Democrats Query Gonzales on Plame InvestigationFri Apr 15, 7:22 PM ET Politics - Reuters
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Democrats on the House of Representatives intelligence panel have asked Attorney General Alberto Gonzales to explain why no government officials have been charged in a federal probe into the 2003 disclosure of a CIA operative's identity.
A letter, dated April 14 and signed by the committee's nine Democratic members, expressed "grave concern" that no charges have resulted from the grand jury investigation into whether the Bush administration illegally leaked the CIA officer's name to the media.
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"Given that Mr. Fitzgerald has publicly acknowledged that the factual investigation of the Novak disclosure is complete, we request that you brief the committee on the matter and provide an explanation as to why no charges have been brought," the Democrats' letter said.
The Justice Department did not return phone calls. But Gonzales, who has recused himself in the case, told CNN on Friday that he was confident the investigation was proceeding properly. "I have every confidence in the world that (Fitzgerald is) proceeding on a basis that he thinks is appropriate, and that at the appropriate time (the) matter will come to a head," Gonzales said.
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Rep. Peter Hoekstra (news, bio, voting record) of Michigan, the Republican chairman of the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, said Democrats had not sent him a copy of their letter and dismissed the action as a political stunt. "To me, what this smacks of is a purely partisan statement where they're not focused on getting a result. It's about getting a hit in the media," he said.
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