Why isn't Bob Novak going to jail? (OpEd)

[Catchawave]

http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/05049/459428.stm


Friday, February 18, 2005

By Tony Norman

Will someone please explain in simple, easy-to-understand language, why we never see right-wing pundit Bob Novak's name mentioned in the same breath as reporters facing jail time for contempt in the Valerie Plame affair?

<snip to end of article>

The persecution and prosecution of reporters is taking place at a time when the White House has perfected the art of manipulating the Fourth Estate. With recent revelations that three prominent columnists were paid "consultants" for administration policies, it's easy to see why the First Amendment isn't taken particularly seriously these days.

And then, with the announcement that "Jeff Gannon," a proud sycophant of the White House press corps, is actually James Guckert, a Republican dirty trickster and homosexual prostitute, one has to wonder whether this administration's contempt for journalists knows any bounds.

As bad as things are now, there's still room for it to get a little worse.

[SHRED]

1. The "fourth estate"

Further proof that it is dead.
How long will the "media" and the CIA put up with this?
Oh...I forgot...the media has been intimidated and the CIA has been "cleansed" by the bushies.

[MSgt213]

2. I wonder if they are just stretching this thing as long as they can by

focusing on Miller and Cooper. There by putting time and distance hoping the seriousness of this in the American public's mind will lesson to the extent they can fire and try somebody for it and no one will give a shit who it is. Where is the rest of the media any way on this. Why are they running stories 24/7 about how important it is that these two not be forced to reveal their sources? I can't stand Novak, Miller and know next to nothing about cooper but, I don't like what's being done to them in the name of helping prosecutors do their job.

[Green Mountain Dem]

3. Yep it's the old......

"out of sight...out of mind" tactic and when you control the media you control what's seen and more importantly..what's NOT seen! Do you even remember the Israeli spy story?? If so, what happened??

[DoYouEverWonder]

4. Miller and Cooper are witnesses

who happen to be refusing to cooperate. Which is why they are in trouble at the moment.

Novak is a SUSPECT. He is one of the people being investigated. That is why he has not been called to testify has a WITNESS before the Grand Jury.

When the Grand Jury finishes their investigation, then they will decide if there is enough evidence to file charges against Novak and whoever was involved inside the WH that leaked the information.

[MSgt213]

5. They are however, not just witnesses who refuse to cooperate and be

careful how causally you look at this issue. If you want reporters to bring you other then just government releases, which some would argue they are doing anyway, they have to be able to protect their sources. If the government is allowed to circumvent this protection by just impaneling a grand jury then what's to stop them from getting at all sources this way? We then wind up with prosecution of leakers and those to who they leaked and the real criminals get away. I agree with you that Novak committed a crime because of the way he used the information that was leaked to him. In fact I think that Novack's actions amount to a conspiracy.

[izzie]

6. Is any sure he has not been in front of the Grand Jury?

It seems odd to have three up for this when Novak gave the name away. What does he know to get away with that?

[Catchawave]

7. I think this journalist asked the question to keep

Novak "alive" in the media?

Otherwise, nobody knows who or what a Novak is ?

[NYCGirl]

8. Here's a link I just posted in another thread about the law pertaining to

Novak, etc.:

http://www.slate.com/id/2089249