Wilson: Questions Remain Over CIA Leak

Despite Libby Conviction, Ex-Ambassador Says White House Still Needs To Come Clean

(CBS/AP)  Former Ambassador Joe Wilson said Wednesday that he and his wife, Valerie Plame, feel a "sense of personal relief" at the conviction of former White House aide Lewis "Scooter" Libby, but don’t consider the case closed by any means

Libby, the former chief of staff for Vice President Dick Cheney, was convicted Tuesday of lying and obstructing an investigation into the leak of Plame's identity as a CIA operative. He was the highest-ranking White House official convicted in a government scandal since the Iran-Contra arms and money affair two decades ago.

Despite the conviction, Wilson said he and Plame are moving ahead with a civil suit, alleging the White House was behind the leak.

Wilson told CBS News' The Early Show that President Bush and Vice President Cheney "really need to step forward and reassure the American people that they had nothing to do with this - or explain to the American people what they had to do with it."

Wilson said he and his wife are going forward with their civil suit against the vice president, White House political adviser Karl Rove and others, because they "want the whole story to come out."

The trial revealed Cheney's eagerness to discredit Wilson, an outspoken critic of the Bush administration's Iraq war policy, as well as the administration's policies on talking to reporters and its strategies for dealing with a crisis.

But the case offered little new information about whether Mr. Bush was involved or whether he authorized any leaks. Defense attorneys never delivered Cheney or Libby to the witness stand as promised to discuss the White House effort to undermine Wilson's credibility, a campaign that resulted in the disclosure of his wife's job at the CIA.

Libby's attorneys offered few details about a supposed White House conspiracy to protect Rove from prosecution.

It also was never explained why former Deputy Secretary of State Richard Armitage, who originally leaked Plame's identity, was never charged.

Now that Special Prosecutor Patrick Fitzgerald says his investigation is complete, those questions are likely to go unanswered. Nobody will be charged with actually leaking Plame's identity. Libby was convicted of lying to cover up his conversations about Plame.

"The results are actually sad," Fitzgerald told reporters after the federal jury's verdict. "It's sad that we had a situation where a high-level official person who worked in the office of the vice president obstructed justice and lied under oath. We wish that it had not happened, but it did."

One juror said Libby was being made a scapegoat.

"There was a tremendous amount of sympathy for Mr. Libby on the jury. It was said a number of times, 'What are we doing with this guy here? Where's Rove? Where are these other guys?'" juror Denis Collins said. "I'm not saying we didn't think Mr. Libby was guilty of the things we found him guilty of. It seemed like he was, as Mr. Wells put it, he was the fall guy."

Libby's fate remains unclear. He faces up to 25 years in prison when he is sentenced June 5, but his federal sentencing guidelines are much lower. His lawyers promised to ask for a new trial and said they'll ask that Libby remain free while any appeals are fought.

"We have every confidence Mr. Libby ultimately will be vindicated," defense attorney Theodore Wells said. He said Libby was "totally innocent and that he did not do anything wrong."

And then there's the lingering question of whether Mr. Bush will pardon Libby, as the president's father did in 1992 for former Reagan administration officials caught up in the scandal that grew out of arms sales to Iran and the diversion of proceeds to the Nicaraguan rebels.

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., immediately called on Mr. Bush not to pardon Libby. The White House wouldn't say what the president might do.

[perception5]

Mr. Wilson should be going to jail for consistently lying about the facts of what "really" happened...... from the Washington Post this morning, the facts of this case:


"In conversations with journalists or in a July 6, 2003, op-ed, Wilson claimed to have debunked evidence that Iraq was seeking uranium from Niger; suggested that he had been dispatched by Mr. Cheney to look into the matter; and alleged that his report had circulated at the highest levels of the administration.

A bipartisan investigation by the Senate intelligence committee subsequently established that all of these claims were false -- and that Mr. Wilson was recommended for the Niger trip by Ms. Plame, his wife. When this fact, along with Ms. Plame's name, was disclosed in a column by Robert D. Novak, Mr. Wilson advanced yet another sensational charge: that his wife was a covert CIA operative and that senior White House officials had orchestrated the leak of her name to destroy her career and thus punish Mr. Wilson.

The partisan furor over this allegation led to the appointment of special prosecutor Patrick J. Fitzgerald. Yet after two years of investigation, Mr. Fitzgerald charged no one with a crime for leaking Ms. Plame's name. The trial has provided convincing evidence that there was no conspiracy to punish Mr. Wilson by leaking Ms. Plame's identity -- and no evidence that she was, in fact, covert."

[dallison7]

Wilson said he and his wife are going forward with their civil suit against the vice president, White House political adviser Karl Rove and others, because they "want the whole story to come out."

THESE ARE TRULY COURAGEOUS PEOPLE!

[karlimhof]

perception5

B.S.

[dallison7]

Wilson told CBS News' The Early Show that President Bush and Vice President Cheney "really need to step forward and reassure the American people that they had nothing to do with this - or explain to the American people what they had to do with it."

LOOKS LIKE THE FAT LITTLE BULLY, CHENEY SCREWED WITH THE WRONG GUY!!

LMAO!!

[rsoxfan1123]

perceptino5-you sound like Rove blogging in his "free time" to me. Libby was convicted of lying and covering up the fact that he leaked Plame's name. When Bush waved those forged documents all over television, despite all of the warnings that they were forgeries (including Wilson's) he gave no thought to the consequences. Bush wanted to invade Iraq and he, and we, have gotten what he wanted. It's sad that Libby is the only one to answer for the lying and manipulation we have endured for the last six years.

[frankly6]

Dude where do you get your information? It's 100% lies. Can you find any of that *** on a non-paritsan site? The answer is no because it's all bullsh*t. The nutjobs that you get your news from are paid to lie to the American people. Do you do it for free?

I challenge you to find any direct quote that Wilson said Cheney sent him to Niger.

Please tell us which "bipatisan" committee found any of Wilson's claims to be false?

It's a matter of public record and has been admitted by Bush and Co. that the Niger documents were forgeries and that Bush and Co. were informed of this by multiple sources before they used it anyway to make their case for war.

It's also a matter of public record, now that Bush and Co. outed her, that Plame was a COVERT CIA OPERATIVE working on investigations into WMD proliferation. The CIA front company she was working for, Brewster Jennings, was also exposed by the whitehouse and subsequently had to shut down it's operations. This investigation was started because the CIA demanded that a FEDERAL CRIMINAL INVESTIGATION be started into who exposed a COVERT AGENT and a CIA FRONT COMPANY.

If you have to lie to make your point then you don't have one.

[fredegrar]

"Mr. Wilson should be going to jail for consistently lying about the facts of what "really" happened..."
Posted by perception5 at 10:11 AM : Mar 07, 2007

----------------

Lying's not illegal, unless it's done intentionally and under oath. Could you point me to which article you're quoting in the Post? I'm looking, but haven't found it yet. Is it available online? Thanks.

[rsoxfan1123]

"Bush and Co. were informed of this by multiple sources before they used it anyway to make their case for war"
Posted by frankly6

The problem is that this is only a small piece of the overall manipulation of intelligence that the Bush administration used to push this war down our throats. They suppressed everyone that contradicted them in any way. It is sad that this may be the extent that anyone needs to answer for this, and Bush will probably pardon this little Ollie North.

[bm6005]

perception5

La, la, la, la, la, la, la la. I love this Kool-aid!! Valerie Plame was asked while in a meeting "wasn't your husband in Nigeria"? She introduced him at a subsequent meeting, then left. She did not send him, her colleagues did. Specifically because of his governmental contacts in that country. Would you suggest the ambassador to Poland instead? Quit reading from Limpbow's script!!

[frankly6]

perception5

You are either willfully ignorant or a reprehensible lyer. Your post is a perfect example of how Neoconartists will do absolutely anything to grab power, stay in power, and justify the evil that they commit in the proccess. They will violate the truth, the public good, decency, and all principles that they claim to hold dear. It's winner take all, scorched earth tactics for you guys. Unfortunately for you the American people are waking up. You can't hide your stench by wrapping it in the flag anymore. And you can't hide behind the troops that you care nothing about either.

[notblue]

What are the true facts? Plame sent Wilson to Africa to discredit the president, both are far left antiwar ideologs. Plame was not covert when she was "outed". Plame and Wilson have made millions on book deals and interviews. Libby was convicted for obstructing the investigation but the same investigation proved no laws were broken. Sandy Burger not only obstructed but actually stole top secret documents from the national archives and what happened to Sandy, nothing he is walking the streets. Why was the Burger story ignored by the leftwing media while Libby has been big news and continues to be? Because Burger is a Democrat and Libby is a Republican, typical of CBS and the rest of the ideology driven BIASED mainstream media.

[perception5]

"Lying's not illegal, unless it's done intentionally and under oath. Could you point me to which article you're quoting in the Post? I'm looking, but haven't found it yet. Is it available online? Thanks.
Posted by fredegrar at 10:52 AM : Mar 07, 2007"

.. The Washington Post article is on "realclearpolitics.com" it's titled "A Pointless Washington Scandal" ......and I couldn't agree more..........

Valarie and Joe Liar should be held accoutable for the lies...too

[bm6005]

Basically Cheney gave instructions to send someone to check out the story of the yellowcake. He and Wilson were not acquainted. Wilson was debriefed upon his return by two CIA agents at his home. They passed on his report that said the industry was highly regulated and controlled and no one felt it was remotely possible that anyone could have diverted anywhere near that quantity of yellowcake. Even small amounts were accounted for. I believe the report was not passed upward to Cheney due to it's not fitting his expected results. However; after repeated warnings from the CIA not to use that story the speechwriters went ahead and used it.

[bm6005]

Actually sostupidblue both Wilson's had been lifelong Republicans not NEOCONS. Quit reading the script Moron!!

[dallison7]

what happened to Sandy, nothing he is walking the streets. Why was the Burger story ignored by the leftwing media while Libby has been big news and continues to be? Because Burger is a Democrat and Libby is a Republican, typical of CBS and the rest of the ideology driven BIASED mainstream media.
Posted by notblue

Just one little problem, son, the media didn't convict Libby, A JURY DID!! The media dose not hand down convictions, although Limbaugh, Hannity and other right wing hate mongers wish they could.

[karlimhof]

The Washington Post article is on "realclearpolitics.com" it's titled "A Pointless Washington Scandal" ......and I couldn't agree more..........

Valarie and Joe Liar should be held accoutable for the lies...too

Posted by perception5



you jokers are shameless - your neocons are walking stark naked down main street - and you dont want to see nothin' -

start sending scooter his monthly vaseline supply! he'll need it.

[perception5]

"Just one little problem, son, the media didn't convict Libby, A JURY DID!! The media dose not hand down convictions, although Limbaugh, Hannity and other right wing hate mongers wish they could.
Posted by dallison7 at 11:08 AM : Mar 07, 2007"

......dallison, you're not getting it...... our corrupt liberal media convicted Libby way before he ever went to trail......... your an example yourself of this totally corrupt press.....

[dallison7]

your an example yourself of this totally corrupt press.....

Posted by perception5


What a moron.

ROFLMAO!!

[frankly6]

perception5

Valerie and Joe are two scared straight former Republicans. Perhaps you should give up the dark side too and join them.

[omega39-2009]

Perception 5

When you brought Clinton before the house to impeach him the Republican talking points were assuring us that it wasn%u2019t about a ******* but about lying under oath, now you are suggesting that lying under oath is perfectly permissible. Scooter got cute with Fitzgerald and the grand jury and he lost, end of story.

[frankly6]

b48151

Seems you have a one track mind and are unable to focus on the facts at hand. Try Republican Rehab. They can help you get your head out of your backside.

[notblue]

Dallison, you are sooooo naive, the media convicts people all the time. The jury convicted him of lying but who was convicted for the outing which this is all about??? Know one, no laws were broken just more leftwing media crapp. What a bout Sandy Burger??? explain that one. What about all the lies told by Plame and Wilson, why aren't those in the news daily?? The leftwing media, HELLO!!!

[karlimhof]

notblue

keep howling at the moon .....

[fredegrar]

".. The Washington Post article is on "realclearpolitics.com" it's titled "A Pointless Washington Scandal""
Posted by perception5 at 11:03 AM : Mar 07, 2007

Ok, thanks. I had trouble finding it before because it's not an 'article' per se. It's an editorial. An editorial whose point was that special prosecutors are a bad idea because they're overreaching. There are a number of points in the editorial that are debatable. Namely the implication that Plame's position was 'not covert'. Just because there's 'no evidence' that she was covert, doesn't mean that she wasn't, right? Besides, I was under the impression that her 'covertness' was irrelevant anyway because the names of 'rank and file' employees of the CIA is also classified information. Also, the editorial provides no information about Plame or Wilson actually commiting perjury at any point - just that they said things in public that this particular unnamed 'editor' takes issue with - a long ways from any real crime.

[karlimhof]

cute little neocon Scooter got hammered by the representative of the federal government, Patrick Fitzgerald -

he is now a convicted neocon felon - end of story.

[frankly6]

notblue

What lies told by Plame and Wilson?

[karlimhof]

by seymour hersh, www.newyorker.com ;

US Vice President *** Cheney. Now, instead of launching a war against Iran, Cheney with Bush%u2019s complicity, has pulled the trigger on a covert war of global proportions pitting Sunnis against Shias.

According to Hersh, Cheney%u2019s covert plan involves massive US financial backing for militant Sunni groups that are known to be inimical to the Shia militias of the Badr Brigades, the Mahdi Army, Hamas and Hezbollah all of whom support the revolutionary government of Iran. The US-backed Sunnis include the Muslim Brotherhood, a vast and powerful multinational organization, who are definitely on friendly terms with Al-Qaeda and its allies, including the Taliban. The government of Saudi Arabia is Sunni, although they are deeply despised by the Muslim Brotherhood, the Taliban and Al-Qaeda because of their subservience to their masters in big oil and George Bush%u2019s America.

The Israeli right and a rogue faction of the royal family of Saud who are loyal to Prince Bandar bin Sultan are backing Cheney%u2019s covert plan. The ultimate objective of Cheney%u2019s redirection of US strategy in the region is to redraw the national boundaries of the Middle East and to give an explosive multiple birth to a sprawling litter of new cantons, colonies, domains, enclaves, protectorates, statelets and territories all pledged to American and Israeli dominance of the region and its precious oil, gas and energy reserves.

[frankly6]

b48151

So why would Scooter lie and obstruct a FEDERAL CRIMINAL INVESTIGATION into who outed a COVERT CIA OPERATIVE?


Why would he do that?

[frankly6]

Neocons


So why would Scooter lie and obstruct a FEDERAL CRIMINAL INVESTIGATION into who outed a COVERT CIA OPERATIVE?


Why would he do that?

[bm6005]

Seems all the media and the left want to forget Sandy Berger.
Posted by b48151

a) what does that have to do with this story?

b) what illegal did Berger do with the docs?

c) what grade did you aspire to?

[bm6005]

What a bout Ham Burger??? explain that one.
Posted by notblue

[bm6005]

notblue
What lies told by Plame and Wilson?

Posted by frankly6

We're waiting for the answer notblue?! Isn't it in the script?

[frankly6]

bm6005

You won't be hearing them talking about the old Hamburglar either.

[bm6005]

notblue
please hurry up, I gots to p.e.e!

[notblue]

bm6005, if you obstruct, steal, lie and your a democrat like Sandy Berger the story never makes it at CBS, if your on the side of the isle even when the crime is less serious than stealing classified documents, the story never ends, politics as usual at CBS.

[frankly6]

notblue
notblue

Glad you are back.

So why would Scooter lie and obstruct a FEDERAL CRIMINAL INVESTIGATION into who outed a COVERT CIA OPERATIVE?


Why would he do that?

[forthepeaple]

WASHINGTON IS THE GREAT OZ OF THE WORLD, AND UNTIL AMERICANS CHANGE THERE MINDS OR I SHOULD SAY GET UNHIPNIZE FROM OUR GOVERNMENT MEDIA THAT ONLY WILL TELL YOU WHAT YOU THINK YOU WANT TO KNOW. THE WHOLE GOVERNMENT IS AND WILL BE UNDER THE OVERSITE OF THE AMERICANS FOR AMERICA PARTY.... OVERSITE IS ALL IN CONGRESS....WHITE HOUSE.... ITS TIME TO CLEAN HOUSE SO VOTE FOR AMERICANS FOR AMERICAS DAVID A BELANGER FOR PRESIDENT......

[notblue]

The lies told by Plame, Wilson And CBS are as follows. Wilson claimed the CIA sent him, the truth is his WIFE sent him. Wilson, PLame and CBS claimed a covert agent was outed, not true she was not covert at the time. They alleged there was some grand conspiracy to out Plame perpetrated by the white house and the Administration, no evidence of that were found that's why it's just Libby. Wilson and Plame wins the preverbial lottery thanks to CBS, true!

[frankly6]

notblue

Congratulations, not one of the examples you mention are true.

[arthurcl1]

Guilty!! Ha, Bushes Watergate! The Republicans run for cover again!
What Corrupt Officials this Administration has.
Outing a CIA Operative because they were trying to warn us about NO WEAPONS OF MASS DESTRUCTION IN IRAQ!
Now what about Bush and Cheney!
They should be tried next for their OIL War Profitering Crimes in Iraq!

[notblue]

Frankly, it turns out there wasn't any conspiracy, do you think for a minute that this prosecutor wouldn't go after Chaney and Rove if there was any evidence?? Had to settle on scooter, keeps the CBS agenda going.

[us_infidel]

The only question remining is: WHY IS THIS GUY"S FACE STILL AROUND? You got your petty little conviction, now go to New Mexico and crawl under a rock.

[randalds]

The lies told by Plame, Wilson And CBS are as follows. Wilson claimed the CIA sent him, the truth is his WIFE sent him. Wilson, PLame and CBS claimed a covert agent was outed, not true she was not covert at the time. They alleged there was some grand conspiracy to out Plame perpetrated by the white house and the Administration, no evidence of that were found that's why it's just Libby. Wilson and Plame wins the preverbial lottery thanks to CBS, true!
Posted by notblue at 12:21 PM : Mar 07, 2007

What a crock of Sh*it! Not a single true statement in here. Not a single one! Must be some kind of record even for a right winger.

[notblue]

Randal, it's all true, what is your twisted truth and what are your sources?

[theusa1st]

notblue....
Haven't the Lib's convinced you yet that the president and vice president have caused every single wrong in this world? My God, I bet my son lost his last hockey game in the state tournment because this state turned liberal. There must have been some vast right wing conspiracy. I am sure Cheney was behind it. Oh...almost forgot...can I say God in this lib forum?

[notblue]

Frankly, Wilson and Plame made millions on book deals, magazine interviews remember the cover shots, and tv interviews. Pull of your leftwing goggles and see! But as usual it's easier to discredit the messenger than actually see the truth.

[forthepeaple]

usa 1st so are you saying that you love our loser of a president and vp and there agenda you beleive in them.who do you work for.

[randalds]

Randal, it's all true, what is your twisted truth and what are your sources?
Posted by notblue at 12:38 PM : Mar 07, 2007

My "sources" are any news agency other then Bill O'Rielly, Rush Limbaugh or FOX News. Everyone of your points has been shown to be Bulls*hit so many times that anyone who's seen any legitimate news broadcast about this story knows it.

The truth is his wife had nothing to do with choosing who went to Africa, according to the CIA. The truth is she was a covert agent and a field one until about 2 years before her cover was blown, according to the CIA. The truth is even the Jury said they wondered where Rove and the others were and why they weren't on trial, so they believed it was a conspiracy.

Watch REAL news programs and not the neocon fantasy station called FOX.

[forthepeaple]

USA1ST YOU NEED TO CHANGE YOUR NAME TO REFLECT WHAT YOU ARE SAYING TO USALAST. WHO PAYING YOU TO WRITE THIS.

[j-whitman]

Sad Day in the USA today,,
- America's legendary crime fighter is dead today.... Steve Rogers fought crime & Nazi's in America since 1941 ---- He was Captain America,,, our greatest hope,,,, thanks alot Marvel Comics - I'll bet he could have cleaned up on this administration.