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White House Coming Under Investigation for Leaking Name of CIA Operative
Aired September 29, 2003 - 10:08 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
DARYN KAGAN, CNN ANCHOR: The Justice Department is searching for the source of a leak that identified a CIA operative and many believe the White House could be the focus of such an investigation. The intelligence officer is the wife of former U.S. Ambassador Joe Wilson who publicly undermined President Bush's prewar claim that Iraq had tried to buy uranium in Africa. Our national security correspondent David Ensor has the latest on this. David, good morning.
DAVID ENSOR, CNN NATIONAL SECURITY CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Daryn.
Well this story first came out in some form in mid-July when Robert Novak, the "CROSSFIRE" host and columnist, published the identity of this alleged CIA covert operative, Ambassador Wilson's wife. He had been told about this, he said, by a couple of senior Bush administration officials.
It got some attention then, it's getting a lot more now since the CIA has, as is routine, sent over a request that the Justice Department look into the matter and see whether there indeed was a leak.
Telling reporters the name of -- or anybody the name of a covert CIA operative, for a U.S. official to do that is a felony. So obviously there's a great deal of interest in this particularly since Ambassador Wilson at one point was suggesting that he thought a senior White House official, possibly even Karl Rove, the president's political adviser, might have been involved in this.
Now he's pulled back a bit from suggesting that Karl Rove was involved. But still he says that -- a White House official was involved. He suspects foul play here. And there will probably have to be an investigation.
The Democrats are jumping on this by saying they don't trust the Bush Justice Department to look into its own White House. Here's Senator Schumer.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SEN CHARLES SCHUMER (D), NEW YORK: If you appoint someone of real rock-ribbed (ph) integrity, I think that's the only way the public will have faith that there will be a complete and thorough and fearless investigation that will go wherever it leads.
(END VIDEOTAPE) ENSOR: Now, the White House is promising to investigate with -- to cooperate, with any sort of investigation and even to supply the telephone logs of officials if that becomes necessary -- Daryn.
KAGAN: So what is the likelihood that there would be an independent probe into the matter, David?
ENSOR: Really very unclear at this point. It does look as if the Justice Department will need to look into the matter. But whether the Democrats will succeed into pushing for an independent probe is just not clear.
KAGAN: David Ensor in Washington. Thank you.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
CIA Operative>
Aired September 29, 2003 - 10:08 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
DARYN KAGAN, CNN ANCHOR: The Justice Department is searching for the source of a leak that identified a CIA operative and many believe the White House could be the focus of such an investigation. The intelligence officer is the wife of former U.S. Ambassador Joe Wilson who publicly undermined President Bush's prewar claim that Iraq had tried to buy uranium in Africa. Our national security correspondent David Ensor has the latest on this. David, good morning.
DAVID ENSOR, CNN NATIONAL SECURITY CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Daryn.
Well this story first came out in some form in mid-July when Robert Novak, the "CROSSFIRE" host and columnist, published the identity of this alleged CIA covert operative, Ambassador Wilson's wife. He had been told about this, he said, by a couple of senior Bush administration officials.
It got some attention then, it's getting a lot more now since the CIA has, as is routine, sent over a request that the Justice Department look into the matter and see whether there indeed was a leak.
Telling reporters the name of -- or anybody the name of a covert CIA operative, for a U.S. official to do that is a felony. So obviously there's a great deal of interest in this particularly since Ambassador Wilson at one point was suggesting that he thought a senior White House official, possibly even Karl Rove, the president's political adviser, might have been involved in this.
Now he's pulled back a bit from suggesting that Karl Rove was involved. But still he says that -- a White House official was involved. He suspects foul play here. And there will probably have to be an investigation.
The Democrats are jumping on this by saying they don't trust the Bush Justice Department to look into its own White House. Here's Senator Schumer.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SEN CHARLES SCHUMER (D), NEW YORK: If you appoint someone of real rock-ribbed (ph) integrity, I think that's the only way the public will have faith that there will be a complete and thorough and fearless investigation that will go wherever it leads.
(END VIDEOTAPE) ENSOR: Now, the White House is promising to investigate with -- to cooperate, with any sort of investigation and even to supply the telephone logs of officials if that becomes necessary -- Daryn.
KAGAN: So what is the likelihood that there would be an independent probe into the matter, David?
ENSOR: Really very unclear at this point. It does look as if the Justice Department will need to look into the matter. But whether the Democrats will succeed into pushing for an independent probe is just not clear.
KAGAN: David Ensor in Washington. Thank you.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
CIA Operative>
