Journalists subpoenaed in CIA leak case

[freetobegay]

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Two journalists, including NBC's Tim Russert, have been subpoenaed by the Justice Department in the investigation into who leaked the name of a covert CIA operative, according to the journalists' media outlets.

Russert, host of NBC's "Meet the Press," and Time Magazine columnist Mathew Cooper received subpoenas from investigators trying to learn who disclosed the identity of Valerie Plame, wife of former U.S. diplomat Joseph Wilson.

Wilson, a longtime career Foreign Service officer with expertise in African affairs, believes his wife's name was leaked by Bush administration officials in retaliation for his criticism of the administration.

He recounts what he thinks happened in his book "The Politics of Truth: Inside the Lies that Led to War and Betrayed My Wife's CIA Identity: A Diplomat's Memoir," published in April.

http://www.cnn.com/2004/US/05/22/journalists.subpoena/index.html

[bluedeminredstate]

1. I couldn't be happier

I'm sitting here with a shit-eating grin.

How many times has Russert, or as I like call him, Mr. Potato Head, had Joe Wilson on his show?

[freetobegay]

4. You ought to see the "shit-eating grin on my face!

:)

[yardwork]

2. Possibly the biggest mistake the Chimp administration has made

and they have made a lot of mistakes.

It is a felony offense to reveal the name of a CIA operative, punishable by up to 10 years in prison and a $50,000 fine.

[punpirate]

5. The law applying here...

... exempts journalists. The felony charge accrues to the person(s) leaking the information to the press, not to members of the press. Will Russert or Novak reveal sources? Not bloody likely.

This is a legal dead-end, if Russert and the other journalist fall back on the language of the law itself, which they are likely to do. Neither will give up damaging information when the law doesn't require them to do so.

This is one of those instances where freedom of the press doesn't exactly serve the public interest, but it still has to be respected. Here's hoping one of them slips up a bit in testimony, and gives the grand jury a lead it didn't have previously.

[HFishbine]

19. Actually

If they refuse to give grand jury testimony, they can be held in contempt.

[FreakinDJ]

14. It is the BIGGEST mistake Chimpco ever made

This story is going to grow huge in the next few weeks. A TON of news will be devoted to this story. Especially if the journalist do a little time behind bars for not divulging the names.

Hopefully after a timely prelude behind bars they sing like a bird. To the Press and give the names declaring they felt it was their patriotic duty.

How can a Freeper argue that the Plame outing wasn't harmful to America's effort against terrorism

[drthais]

3. I Know I Know!

but what puzzles me
is this:
why don't the just supeona NOVAK!?

I mean, HE"S THE CULPRIT HERE!

[DEMVET-USMC]

6. Why don`t they supena NOVAK? Good question, would love to see it

happen. Once these chickenhawks start turning on each other to save thier own butts it`s all over for BUSHCO. ...Oscar

[nadinbrzezinski]

11. I think they are working their way slowly

to Novak... they may get one of the other six to go on the record first

Also... and this the ironic part, even though the press is protected under the First Ammendment, what they did is not protected under the Patriot Act...

I know this is ironic, but if I were the prosecutor I woudl make sure to line my ducks first... as this would become a test case for the USPA...

And no I do not relish those thoughts either, as the USPA is a very unAmerican law

[DEMVET-USMC]

13. Excellent point. I`ve allways seen how that Patriot Act could be used to

nail the bastards that created and whooped about how necessarry it was for all Americans to sacrifice our civil rights. Poetic justice for those bastards and then let`s do away with it. ... Oscar

[teryang]

15. The press in not protected in a criminal case

...this is why journalists may be cited for contempt when they do not disgorge evidence in a criminal proceeding.

I don't see the Patriot Act connection. These are subpoenas.

I also don't expect the Justice department to get to the bottom of this. Their function is political damage control. They'll drag this out for months and months and it probably won't go anywhere.

[WyLoochka]

7. Grand Juries rarely supoena

the culprits. They build the case by hauling in peripheral people and making them spill the beans on the culprits. They work bottom to top. When the prosecutor has obtained sufficient evidence he/she indicts the culprits.

[madrchsod]

9. he will get to him

last..he`s must be slowly putting all the pieces together to see who is going to give up the source..fiztgerald is very good-if he can get the facts- in this case it maybe hard to do....

[msanthrope]

17. Perhaps because he is a target?

n/t

[The empressof all]

8. hypothetical question

If Novak told Russert in passing who leaked would Russert still be ethically bound to hold this confidential-Granted it would then be considered here-say--but it could be used to substantiate the investigators leads

[The Shadow]

10. Now For Bob "the sleaze" Novak

Syndicated newspaper columnist Robert Novak revealed Plame's identity as a CIA operative in a July 14 article, saying the CIA sent Wilson to Niger at his wife's suggestion. Novak, who also is a CNN contributor, cited two senior administration officials as his sources.

HEY NOVAK,YOU KNEW THIS!

It is a felony offense to reveal the name of a CIA operative, punishable by up to 10 years in prison and a $50,000 fine.

IMAGINE THAT.

Novak refused to say whether he has also received a subpoena; he is referring all questions on the matter to his attorney.

[nadinbrzezinski]

12. Which means things are getting hot for Novak

GOOD

But they will be buildign the case first, lining ducks in rows

[Dookus]

18. Novak is not subject

to the law pertaining to revealing agent identities.

If he goes to jail, it will only be for contempt of court for refusing to say WHO committed the felony by revealing the info to him. This will, of course, make him a 1st Amendment hero.

[BadGimp]

16. THis means the end is near

I read recently that we would know things were wraping up when the reporters were subpoenaed.

[Moderator]

20. Duplicate

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=102&topic_id=573925#577248