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Bush Says He Welcomes Investigation in CIA Leak Probe
Aired October 01, 2003 - 06:02 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.
CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: The president says bring it on, saying he welcomes an investigation into the leak of a CIA operative's name. But some Democrats say a special counsel should do the questioning and not the Justice Department.
Live to Washington, D.C. now and CNN's Jennifer Coggiola.
Good morning -- Jennifer.
JENNIFER COGGIOLA, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Carol.
Well, the formal investigation will be under way in the nation's capital today, but yesterday at a fund-raiser in Chicago this leak had the president's full attention.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: I don't know of anybody in my administration who leaked classified information. If somebody did leak classified information, I'd like to know it, and well take the appropriate action.
COGGIOLA (voice-over): The Justice Department has begun that action, a criminal investigation.
BUSH: I want to know who the leakers are.
COGGIOLA: The leaked information identified Valerie Plame as a -- quote -- "CIA operative of weapons of mass destruction." Plame's husband, Joe Wilson, a former U.S. ambassador and outspoken critic of President Bush, believes the leak came from the White House, where much of the focus was Monday.
JOHN ASHCROFT, ATTORNEY GENERAL: Yesterday, the Department of Justice informed the White House counsel's office of this investigation, and requested that the White House preserve all documents that might be relevant to the investigation.
COGGIOLA: But many Democrats arent satisfied, calling for an independent counsel.
SEN. CHARLES SCHUMER (D), NEW YORK: This is a totally different ball of wax. This is not just a leak. This is a crime, plain and simple.
REP. NANCY PELOSI (D-CA), MINORITY LEADER: If there was ever a case for the appointment of a special counsel, this is it. COGGIOLA: But President Bush's spokesman says Mr. Bush sees no need for a special investigative counsel.
SCOTT MCCLELLAN, WHITE HOUSE PRESS SECRETARY: And it should be pursued to the fullest extent by the appropriate agency, and the appropriate agency is the Department of Justice.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
COGGIOLA: Now, Joe Wilson has said that he believes the reason for this leak is retaliation for a report that he wrote earlier this year, challenging the president's pre-war claim that Iraq had tried to buy uranium from Africa -- Carol.
COSTELLO: All right, Jennifer Coggiola reporting live from D.C. this morning.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com.
Aired October 1, 2003 - 06:02 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: The president says bring it on, saying he welcomes an investigation into the leak of a CIA operative's name. But some Democrats say a special counsel should do the questioning and not the Justice Department.
Live to Washington, D.C. now and CNN's Jennifer Coggiola.
Good morning -- Jennifer.
JENNIFER COGGIOLA, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Carol.
Well, the formal investigation will be under way in the nation's capital today, but yesterday at a fund-raiser in Chicago this leak had the president's full attention.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: I don't know of anybody in my administration who leaked classified information. If somebody did leak classified information, I'd like to know it, and well take the appropriate action.
COGGIOLA (voice-over): The Justice Department has begun that action, a criminal investigation.
BUSH: I want to know who the leakers are.
COGGIOLA: The leaked information identified Valerie Plame as a -- quote -- "CIA operative of weapons of mass destruction." Plame's husband, Joe Wilson, a former U.S. ambassador and outspoken critic of President Bush, believes the leak came from the White House, where much of the focus was Monday.
JOHN ASHCROFT, ATTORNEY GENERAL: Yesterday, the Department of Justice informed the White House counsel's office of this investigation, and requested that the White House preserve all documents that might be relevant to the investigation.
COGGIOLA: But many Democrats arent satisfied, calling for an independent counsel.
SEN. CHARLES SCHUMER (D), NEW YORK: This is a totally different ball of wax. This is not just a leak. This is a crime, plain and simple.
REP. NANCY PELOSI (D-CA), MINORITY LEADER: If there was ever a case for the appointment of a special counsel, this is it. COGGIOLA: But President Bush's spokesman says Mr. Bush sees no need for a special investigative counsel.
SCOTT MCCLELLAN, WHITE HOUSE PRESS SECRETARY: And it should be pursued to the fullest extent by the appropriate agency, and the appropriate agency is the Department of Justice.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
COGGIOLA: Now, Joe Wilson has said that he believes the reason for this leak is retaliation for a report that he wrote earlier this year, challenging the president's pre-war claim that Iraq had tried to buy uranium from Africa -- Carol.
COSTELLO: All right, Jennifer Coggiola reporting live from D.C. this morning.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com.
