PLAMEGATE: Back to
the Basics on Karl Rove

Over the past few days, the White House and its
allies have been desperately trying
to spin the real issues surrounding the actions of Karl Rove. To set the
story straight, there are five key facts you need to know. Ultimately, Karl Rove
has become “an
embarrassment” for the White House and should do [Bush] the courtesy
of resigning. If he does not, [Bush] needs to uphold his pledge and fire
Karl Rove.

FACT #1 — ROVE AND WHITE HOUSE HAVE REPEATEDLY
LIED ABOUT ROVE'S ROLE IN THE LEAK: Asked on 9/29/03 whether he had “any
knowledge” of the leak or whether he leaked the name of the CIA agent, Rove
answered “no.”
He later said, “I didn't know
her name. I didn't leak her name.” Also on 9/29/03, White House Press
Secretary Scott McClellan, after having “spoken to Karl,” asserted that “it is a
ridiculous suggestion” to say Rove was involved in the leak.

FACT #2 — [BUSH] SAID HE WOULD FIRE
ANYONE INVOLVED: Asked on 6/10/04 whether he stood by his pledge to “fire
anyone” involved in the leak case, Bush answered, “yes.” 

FACT #3 — ROVE IDENTIFIED PLAME IN POSSIBLE
VIOLATION OF LAW: At the very least, we know Rove identified the cover CIA
agent Valerie Plame as “Wilson's
wife” and that she worked after the “agency on wmd.” Section 421 of the
Intelligence Identities Protection Act targets anyone who “intentionally
discloses any information identifying” a covert agent.

FACT #4 — OUTING OF PLAME WAS RETRIBUTION AGAINST
CRITIC OF IRAQ INTELLIGENCE: The Washington Post reported on 9/28/03: “[A]
senior administration official said that before Novak's column ran, two top
White House officials called at least six Washington journalists and disclosed
the identity and occupation of Wilson's wife… 'Clearly,
it was meant purely and simply for revenge,' the senior official said of the
alleged leak.'”

FACT #5 — WHITE HOUSE SILENT NOW BUT HAS SPOKEN
PREVIOUSLY WHILE THE INVESTIGATION WAS ONGOING: McClellan has said that
while the investigation is ongoing, “the White
House is not going to comment on it.” But on 10/1/03, McClellan also said,
“There's an investigation going on” but spoke openly about Rove, saying “it's
simply not true that he was involved in leaking classified
information.”

(Source)

And now for the GOOD news!

Americans No Longer Trust Bush