Rove and Libby's Treason

pontificator noted that "at least a half dozen CIA and State department officials have spoken with prosecutors. " Given the testimony of Bill Harlow, a CIA spokesman Novak used to try and confim Valerie Plame Wilson's status in the CIA, it is apparent that none of the GOP talking points about her status at the CIA make any sense at all. Harlow made it plainly clear that Novak had a CIA "NO-go!!" on the story not once, but even a second time after confirming Mrs. Wilson's status as an undercover operator.

Prosecutor In CIA Leak Case Casting A Wide Net: "Harlow, the former CIA spokesman, said in an interview yesterday that he testified last year before a grand jury about conversations he had with Novak at least three days before the column was published. He said he warned Novak, in the strongest terms he was permitted to use without revealing classified information, that Wilson's wife had not authorized the mission and that if he did write about it, her name should not be revealed.

Harlow said that after Novak's call, he checked Plame's status and confirmed that she was an undercover operative. He said he called Novak back to repeat that the story Novak had related to him was wrong and that Plame's name should not be used. But he did not tell Novak directly that she was undercover because that was classified.

In a column published Oct. 1, 2003, Novak wrote that the CIA official he spoke to 'asked me not to use her name, saying she probably never again will be given a foreign assignment but that exposure of her name might cause 'difficulties' if she travels abroad. He never suggested to me that Wilson's wife or anybody else would be endangered. If he had, I would not have used her name.'"

Since Novak certainly knew the CIA said NO to the story twice it is pretty apperent that Novak should have known what he was doing was illegal at that point.

I guess some people think they should be above the law when it comes to weakening our national security. I can only hope that, after their corpses are released from jail, rove, libby, novak, and any of the other conspirators, enjoy their trip straight to hell for their little "GOP campaign to smear Wilson and the CIA" treason against America.