Jun 11 2007
2003 Events, Continued
11 July 2003:
CIA Head George Tenet says that the infamous "16 words" should not have been included in the State of the Union address.
Time's Matt Cooper had left Rove a voice mail asking to talk about welfar report. The resulting conversation focuses only on Wilson's allegations. Rove says that "Wilson's wife" (he did not use her name) was CIA, worked on weapons of mass destruction, and had authorized Wilson's trip to Nigeria. Rove says, "Don't get too far out on Wilson," according to Cooper's notes. In a CNN interview, Cooper recalled that Rove used a "disparaging" tone when talking about Wilson.
Rove e-mails deputy national security advisor Stephen Hadley, stating he'd waved Cooper off Wilson's assertions.
12 July 2003:
While talking to Time's Cooper, VP Cheney's top aide, Lewis "Scooter" Libby, confirms Rove's assertion that Plame had arranged for the African assignment.
According to the Washington Post, a senior administration official, "almost in passing," highlights Plame's role to Washington Post reporter Walter Pincus.
NYT reporter Judith Miller again meets with Libby; her notebook now shows the name Valerie Wilson.
14 July 2003:
Robert Novak column outing Plame (using her maiden name).
21 July 2003:
Novak tells Newsday: "I didn't dig it out, it was given to me," he said. "They thought it was significant, they gave me the name and I used it."
23 September 2003:
The Justice Department launches a probe of the leak.
28 September 2003:
A senior member of the White House tells the Washington Post that at least six reporters had been told of the Plame story before Novak's column, "purely and simply out of revenge."
29 September 2003:
On Nightline, Joe Wilson states that a journalist (later identified as Chris Matthews) called him and said: "I just got off the phone with Karl Rove. He tells me your wife is fair game."
White House notified by Justice that they are launching a probe.
White House spokesman Scott McClellan said "it is simply not true" that Karl Rove was involed with the leak.
30 September 2003:
Justice Department launches a full investigation to determine if White House officials had illegally disclosed the Valerie Plame's name to journalists.
1 October 2003:
Ex-CIA analyst Larry Johnson confirms that Plame was an undercover operative.
Novak claims his source was "no partisan gunslinger" and characterized the investigation as a "massive political assault" on the President.
4 October 2003:
Novak reveals the name of the CIA front (Brewster-Jennings & Associates) that was ostensibly Plame's employer (according to her W-2s).
30 December 2003:
Attorney General Ashcroft recuses himself from the leak investigation. Fitzgerald named special prosecutor.
Next Page : 2004-2005
