove today.

If he gets off scott free and this infects the news eventually like the Clinton scandals did it could get entertaining to watch.

I saw some polls today where jobs are now the publics second priority, Iraq being the first and many seem fed up with Bagdhad news being so different from what the government confirms is happening there. I see trouble in the horizon...

Originally posted by Nimrod's Son
People really need to stop relying on the Daily Show for news

Even Jon Stewart said that i read about it in the paper too.

anyway i was just talking about how funny it was to watch mcclellan shit himself.

bring on KarlGATE

McClellan: David, there will be a time to talk about this, but now is not the time...
McClellan: The White House is not going to comment on it....
McClellan: We're not going to get into commenting....
McClellan: You have my response....
McClellan: We're not going to get into commenting on it....
McClellan: Again, I've responded to the question....

it's strange, but i sincerely believe that fitzgerald will do the best possible job, blind to partisan crap. i feel pretty confident in his abilitites. he's done some good work outing daley administration pork projects.

next i'd like to see him track halliburton's bills to the u.s. government. fitz could probably locate the missing 9 bil.

White House Denies Existence of Karl Rove (http://www.theonion.com/index.php?pre=1&issue=)

WASHINGTON, DC—The White House denied rumors of wrongdoing by anyone named Karl Rove Monday, saying the alleged deputy chief of staff does not exist.

wonder what the turd blossom is up to today? wonder what evildoer he wants installed so we can start a war several years down the road....

wonder if fitzgerald will be dumped in october....

rove is off the hook indefinitley

Originally posted by homechicago
rove is off the hook indefinitley
In other news, everyone else in the country who did nothing wrong is also off the hook indefinitely...

so he didn't discuss a c.i.a. operatives secret identity with a newsman in a time of war?

my bad.

Originally posted by homechicago
so he didn't discuss a c.i.a. operatives secret identity with a newsman in a time of war?

my bad.
I didn't say that. I said he did nothing that would have him "on the hook" so to speak.