Cheney Discussed Inquiries Into Plame Leak, Obama Administration Trying To Keep Details Secret

WASHINGTON — Vice President Dick Cheney talked with top White House officials about how to respond to reporters' inquiries into who leaked the identity of a CIA operative, according to a court filing.

Cheney told the FBI about his recollection of discussions with his former top aide, I. Lewis "Scooter" Libby, and other White House officials on the media's questions. But the Obama administration is fighting in court to keep the substance of what Cheney revealed to the FBI from the public.

The FBI interviewed Cheney in 2004 as it was investigating the leak of former CIA operative Valerie Plame's identity to reporters the year before. Her name was revealed after her husband, former Ambassador Joseph Wilson, criticized the Bush administration's prewar intelligence on Iraq.

The leak touched off a lengthy inquiry that led to Libby being convicted on charges of obstruction of justice and lying to investigators about his conversations with reporters. Libby told the FBI it was possible that Cheney ordered him to reveal Plame's identity to the media.

The liberal watchdog group Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington filed a Freedom of Information Act lawsuit last year seeking records related to Cheney's FBI interview.

In a court filing Wednesday, Acting Assistant Attorney General David Barron argued that parts of Cheney's interview should be kept secret because they involve confidential deliberations among White House officials. Barron said their disclosure could limit frank and open discussion about matters of national importance in the White House in the future.

He said Cheney's recollection of discussions with Libby, the White House communications director and chief of staff about media inquiries into the Plame leak were among those portions that should be protected. He also included Cheney's discussions with the CIA director about Wilson's trip and his role in resolving disputes about declassifying "certain information" in that category.

Barron's filing was first reported Thursday on The Washington Post's Web site.

Comments

[lazercat2008]

Numerous media figures have asserted that a recent report purportedly identifying former deputy Secretary of State Richard Armitage as Robert Novak's original source for Valerie Plame's identity as a CIA operative prove that Karl Rove and I. Lewis "Scooter" Libby were not involved in the leak of her identity. However, Armitage's role as Novak's first source is not inconsistent with Rove's and Libby's involvements in the leak -- both were original sources of the information for two other reporters.--Media Matters

[lazercat2008]

Amitage had been sent a key memo about Wilson's trip that referred to his wife and her CIA connection, and this memo had been written, according to special counsel Patrick Fitzgerald, at the request of I. Lewis Scooter Libby, the vice president's chief of staff. Libby had asked for the memo because he was looking to protect his boss from the mounting criticism that Bush and Cheney had misrepresented the WMD intelligence to garner public support for the invasion of Iraq. --The Nation

[flossophy]

The UK inte||igence ministry never retracted the ye||owcake claim... They believe |raq attempted to purchase it from Niger.

go figure.

[Amunaka]

The 45 minutes thing too ...huh...

[Polarcap]

true - they did - this is what wilson and plame were trying to obfuscate in their politicized reports to Bush admin

[dennisrs]

It was reported recently in the Canadian press that a ship brought in a load of yellow cake from Iraq and turned over to a Canadian company (CamCo) to hold\store for the Canadian Government. Seems like it was a couple of tons. Maybe one of our Canadian friends can verify this.

[Derelict outlaw]

The real shame today, is that this topic should be occupying the MSM today, but (and I am so ashamed the world can see this) We're instead occupied with mourning and tributes to the "king of Pop" not the defense of illegal acts by the executive branch and the current admin's determination to uphold the privilege to lie, and cover-up.

[lazercat2008]

Last month, sources told CNN that Armitage had revealed Plame's role at the CIA in a casual conversation with Novak.

Armitage was not indicted by the federal grand jury that investigated the disclosure of Plame's name to Novak and other journalists. He told CBS that the special counsel investigating the leak, Patrick Fitzgerald, "asked me not to discuss this, and I honored his request."

On July 6--two days before Armitage's meeting with Novak--Wilson published an op-ed in The New York Times on July 6, 2003, that revealed that he had been sent by the CIA to Niger to investigate the charge that Iraq had been trying to buy uranium in that impoverished African nation. Wilson wrote that his mission had been triggered by an inquiry to the CIA from Vice President Dick Cheney, who had read an intelligence report about the Niger allegation, and that he (Wilson) had reported back to the CIA that the charge was highly unlikely.

[Polarcap]

for political reasons, Wilson tried to downplay the British intelligence report, from their 'men on the ground' , that confirmed Saddam's attempt to purchase this material

[Derelict outlaw]

Wow you're a Canadian disinformation expert.

[ReedYoung]

Focusing public pressure on President Obama won't get it done. We need to lobby our legislators, to then put their pressure on President Obama. Then, we'll see some results.

[greenriverkate]

I am getting so fed up with a promise of transparancy and he protects the crooks that created hell for our country. Obama has no right to protect crooks like Cheney. He and Bush blew this case wide open and now Obama is protecting them. I can't believe we were so wrong in believing in CHANGE. How is this change? Secrets secrets secrets and we, the people, are too stupid to know the facts. Mr. Obama, you need to regroup and get rid of your illegal influence. Stop listening to those around you and do what is right for this country! You had it right when you were running for office but then put in idiots that you listen to. We want honesty, justice and we want to believe in our government. How is this helping America? You let go of torture and that was wrong. Now you protect those that release secrets that might or might not endanger our country. Open up the books and let US decide. You work for us, remember

[lobear00]

President Obama, perhaps you forgot the meaning of "Public Servant" We the People pay the salaries of public servants, they in turn answer to the people' very simple .

Mr. Obama, the next question would be, if you are as corrupt as the last "Regime " then why don't you step down, and take all your little minions with you .

Mr. Obama it is one thing to know why Bush and Cheny were the criminals that they were, due to their incompetents, ignorance, and their "Lying upbringings. But its another side of the coin when you with your level of education and brains should follow down the same path of "Corruption " as bush and cheney.
Mr. Obama you talked about "Change" if starting out on this floor of change is to deceive the public, lie, your way down the street of "shame, corruption, and filth, then please do the citizen's of the United States a favor and step down, do not drag this nation further down the gutter.

[flossophy]

I love this stuff. This will be so enjoyable to watch.

The deconstructing of B. Obama.

[flossophy]

Or just:

"Deconstructing Obama"

[coined!]

[trunk65]

For all of us poor uninformed, please state your credentials that allow you to pontificate with such arrogance.

[naschkatze]

I don't know why you use Trotsky for your icon. He was never a bolshevik at heart, but you are a right-wing bolshevik, ignoring everyone else's argument and thinking you are going to win if you just keep perpetuating the lie and loudly at that. Your icon should be Lenin.

[lazercat2008]

We know, however, based upon what we have read and seen and heard that someone created fake documents related to Niger and Iraq and used them as a false pretense to launch America into an invasion of Iraq. And when a former diplomat made an honest effort to find out the facts, a plan was hatched to both discredit and punish him by revealing the identity of his undercover CIA agent wife. --Huff Post

[vinny]

rather than "hatching a plan", obama and cheney prefer that you use the term "frank discussions"

[Polarcap]

what a load of lefty pap

[wadenelson1]

Obama better hope the hell he knows what he's doing cause he's burning his "political capital" pretty damn fast with decisions like this one.

Even with a hard core supporter like me.

[flossophy]

Just imagine... it was all a sham from the beginning.

No, wadenelson1... there is no Pr0gressive Santa.

[gator1965]

Hey Flopsophy,

Progressive ideas don't need a Santa...they can stand on their own as best for the country. Only the idiot ideology of the right wingnuts that has almost ruined this country time and time again whenever the GOP has gained the majority needs a Santa...and guess who their Santa is...the DEMS who have had to bail them out each and every time!
The GOP's leadership as demonstrated in the past 8 years before Obama strips you of all credibility...your ideas DON"T work for the whole country and NEVER DID if you know your history...Obama has his hands FULL with the grandiose MESS the GOP has gotten us into this time...

[naschkatze]

But there are progressives. Obama hopes we go away, but we won't. There are many like myself who admit to making a huge mistake, but sorry to tell you, the progressive movement will not be the one to lose out on this.

[LITU]

The only thing I want to read that has Cheney's name attached to it is an arrest warrant. All the necessary evidence is there for the taking. What's the delay?

[lazercat2008]

I would just like to see an investigation.

[Polarcap]

what evidence - what charge? tolerating fruitcake dem8craps?

[Amunaka]

Bill Moyers talks with noted Italian journalist, Carlo Bonini about the origin of the forged Niger documents that found their way into Bush's 2003 State of the Union Address, and were used to strengethen the Administration case for war.

origin of the forged Niger documents
May 4, 2007


BILL MOYERS: The President said the source was British intelligence. But you discovered it was Italian intelligence. Do you know why the President said it was British intelligence?

CARLO BONINI: Well, what happened here is what we call competitive intelligence.

BILL MOYERS: What do you mean competitive? Why is it competitive?

CARLO BONINI: It means that you put a piece of raw intelligence in the circuit of the intelligence - allied intelligence agencies. And what happens is in the morning what is false in the morning turns into true facts at night. This information is given to the US intelligence. In the meantime, the same information is given to the British intelligence. The US intelligence checks the informations with the British intelligence. And the British intelligence says, "Yeah, we have the same information." The point is that the two intelligence agencies, they don't have to share their sources. So nor the Americans nor the Brits are going to say from whom they got the informations. But they got a confirmation.

BILL MOYERS: So -

http://www.pbs.org/moyers/journal/05042007/watch.html

http://www.pbs.org/moyers/journal/05042007/transcript1.html?iframe

[Derelict outlaw]

False flagging

[Derelict outlaw]

The brits confirmation trusted, the Italian too suspect

[lazercat2008]

I think it has been established, the President Lied.

[wijg]

exactly! lol!

[wijg]

wrong spot.

[Byrd8]

Were Obama not a member of and educated in the Ivy League the question of releasing Cheney's testimony would never have become an issue. Obviously, other powers are at work here to keep thse matters from the American public whom they comsider the hoi polloi. Obama, in this regard, is nothing more than a wolf in sheep's clothing and, as emperor, he now stands naked with no rational excuse for protecting the worst criminals in American history. I voted for Obama, but he's been a sad disappointment in regards to justice which has one set of rules for politicians and Ivy Leaguers, and another for the rest of us.

[lazercat2008]

Before Fitzgerald is done, we'll see the warlords of Washington hauled before a court of the people. We'll hear the whole sordid story of how a band of exiles, at least two foreign intelligence agencies, and a cabal of neoconservatives inside the Pentagon and the vice president's office bamboozled Congress and the American people into going to war. As the indictments come down, so will the elaborate narrative so carefully constructed by the War Party in the run-up to war be exposed as a tissue of fabrication, forgery, and fraud.
~ Justin Raimondo

[Polarcap]

you are funny

[naschkatze]

Fitzgerald been done and packed up for a long time. Do you think he was appointed special prosecutor for life for any and all possible crimes which might turn up?

[lazercat2008]

"Italy's SISME [sic] also reportedly had a hand in producing the forged documents delivered to the U.S. embassy in Rome in early October 2003 [sic: should be 2002 – Ed.] that purported to show a deal with Iraq to buy uranium. Many in the intelligence community are convinced that a prominent neocon with long-standing ties to SISME played a role in the forgery. The truth of that proposition remains to be proven. This much is certain, either SISME or someone with ties to SISME, helped forge and circulate those documents which some tried to use to bolster the case to go to war with Iraq."

Cannistraro, asked by an interviewer if Ledeen was involved with the forgers, said "you'd be very close."