Posted on 10/07/2004 1:03:22 PM PDT by marineguy
This is an article that I think deserves some attention. Trust me, I have no love lost over a New York Times reporter getting a little jail time for outing a CIA-type, regardless of the fact that the CIA officer is married to an idiot, but why is it that the lukewarm "conservative"(?) Robert Novak can do the outing and no one seems to want to hold his feet to the fire?
By CURT ANDERSON, Associated Press Writer
WASHINGTON - A federal judge held a reporter in contempt Thursday for refusing to divulge confidential sources to prosecutors investigating the leak of an undercover CIA (news - web sites) officer's identity.
U.S. District Judge Thomas F. Hogan ordered New York Times reporter Judith Miller jailed until she agrees to testify about her sources before a grand jury, but said she could remain free while pursuing an appeal. Miller could be jailed up to 18 months.
Hogan cited Supreme Court rulings that reporters do not have absolute First Amendment protection from testifying about confidential sources. He said there was ample evidence that U.S. Attorney Patrick Fitzgerald of Chicago, the special prosecutor in the CIA leak case, had exhausted other avenues of obtaining key testimony before issuing subpoenas to Miller and other reporters.
"The special counsel has made a limited, deferential approach to the press in this matter," Hogan said.
Fitzgerald is investigating whether a crime was committed when someone leaked the identity of CIA officer Valerie Plame, whose name was published by syndicated columnist Robert Novak on July 14, 2003. Novak cited two "senior administration officials" as his sources.
The Novak column appeared after Plame's husband, former Ambassador Joseph Wilson, was critical in a newspaper opinion piece of President Bush (news - web sites)'s claim that Iraq (news - web sites) sought to obtain uranium in Niger. The CIA had sent Wilson to Niger to investigate that claim, which he concluded was unfounded.
Miller's lawyer, Floyd Abrams, said he would quickly file notice of an appeal of Hogan's ruling with the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit. He and Miller both noted that although she gathered material for a story about Plame, she never wrote one.
"I think it's really frightening when journalists can be put in jail for doing their job effectively," Miller told reporters outside the courthouse.
Fitzgerald also has issued subpoenas to reporters from NBC, Time magazine and The Washington Post. Some have agreed to provide limited testimony after their sources — notably Lewis "Scooter" Libby, who is Vice President Cheney's chief of staff — released them from their promise of confidentiality.
Miller and Bill Keller, the Times' executive editor, said they would not agree to provide testimony even under those circumstances.
Novak never has said whether he has been subpoenaed.
Kind of disgusting, isn't it ?
I am a journalist, in NY media circles myself, and this is a pretty strong rumor. Wonder if it will ever be checked out by mainstream media ? I do think it should be checked out.
I am a very honest reporter and wouldn't have mentioned it unless there was a strong possibility that it were true. Hope someone checks this story out.
I'm not doubting your honesty or credentials, but why don't you check out the rumor yourself, since you are a journalist in New York?
Since Novak has not been jailed we naturally assume he was not subpoenaed. Upon further reflection though, I think it is likely he has already testified as to who told him, with the permission of his source. His source may have then identified others who had previously revealed Plames identity, which was according to many Washington insiders one of the worst kept secrets in Washington. This could explain why the investigation has widened.
"Why don't you check the rumor yourself, since you are a journalist in New York ?"
I believe I will. One of my colleagues relayed this to me, and I will ask for her source.
I wouldn't go on record unless I really really verified this , cause it's an ugly ugly disgusting rumor. Nevertheless, it's travelling widely in NYC journalistic circles.
Is anyone else out there interested in finding out the veracity of this rumor ?
Good luck. If you get the story and publish it, post it here and ping me.
I'm a relative newbie here. What exactly does "ping me "mean ? Does it mean "alert" you ?
FYI - I am a very good reporter, but to decide to put my energy into this rumor requires some support.In my experience, it is very difficult if one doesn't feel one has the support of someone.
But one step at a time. I will ask my editor tomorrow where she heard the report about Miller and Hussein.
I save my outrage for wrongdoing. Novak did a service by writing up why Wilson was assigned to venture Niger way.
I have long posited that there was an unseemly and unethical motive for that assignment and I remain convinced that the grand jury investigation is not of what conventional wisdom states.
After all, if there was no crime committed in the revealing of Plame's "name" (they mean employer) and she really wasn't covert, then they obviously are looking at something else.
It is plain that her "name" was given to reporters by those friendly to the Wilsons (one reporter has stated flatly that a democrat told him) by way of explaining the otherwise inexplicable, not the Wilson claim that the wife was "outed" in some kind of bizarre "retaliation".
The Wilsons lied about the reason, scope and results (such as they were) of his trip to Niger. They sought to cast the trip as definitely refuting Iraq seeking yellowcake in Niger when it did no such thing.
They lied for a reason and that was to bring down the Bush administration.
The media was complicit in that they reported the story according to Wilsonian talking points when the documented state of the record could easily reveal the problems with his tall tale.
Tim Russert and Matt Cooper have already been held in contempt and both cut deals to give limited testimony to get out of it.
I predict Miller will do the same.
No, "we" don't. I assume he has testified.
Actually I agree with you and if you read all of my post #24 I think you will see I made it clear that I also believe he has testified.
I did jump on your first sentence and posted in haste. I did see your entire thinking and indeed, we agree.
Interesting investigation, imo.
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