Bush approved classified leaks: Libby/Plame case

[buttmunch]

WASHINGTON — President Bush authorized a leak of classified prewar intelligence about Iraq to help justify the case for war, a now-indicted former aide to Vice President Cheney told a grand jury in March 2004, according to court documents.
The documents, however, do not allege that Bush was involved with disclosing former covert CIA officer Valerie Plame's identity to reporters, or that he acted illegally.

Federal prosecutors filed the documents minutes before midnight Wednesday. In those papers, I. Lewis "Scooter" Libby, Cheney's former chief of staff, testified that the vice president told him of Bush's approval. Libby then relayed the Iraq intelligence to a New York Times reporter on July 8, 2003. ON DEADLINE BLOG: Libby links Bush to NYT leak

Libby testified that he got "approval from the president through the vice president to discuss (the classified) material," the court papers said. According to the description of Libby's grand jury testimony, that material was a National Intelligence Estimate. The estimate said, "we judge that Iraq has continued its weapons of mass destruction (WMD) programs in defiance of UN resolutions and restrictions." It also mentioned that "a foreign government service" had reported on alleged Iraqi attempts to acquire uranium ore from Niger.

Libby's assertion marked the first time Bush has been named as a direct participant in the complex case that began when Plame's identity was revealed in a newspaper column in 2003.

A grand jury indicted Libby last October on charges of lying about his role in telling reporters about the operative's identity. He pleaded not guilty; his trial is set for January. The indictment refers to statements Libby made to the grand jury on March 5 and 24, 2004.

Several Democrats were critical of the president, who has often protested the leak of classified information, including the one in the Plame case. For example, on Sept. 30, 2003, Bush said about the Plame matter: "There are too many leaks of classified information in Washington."

Rep. Jane Harman, D-Calif., senior Democrat on the House Intelligence Committee, said that "if the disclosure is true, it's breathtaking — the president is revealed as the leaker-in-chief."

As for the legality of the leak, the White House has maintained that the president and vice president have the authority to disclose classified information. In fact, 10 days after Libby's disclosures to New York Times reporter Judith Miller, the White House declassified several pages of information from the National Intelligence Estimate on Iraq's weapons and gave it to reporters.

Bush, after speaking about the Iraq war in Charlotte on Thursday, declined to comment on the Libby case. Cheney spokeswoman Lea Anne McBride also had no comment.

The description of Libby's testimony came in a filing by special counsel Patrick Fitzgerald. He is contesting Libby's request for more documents from the CIA and other agencies to build his trial defense.

usatoday.com

[Grimmlok]

Well he better fire himself immediately, because he said anybody involved in the leaks would be terminated from their position.

*waits*

*crickets*

[FierceKiten]

I looked at this thread and thought it said "Bush Classified Freaks", which is very true.

[sweetrebel]

To think that this idiot is running our contry and essentially responsible for our lives makes me shudder...
I am not big into politics, couldn't debate about it if my life depended on it. So I ask this question...Bill Clinton was impeached because of the whole Monica Lweinsky shit. What about all the shit Bush has pulled? IMO having your dick sucked in the Oval office is much better than the stupid shit he is pulling....do you think anything will be done to him?

[FierceKiten]

He needs to be remove period. He is the poster child for autisim.

[Grimmlok]

That's an insult to Dustin Hoffman and all the Rain Men.

[Grimmlok]

I say he should be shot for treason.

[FierceKiten]

right with ya Grimm

[sweetrebel]

Who would decide that something should be done about this? I mean, it's not like it's the first time he has been dishonest with the public. WMD-remember?

[pacific breeze]

He actually believes he's above the law. What he did was treasonous -- isn't that still punishable by death? *lives in hope*

[Glasgow53]

Could I be the one to shoot him? I am a terrible shot. I just know I would do it badly and he would die a slow and agonizing death and that would just be too bad, wouldn't it? (Actually I have never fired a gun in my life, but I would be willing to learn for the occasion)