Novak: Rove Was A Source For Plame Story

In Wednesday's column, columnist Robert Novak publicly confirms that Karl Rove was one source for his 2003 column which outed CIA agent Valerie Plame. He also cites CIA public information officer Bill Harlow but does not reveal his "primary" source. However, he says that prosecutor Patrick Fitzgerald was aware of all three sources:

For nearly the entire time of his investigation, Fitzgerald knew -- independent of me -- the identity of the sources I used in my column of July 14, 2003... In other words, the special prosecutor knew the names of my sources.

I have revealed Rove's name because his attorney has divulged the substance of our conversation, though in a form different from my recollection. I have revealed Harlow's name because he has publicly disclosed his version of our conversation, which also differs from my recollection. My primary source has not come forward to identify himself...

In my sworn testimony, I said what I have contended in my columns and on television: Joe Wilson's wife's role in instituting her husband's mission was revealed to me in the middle of a long interview with an official who I have previously said was not a political gunslinger. After the federal investigation was announced, he told me through a third party that the disclosure was inadvertent on his part.

Novak revealed Plame's identity after her husband wrote an essay critical of the Bush Administration in the New York Times. Former Vice President staffer I. Lewis "Scooter" Libby is the only person charged in the investigation.

Rather than settle the matter, Novak's story raises questions.

Conflicting Stories
Think Progress notes that Novak's story was contradicted by Harlow in 2005:

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.

The WaPost reminds that Novak wrote in 2003 that Harlow "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."

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