I'm not forgetting anything. I know that the CIA knows her work status. That's part of the point. THEY (the CIA) was the first group that acknowledge her employment. They would NEVER have acknowledged her employment if she was a covert agent. Period.
Since that's the case, one has to wonder why they've asked for an investigation if Plame is nothing more than an analyst. If no laws have been broken, why waste the DOJ's time?
Why?
Because the democrats have made it a national security issue.
The CIA is (rightly) punting to the DOJ since its own people gave out the information. They can't conduct an investigation becase 1) it is a domestic issue and 2) it would be imprudent, because they are a party involved in the situation.
And if there's nothing to the case, why has the DOJ turned it over to the FBI for investigation? Why is the DOJ wasting the FBI's time, if there's nothing to the case?
As far as the investigation itself, this is the normal course of action with this type of accusation (especially considering the "hot" political nature of the accusation).
Also, the CIA refers matters like this to the DOJ over 50 times PER YEAR. The DOJ investigates each referral with whatever means is appropriate, with the FBI conducting many of these investigations.
Your implication that an investigation is smoke, so there must be some fire is simply too presumptuous.
By the way, the investigation only needs to determine if Mrs. Wilson is an undercover/covert agent. If she isn't, then the accusations are moot (see the actual law in question Title 50, Chapter 15, Section 421).
Please read the actual law in question before you respond.
NOVAK RESPONDS: 'NOBODY IN THE BUSH ADMINISTRATION CALLED ME TO LEAK THIS'
Mon Sep 29 2003 16:44:51 ET
"Nobody in the Bush administration called me to leak this. In July I was interviewing a senior administration official on Ambassador Wilson's report when he told me the trip was inspired by his wife, a CIA employee working on weapons of mass destruction.
"Another senior official told me the same thing. As a professional journalist with 46 years experience in Washington I do not reveal confidential sources. When I called the CIA in July to confirm Mrs. Wilson's involvement in the mission for her husband -- he is a former Clinton administration official -- they asked me not to use her name, but never indicated it would endanger her or anybody else.
"According to a confidential source at the CIA, Mrs. Wilson was an analyst, not a spy, not a covert operator, and not in charge of undercover operatives."