White House Obstructing Plame Investigation

The Bush Administration is actively blocking Congress' investigation into the outing of once-covert CIA agent Valerie Plame, according to House Oversight Committee chairman Henry Waxman.

In a letter sent today to Attorney General Michael Mukasey, Waxman notes that "White House objections are preventing Special Counsel Patrick Fitzgerald from disclosing key information to investigating officials." Among the documents being withheld are interviews taken from White House officers during Fitzgerald's investigation into the leak of Plame's identity.

"Over the summer, Mr. Fitzgerald agreed to provide relevant documents to the Committee, including records of interviews with senior White House officials. Unfortunately, the White House has been blocking Mr. Fitzgerald from providing key documents to the Committee," Waxman writes to newly appointed Mukasey. "I ask that you personally look into this matter and authorize the production of the documents to the Committee without any further delay."

Waxman's letter provides one of the first tests for Mukasey, who stressed during his confirmation hearings that he would operate independently from White House directive. The letter also provides greater insight into the extent of collaboration between Fitzgerald and the oversight committee.

Read the full letter here. Emptywheel has more here.

Comments

[ajax2]

The lies that Bush told Scotty have been confirmed with this latest obstruction.

[Not Blind]

Exposing or revealing the identity of a government agent is a crime. It's called TREASON, punishable by life imprisonment or even death.
That the White House is impeding Fitzgerald's inquiry, withholding documents, evidence, and will not give testimony under oath points the blame directly at them. Dubya had said that if any government employee was involved, he'd take care of it. I guess instead of finding and exposing the culprit, bringing him/her to justice, he meant covering up to save his and their collective hides.
Rove and Cheney are the prime culprits, since her husband was critical of the Iraq war doctrine, and could find no evidence of Iraqi's procurement of nuclear materials. Their scare tactics, fear-mongering and "mushroom cloud" hoax was exposed, so they retaliated.
The media (Novak) published what he was told. The question is by whom? Libby was convicted of perjury, then had his sentence commuted by Bush, who might have feared Liddy would spill the beans to get out of jail.
Impeding an investigation is an obstruction of justice, also a crime under what laws we have left.

[TimN]

** the inner-workers of the HuffPo news team **

mmmhh...

The surge has improved the security situation in Iraq.

Consumer confidence is excellent.

Bush policies have caused the Iranians to abandon their nuclear weapons program.

What to do? What to do?

Oh, let's just regurgitate some Valerie Plame crap, throw Waxman's name in it and make it sound like we're finally going to nail that sonofabitch Bush.

[hollywoody5000]

SAD TO READ THESE COMMENTS AND SEE SUCH A FLAGRANT DISPLAY OF IGNORANCE. I GUESS THAT'S WHY THEY'RE CALLED "THE LITTLE PEOPLE."

[blurredtruth]

Surely the government has better things to work than this? Sounds like additional publicity for Plame's dwindling book sales.

[lornejl]

I am 100 percent pro impeach,no, make that 110%

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2006/11/10/1338/3169

[kevenseven]

Gotta step out for an hour or so, I'll be expecting free-pie's list of 17 when I get back.

[EyeWantOneNation]

RE - POST:

I've been busy today, calling this one, googling that one! Here's what I need to share with you:

The resolution to impeach Cheney (HR 333) has been forwarded to The Subcommittee on the Constitution, Civil Rights and Civil Liberties - Chaired by the Hon.Jerrold Nadler. This Subcommittee has 8 Democrats, and 5 Republicans: and oddly enough, one of those Democrats is John Conyers Jr.
Phone number for Hon. Jerrold Nadler in DC is: 202-225-5635

After the Subcommittee reviews and rules on resolution, it goes to House Judiciary Committee, which is chaired by John Conyers Jr. And...Jerrold Nadler also sits on House Judiciary Committee!!!
John Conyers Jr. phone number in DC is 202-225-5126.

Email form for Judiciary members is the same for all; send one form to Nadler and INSIST they put HR 333 on the calender IMMEDIATELY;and send bill to House Judiciary Committee.
Send separate email to Conyers and tell him you want HR 333 to go through Subcommittee now - and he needs to put on House Judiciary calendar as soon as possible.
email form found at:
http://judiciary.house.gov/Contact.aspx

For interesting bio on Conyers, google him - quite a maverick - w/Moveon.org - etc.
We GOTTA get him to move on this!!!

Thanx!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[norma]

Can someone check the calendar for me, I seem to have lost a century?

In the last five minutes I have read that Hillary is 'bitch' and Valerie Plame should be scorned for not taking her husbands name.

I think I'll have my bodyservant bring up buckets of hot water for a bath now :)

[sgtjiggs]

Just like legislating, the Dems ain't very good at investigating or so it seems.

[Troubledwawa]

As an independent voter, I am interested in seeing how the Republican Senators and Congressmen react to this charge of obstruction of justice. After all, that charge and purgery were two charges against President Clinton at his trial. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Impeachment_of_Bill_Clinton

Obviously, what's good for the goose is good for the gander (Please note that I'm sure this has been brought by now however, I haven't had the time to go through 1000 comments).

I like how Congressman Waxman stepped right up to that point and stopped before crossing it in his letter. And how he used President Clinton as a positive example of how a President should act in this situation - i.e., turn over the documents, as required by law.

I'd sure like to be a fly on the wall in the Oval Office right about now.

Congressman Waxman, great job!

[JohnKemp]

Why would Pflame revert to her maiden name, rather than to be known as Valerie Wilson.

Always been a mystery to me.

I mean one would think that if 007 was so enthralled with her superman husband that she would not have dropped his heroic name.

[elkabong]

God Warrior vs. Bush: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZXnYJH5_0CQ

[realitytrumpsbull]

No, no, not the Plame-game again! Can they get
her to, like, wear a chicken hat, and do
the Michael Jackson dance? Don't forget the
flaming hoops and the juggler guy, and the
contortionist and stuff...jobs for america, there...

[researcher]

and we are supposed to be surprised? the man is a war mongering liar sociopath.

why is it that the middle class loves to be screwed year after year by the neo cons?

for all of you that voted for bush because he mentioned jesus are you happy now? you have been conned big time.

christians get it thru your paradgm paralysis thick heads christianty died on the cross.

a country with the death penalty and 47 mil without health care and 600 bil military budget and then claim to be a christian country.

hypocrites all of those evangel neo cons.