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

[whatthel]

O holds his cards close and makes pragmatic moves.

[vinny]

pragmatism is the term obamacrats substitute for conservati­sm...

[Coinyer101]

not really....­,

[IntelligentDesign]

Except for winding the war crime in Iraq and redirecting military resources to the true enemy, and clamping down on corporate malfeasance and overreach, and rebuilding global trust and goodwill, and clamping down on predatory lending and unfair credit practices, and legislating credit and mortgage relief for middle class and poor families, and kyboshing torture, and ending the rush to privatize everything under the sun, and leading the way to health care reform, and having the ability to string together coherent thoughts..­.

Obama is exactly the same as Bush! We have been duped! Wake up people!

[Coinyer101]

There are still 130,000 troops in Iraq, and they are not likely to begin withdrawing until after elections ,in the new year. That is delaying his withdraw promise by an entire year. Most of all of that other stuff you mention has been watered-down to the point of being unrecognizable. The 'health care' reform is turning out to be a complete crock of doodoo, and will never work

I would say Obama is nothing like Bush. Bush got his agenda passed without a real mandate. Obama has allowed every piece of legislation to be watered down to nothing. He should take some hints from Bush, like Bill Maher said.

[lungfish]

Yep, he said that nobody was above the law.. but the previous Administration is and Obama is protecting it...

[swan1]

Revenge has never been Obama's cup pf tea. having said that, I think he iw waiting for the right time to use this as leverage.

[NWRICK]

He's a smart guy, but how could this be used as leverage?
The principals are no longer in office....­.........O­h, maybe not.
Hmmmm

[naschkatze]

It is not Obama's to use as leverage. If crimes have been committed, justice, not leverage, is what must be sought. Neither is it revenge to seek justice. All US citizens are theoretically equal under the law.

[martinchill]

"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."

~~

well guess what - now and in the future - the WHITE HOUSE BELONGS TO THE PEOPLE.

can y'alls believes we're actually PAYING for this crap?

[lungfish]

So talks about revenge against attacks on their war-on-fal­se-pretens­es plan is privileged communication?

[Amunaka]

Why because it was armitage who leaked Plames name ..it makes it okay ..huh...


armitage is a real sweet guy...


Richard Armitage became Deputy Secretary of State in March 2001. He was a professional assassin in Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia during the Vietnam war. He lead assassin teams similar to the Phoenix program that killed and tortured tens of thousands of Asians. After Vietnam he worked for the Defense Department on arms sales in Iran and other countries. In 1983 he became an Assistant Secretary of Defense. He was an intimate insider in the Iran/Contra illegalities. He has been accused of links to illicit gambling, drug smuggling and expansion of organized crime in Russia, Central Asia and the Far East.

http://www.independence.net/armitage/

[OliverTwist]

How could Armitage be a liar and a cold blooded killer?

[Amunaka]

He got from his mothers side of the family...

[lungfish]

I don't believe it. Bush and Cheney wouldn't want someone like that in their WH... [sarcastic]

[levibatgirl]

I've always despised him.

[mamiller]

"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.­"
I take strong issue with this characterization of CREW. It may seem they are "liberal watchdogs" because the preponderance of ethical lapses are currently on the conservative side. However, they are a pro-constitutional law group that aggressively followed Dems Jefferson, and Murtha's exploits into unethical behavior. Ms Sloan et al simply do not like unethical behavior, and do like to use the legally mandated tools to insure ethical standards are maintained. What a concept!

[drbillybob]

You sound like you know a little about the law. I'm quite ignorant on the subject but i do know that Grand jury tesimony is sealed. Does that extend to FBI interviews that were conducted as part of a Grand Jury investigation? Can CREW legally look at this stuff?

Anybody?

[sticksnstones]

This was NOT a grand jury proceeding. It was an interview between Cheney and the FBI.

Nice try at obfuscation, however.

[imwiseowl]

I am new with getting involved with politics. I've been one of the people who do their civic duties, obey the laws and "goes with the flow." However, because of President Obama not anymore, and I feel the same as "tdpubs" on this.

The only other thing I would say is that maybe President Obama is protecting the Country and what it's people and the Constitution is suppose to stand for. Right now it may not look like the right thing to do, however, at the right time, I think the Bush Administration will have to face justice. Remember their has never been a President before who studied, taught, knows and BELIEVES in Constitution law like President Obama. I am almost sure that the Pres. isn't protecting the Bush Adm. or could care less about what happens to any of them, however, it does seem that he is protecting our Country and its people. What this past Admin. has done could be so serious that other countries and the World could be affected along with the USA and we being held accountable for their actions...­...maybe even legally.

I think we the American people because of the past Administration have lost some faith in its leaders and find it a lil harder to trust. Maybe thats what we need to do. If not.......­.we will all become like "Raziorizzo"

[chavo]

You've been led by the nose as well I see?

[wijg]

"Faith" doesn't run a country, it takes a little critical thinking on the part of it's people.

[wijg]

**its people**

[DenverJJ]

Running the world ain't like punching out something on Twitter. I think Obama biggerst obstacle to reform is not the Neocons, it's not the Bush era transitions issues, (like Plame v Cheney), the Irans, Kim Jong or the trade imbalance. It's the simple fact that most people in the US have very short attention span.The only way to manage that is to control the headlines in a way that keeps the public happy until reform actually takes place. News is only news when it's new. It's get bumped out by, something fresher. When news is old it becomes an issue, not a headline. Everytime a reporter ask Obama a question he always begins, "Look you have to remember..­..." This shows the wisdom of patience and like Job, Big B is waiting. If reporters want to serve the public and not their careers, they should frame questions and wean voters off their one liner, Twitter, crack-berry mentality, and into longer messages with two points of information and not one headline. Headlines are for newspapers with limited space, SMS, the internet players like (HPost) need to illustrate points with anecdotes that intrigue the reader to understand the news.
For this story: "Cheney and OBAMA DOJ odd bedfellows­."
Get it?
best,
DenverJJ

[martinchill]

For this story: "Cheney and OBAMA DOJ odd bedfellows­."

~~

they're cousins. i get that much.

[NWRICK]

8th cousins.

[wijg]

My Administration is committed to creating an unprecedented level of openness in Government­.  We will work together to ensure the public trust and establish a system of transparency, public participation, and collaborat­ion. Openn­ess will strengthen our democracy and promote efficiency and effectiveness in Government­....

http://www.whitehouse.gov/the_press_office/TransparencyandOpenGovernment/

bush and cheney are responsible for war crimes and treason. Investigate and prosecute these criminals.

[vinny]

obama is doing whatever he can to protect bush/chene­y... the list is now long...

http://www.salon.com/opinion/greenwald/2009/06/17/transparency/

who is this guy?

[wijg]

I think I'll hold on to that link, thanks.

[drbillybob]

You claim: "bush and cheney are responsible for war crimes and treason."

Its fascinating how you partisan hacks continue with such wildly unsubstantiated innuendo. Krauthammer was right ... there is such a thing as "Bush Derangement Syndrome". I think it all started when Gore tried to steal FL in 2000 ...

[northstar11]

let us all kneel at the altar of saint krauthammer.

[NWRICK]

Gore tried to steal?
You're smoking cr@ck!
Who wanted the votes counted?
And Krauthammer? Really?
He is only a half step more sane than Limpy or Billo.
And that looks temporary.

[naschkatze]

If the evidence is suppressed, how can we make an substantiated evaluation? Catch-22.

[FunkyP]

Wildly unsubstantiated innuendo; the very tools used to justify an illegal war for resources (oil) and revenge.
"Saddam and Osama were partners" plotting 9/11
"Iraq has Chemical, nuclear and biological weapons of mass destructio­n."
"Iraq could launch boat based missiles within 45 minutes."
"We don't want a smoking gun to turn into a mushroom cloud."

thousands of dead Americans
hundreds of thousands of dead (innocent) Iraqis
torture and abuse and murder.
No crimes here. Just honest attempts to keep America safe.

[KCFreedom]

If they didn't have something illegal to hide, they wouldn't have to do this.

Further proof the two parties are really one party these days. Deick should be behind bars by now.

[claudiam]

Why is the Obama WH protecting this slim ball that was only interested in his self interests and not the country's? Barack is the man but I don't understand. I do not believe that exposing Cheney and his lies could possibly hinder the safety of our country. Transparency please Barack!!! claudiatucsonaz

[SeeDaddy]

The key is the definition of a "matter of national importance­." Was outing Plame as a CIA operative a matter of national security importance? Or was it actually a matter of political importance to Bush/Cheney because Wilson went public with evidence that exposed Bush's lies about Saddam's nonexistent WMDs? The latter is not protected communication. Exposing a President's conspiracy to start a war based on lies and deception is a vital matter of national importance that must be reaffirmed. Democracy cannot survive If the public is prevented from learning about the illegal activities of the Executive branch. They take a Constitution oath to obey and faithfully execute the laws of the U.S. When the POTUS, VPOTUS violate that oath, we the people have a right to know, to see the evidence, and to punish those who conspired to break the law. We have a responsibility to posterity and to future generations to reveal the truth.

[lungfish]

Outing Valerie Plame was treason, committed at the highest level of our government, for the purpose of political revenge.
If nobody is above the law, then what is the problem with holding them accountable?

[lungfish]

oh yea, political revenge to support a drive to war on false pretenses that lead to the the deaths, maimings and displacement of tens of thousands of innocent people..

[Ramirez]

Okay, I'll go ahead and say it first:

Obama is playing chess and the "Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington" are playing checkers.

[vinny]

^ cult of obama argument ^

[paganmist]

People.

There is a difference between Obama and "Obama Administra­tion."

I hate when HuffPo uses this phrase. It basically ignores the fact that Obama doesn't control the decisions that every single person who works for him makes. How many people are working for the President? I'd say thousands. How many different departments? Dozens, at least, with each department having a head who delegates to a director who delegates to a manager who delegates to a team leader...

And that team leader way down the chain makes a decision, and HuffPo writes, "Obama Administration" as if he reviewed it all personally and signed his name to it.

Can we have a little perspective, please? He doesn't know what everyone below him is up to. He doesn't know how every single tiny thing or big thing works - that's the purpose of delegating, you let people who know more than you on a topic handle that topic.

Ugh. Why are some of you people so SIMPLE-minded?

[numbnuts]

Thanks.
To repeat what I just said. Just remember McCain/ Palin.
Feel better.

[ivegotblisteronmefingers]

too true nutty
and an argument (or version of) that I use all the time
however at some point we do have to hold our reps accountable and remind them that they represent us

[Ramirez]

True. Obama cannot be expected to be responsible for his staff and employees.

[chavo]

Give me a break. Why don't you shine his shoes and clean his car out too? So then who is responsible for the staff and employees if not Obama?

[NWRICK]

The POTUS sets the agenda.
ALL OTHERS work toward that end.
The buck stops on the presidents desk, period.

[northstar11]

and if the president says we'll show our hand at the appropriate time --then that's the way the game will be played

[shockaslim]

I am sure you didn't have that kind of sympathy for Bush did you?

[playsindirt]

Just shows how clever and classy President O is. He probably figured he could continue to project the dignity befitting the office of Presient and let the media pull the old snoop and spill. Nice.