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

[slowhand0728]

This is odd, why would the Obama Administration not bring this to light? You would think to help prove their point about the previous administration and to be Transparent they would want to have this out there? Something does not seem right, Obama fans help me out?

[NWRICK]

Something does not seem right, Obama fans help me out?


I can't. Sorry.

[slowhand0728]

Really is kind of unexplainable. I for one never drank the kool-aid, to me a politician is a politician just new wrapper. And the so-called choice in 2008 was far from ideal in my opinion. But willing to give Obama a chance, just seems talking the talk is his thing, forget about walking. Dont know what he really stands for any more.

[TLV]

The actual conversations should be kept secret. The very office of Vice President demands it because even after Cheney polluted its meaning and left behind his vile stench, it still remained an office of distinction for a better man or woman to fill.

That is a right that we, as American voters and tax payers, demand...t­hat even after a criminal has defiled something that belongs to all of us, we should be able to preserve it for those who actually deserve to serve in that capacity. Not just criminals who appoint themselves as Cheney did.

[moUSAnMe]

cheney will bury himself without their help.
some may think the current adm is protecting him but they are clearly thinking ahead.
there can only be so much transparency without giving out vital info
everything is not so cut & dry

[imsosure]

If Dick wants to run his mouth I say publish it, otherwise what's the point of freedom of speech and the press being protected by the constitution?

[Heavy]

Bush and Cheney begrudginly only appropriated three million to investigate nine el even, due to public outrage, after spending scores of millions on Clinton's beeeeejay.

Enough said.

[Ramirez]

Bush and Cheney did not spend money on Clinton's activities.

[NWRICK]

You know what Heavy meant.

[Heavy]

You're a paidposter. You have zero cred, and you know what I meant

[NWRICK]

Let me start by saying I voted for Obama.
I am not ready to pull my support yet, but there are a few decisions that he has made that put me on the fence.
If these docs are not released, if no investigation into w@r crimes is started, if nothing is done about DADT, and, perhaps most importantly, if we don't get a public option in health care, I will not support him in 2012.
I really WANT to vote for him again, but he must earn it.

[Heavy]

Amen. I'm with you brother.

[tonewheel]

Many of you on these boards know me....but I am starting to lean this way as well.

The polish has started to wear a little.

[Ramirez]

FBI interviews are confidential. That protects not only the interviewee but also the privacy of persons who may have been discussed in the interview. The White House is taking the appropriate position in this matter.

[NWRICK]

You are entitled to your opinion.
I, however, disagree.
I think that if all Chains did came to light, he would be drawn and quartered in a heartbeat, by both sides.
This is an ev!l creature.
That is my opinion.

[sticksnstones]

Give me a break. Given the right circumstances or political push, the Effenbee-Eye will feed ANYONE to the wolves. Lilly White this bunch is not.

[BN2112]

Right there with you too. I still have a lot of respect and admiration for President Obama and not being in his shoes and knowing all he knows want to give him the benefit of the doubt this early in his presidency. Especially given the heap of grief he inherited on 1/20. Remember, they were able to pin Nine-Eleven on President Clinton and Bush had been there longer (counting vacation leave) than Obama has yet to have been.
That said, I still eventually want to see the last administration held accountable for all their crimes and some of the social progress as promised made eventually. I'm sure no matter what though I'll still vote for BO in 2012 since the GOP will give us a lesser of evils choice. For me the next three and a half years will probably just determine my enthusiasm and $ that goes into the re-election effort.

[zendem1]

Please dont help put Republicans back into power. The world will end fast.

[Heavy]

Show of hands from the tr0lls. Which of you have signed petitions for full investigations.

None....th­at's what I thought.

[Menemshasunset]

Drip, drip, drip- wonder what the big O tipping point will be?

[BN2112]

Thanks for posting this so I could go directly to it. David Schuster was going to cover it on Countdown while sitting in for Keith last night but not until after a seemingly lengthy story on the never ending Jackson saga so I switched it over to Stewart/Colbert re-runs from the night before.
Like a lot of people I know, looks like I'll be boycotting all TV news for a long time to come until they get the MJ side show out of their system, and that includes my man Olbermann.

[NWRICK]

I'm right there with you.
This sideshow circus is going to be around for a while.

[BN2112]

Thanks! Here's hoping CNN's and MSNBC's ratings tank because of it. Oh and FOX's too but that's just for the greater good in general.

[Heavy]

Yep. It's ridiculous.

[beelzabubbleboy]

If it wasnt MJ they would find a murder or a dissappeared teenager somewhere to talk about. Anything but reporting on the things that really matter---like high treason.

[trishinpitt]

I have to agree on this one too... I always record Keith and Rachel... but for the last few episodes I've been fastforwarding through anything related to MJ or Sarah Palin... it's just not worthy of the time the devote to it.

[mymic1]

The public is very shortsighted in their desire to see Cheney and other former Bush Administration officials held accountable for their activities. Instead of being to quick to label Obama as another version of Bush and sidestepping transparency try remembering that heknows the law and is looking at this as a lawyer might. That means that if there is going to be legal accountability resulting in someone being brought to trial too much information revealed to the public right now may end up being compromised of inadmissable later in a court of law.

Get a grip people. Remember the guy in the White House is a intellectual who thinks both strategically and tactically. Too many of you have been used to leadership that makes it up as they go along and then spends time, money and most importantly lives try to get it right....

[FunkyP]

I would love to see true Justice carried out; Obama is preventing Justice from being carried out. That is obstruction of Justice; and since he is a lawyer, he clearly knows this.
They all belong to a big club called the looking out for #1 club; and #1 ain't you (to paraphrase Mr. Zappa)

[sawbuck]

boy, am i tired of people making excuses for obama by believing his stonewalling and caving are part of some grand design that the rest of us are too simple to understand. the guy is a typical politician who wass willing to say what he needed to get elected, and now will not go against his corporate masters. face it folks, you've been had. change you can forget about. the 'new camelot' was a hoax.
change you can forget about.

[vinny]

classic obamabot apology...

[ManiDeli]

The TRANSPARENCY Obama carried around with him during the campaign trail was a window on a lead curtain.

P.S. I didn’t vote for Obama, I voted against the Republicans!

[numbnuts]

I voted for Obama. Not happy with this trend of covering up the Bush Cheney transgressions.
I still believe he is the best chance we got.
I believe that he knows what he's doing even if I don't agree, or understand.
I am not throwing him under the bus.

[NWRICK]

I agree.
However, I do have my limits.

[northstar11]

i hope obama is moving behind the scenes gathering evidence --all of it -rock solid..

the last thing you want to do is go to court AND LOSE---- can you imagine how insufferable the cheneys would be if he pulled off an OJ--guilty as sin but beat the rap.

you have to remember the supreme court is still 5-4.
if things get that far, in that milieu all is lost.

if they are not working behind the scenes ?????same outcome.

[ResistanceisFutile]

Obama's lawyers are on the wrong side of this issue.

Could Rush be right that Obama is laying the ground work to continue his Presidency beyond 2016?

No, Rush is delusional?

[cheforacle]

It is obvious what the Obama DOJ is doing. The same thing every President has done: assert in court the province of the Executive Branch and protect its ability to engage in internal deliberations with confidentiality. To buy in to Rush's idea, on the basis of what the DOJ is doing, that he seeks to go for a third term is ridiculous fear-mongering.

[medic628]

Is this about Cheney not going to jail (FAT CHANCE),protecting democrats, or the tired excuse of national SECURITY! When ever govt. or mgt. start talking about open door policy and transparency, it is a bunch of C. R. A. P.

[ManiDeli]

“ F--- You” Cheney is writing a book, Mein Kampf 2

[TLV]

Or, in other words, "If I Did It."

[Waltfl]

Everybody seems to regret voting for Obama? Get real. What were the choices back in November? Obama/Biden and McCain/Palin. As much as things like this P me off too, I'd still vote for Obama today. Why?

Think of elections in this country like this:

Someone gives you two piles of sh it. Which one would you eat, if you had to eat one? The smaller one, right?

That's what we did, we picked the smaller one, and unless other political parties appear, it's going to stay like this.

[NoMercy]

I don't think anyone regrets voting for Obama *rather* than McPalin.

The regret is the loss of faith and hope - the choice was the only reasonable one in any case.

[Raziorizzo]

Obama better enjoy his moment while he can. By the time midterm elections come around his ratings will be through the floor. He is totally clueless as to what he is doing. He is weakening the country, thats what he is doing. His economic policy is a disaster, his healthcare bill is a disaster,his Administration is slowly falling apart. Hillary has to tell him what to say and think, Biden is a loser. Wait till unelpoyment officially reaches 13%. And the economy continues to get worse. It is Obamas economy now he owns it.

[TLV]

Sit back a bit, son. The stimulus dollars are just beginning to trickle down. In my town, we have been waiting years to get a bridge repaired that is just about to crumble and possibly kill someone. The dog-leg pattern of the intersections near it have been causing problems for a long time. We just found out today that stimulus money will help to pay for it and it can't come any sooner. Once that project gets underway, development that is planned surrounding it will begin. It takes time. Be a good adult and exercise patience.

[drbillybob]

Ahem ... excuse me, but has Cheney broken any laws? Please be specific ...

[NoMercy]

it would take a court to determine that, and it has proven impossible to bring him before a public hearing let alone a court to answer charges.

[NoMercy]

P.S. I will accept a court's or a jury's decision.

[drbillybob]

They have to be charged first. Fitzgerald obviously found no grounds for such action. Admit it - you guys are just rabid partisans who want to criminalize policy differences.

[northstar11]

i dont know that but i am sure he would look at lot better to me with bars in front of his face

[northstar11]

what, you are in need of spoon feeding.??­???

[drbillybob]

Yeah ... I like it when people call someone a liar and a criminal that they back it up with specific quotes and specific criminal charges that should be brought.

But then again, I guess I'm just a conservative troll - right?

[jmpurser]

Probably not. I'm sure President Obama serial cover ups at great personal and political expense are just to preserve good taste.

[ThomasMc]

Obama is turning out to be nothing more than a continuation - and cover-up - of the Bush/Cheney Error.

[SanityNow]

It's becoming apparent that Obama has chosen to move forward, not backward.
I don't support it but I understand it.
To go back would be divisive, while forward gives a chance to unite.
And it seems to be working, because by the looks of things,
the GOP is falling apart without any ideas to rally around.