[Snapple]

Novak is not before the court, and a key question in the case is why he is not, because he presumably knows the identities of the original leakers.

Neither he nor Fitzgerald has been willing to say whether Novak has even been subpoenaed or, if so, whether he has cooperated.

[oceanview]

self-incrimination for what crime?

[Snapple]

Both [special prosecutor]Fitzgerald and James Hamilton, Novak's attorney, declined to comment for this article. Hamilton said Novak "will not comment."

[what's up]

Another possibility is that Novak cooperated.

Judith Miller did not. She and her people might be trying to find out what happened with Novak. I'm glad Novak and his lawyer are not talking.

All Miller has to do is cooperate.

[Admin Moderator]

Please use the published title when posting an article

[Snapple]

LEAK PROBABLY CAME FROM WHITE HOUSE

http://199.249.170.220/eandp/news/article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1000727193

New Twist in Plame Game: When Did Novak Column Move on the Wires?

By E&P Staff

Published: November 26, 2004 11:00 AM ET

NEW YORK An article by Susan Schmidt in Friday’s Washington Post introduced a new twist in the federal probe of the leaking to the press of the name of undercover CIA operative Valerie Plame.

According to Schmidt, special prosecutor Patrick J. Fitzgerald has gotten bogged down in trying to determine exactly when several journalists learned about Plame’s identity, most likely from someone at the White House. The focus has been on whether White House aides leaked the name before it appeared anywhere in the press or merely spread the news after it surfaced.

Since it has long been known that her name first appeared in a July 14, 2003, column by Robert Novak, it would seem to be relatively easy to determine a before and after.

But there's a catch. According to Schmidt, “While Novak's column did not run until Monday, July 14, it could have been seen by people in the White House or the media as early as Friday, July 11, when Creators Syndicate distributed it over the Associated Press wire.”

Schmidt continues: “The timing could be a critical element in assessing whether classified information was illegally disclosed. If White House aides directed reporters to information that had already been published by Novak, they may not have disclosed classified information. ...

“As part of his efforts, Fitzgerald has been battling reporters in court, demanding that they disclose conversations with confidential sources.”

One witness’s lawyer told the Post that prosecutors “seem to continue to be focused on which White House officials talked to members of the press, and whether that was pre- or post-Novak. That's where they are struggling."

In questioning reporters, prosecutors have shown a particular interest in the events of July 12, reporters and their attorneys have said, according to the Post: “Word that Wilson's wife worked at the CIA had by then circulated to some media organizations, though the origin of the information is not publicly known.”

[redstatemomma]

As a journalist I am disgusted by this entire mess. I certainly would not go to jail to protect a source who committed treason by outing a NOC.

This outing jeopardized our already shaky "intelligence" apparatus and I cannot believe Novak took part in it. I don't want to believe that someone in the White House would commit treason this way but it looks that way more and more as this drags on.

By the way, I call it treason because that's the term the first President Bush used when referring to such an act. I think he had it right.

I wish the current President Bush would show more of a desire to get to the bottom of this mess. Instead, he apparently hired a criminal lawyer. Not a good sign.

[Blue_Ridge_Mtn_Geek]

Since Valerie Plame was "outed" years before this by a CIA turncoat (which is why she was pulled from the field, and brought back to the US), it continues to puzzle me why Novak's column information is considered to be illegal.

[cyncooper]

Maybe he testified without being compelled.

[cyncooper]

Some say that the press's position in the Plame case would be stronger if not for the fact that it started with a government leak allegedly calculated to get even with an in-house critic, Wilson

The only one saying that is Wilson and his friends in the media. It is a ludicrous, not to mention impossible, charge.

[Southack]

http://www.occupationwatch.org/article.php?id=5051

Mr Chalabi is a long-standing opponent of Saddam Hussein and close ally of the "neo-conservative" hawks in Washington and London who have backed the war. And now, according to CIA leaks in Washington, it is alleged that he may have been in the pay of the Iranians all along.

[gitmo]

After Branzburg, the Justice Department promised, in effect, not to abuse its power to subpoena reporters. Department guidelines instruct federal prosecutors to seek only the minimum of reporters' testimony essential to resolve a case, when all other alternatives have been exhausted.

Somebody's going to sue that this violates the Equal Protection clause.

[fso301]

Novak may not be on the hot set because Miller and Coopers involvement predates Novaks involvement.

Who's to say Novaks source isn't Miller and Cooper?

[fso301]

Who really believes Miller and Cooper are falling on their swords to protect Bush?

[PGalt]

Thanks for the post. Outstanding/informative discussion bump!

[maestro]

In Leak Case, Reporters Lack American Judicial Shield For Sources?

Just say NO!

/sarcasm