It Is Time to Investigate the White House's Betrayal of Trust

Our country has spent over four years attempting to unravel the story surrounding the leak of covert CIA agent Valerie Plame's identity by members of the Bush administration to a number of journalists. The leak jeopardized our national security and belies the administration's long standing claim that they and the Republican Party are best suited to keep America safe.

Former White House Press Secretary Scott McClellan was one of the key figures in the Bush administration's efforts to respond publicly to the investigation into the Plame leak. He spoke for the White House and he was the filter through which the public learned about which officials were and were not involved in the leak. Standing in front of the White House Seal, McClellan famously denied any White House involvement in the leak, "If anyone in this administration was involved in it, they would no longer be in this administration."

Yesterday we found out that this simple statement attesting to McClellan's faith in the Bush administration's lawful behavior appears to be patently untrue. McClellan tells us, "I had unknowingly passed along false information. And five of the highest ranking officials in the administration were involved in my doing so: Rove, Libby, the vice President, the President's chief of staff, and the president himself."

We need to launch an immediate investigation to determine the facts of this case, the extent of any cover up and determine what the President knew and when he knew it. If in fact the President of the United of States knowingly instructed his chief spokesman to mislead the American people, there can be no more fundamental betrayal of the public trust.

That any White House official, let alone the President and the Vice President of the United States, would instruct others to mislead the American people about revealing the identity of a covert CIA agent is beyond unconscionable. It is an action that makes us less safe and secure. Worse still, it undermines the ability of our intelligence community to act with the confidence that their work will not be jeopardized in order to advance the partisan interests of one political party.

The American public deserves to know the extent of President Bush's involvement in both the leak of Valerie Plame's identity and what efforts, if any, he made to direct a cover up. Scott McClellan has brought forward a new piece to this sordid puzzle - it is time, once and for all, for the public to know the full story behind the betrayal of Valerie Plame by the Bush administration.

Learn more about my candidacy for the Presidency at ChrisDodd.com.

Follow Sen. Chris Dodd on Twitter: www.twitter.com/SenChrisDodd

Comments

[EdMarquis]

Frankly, Senator Dodd, I don't see what about McLellan's statement is all that new.

Clearly Cheney, at least, should be impeached for this and any number of crimes. But Democrats in Congress are way too cowardly to do that. So until you're ready to impeach, don't waste our time with your useless outrage.

[avidobserver]

Why isn't the MSM raising hell here. They seem a little quiet on this one, at least so far.

[yappnmutt]

i find it hard to believe that the irony of a politician accusing another politician of instructing one of his staff to lie is not missed by either party or the public. there are real impeachable offenses that need to be investigated.

[Henry]

About time to get serious. Dissembling disingenuous bumblers should not be the person in charge of anything.

[squeakyf]

If there is an investigation (and that is a big IF) what makes us think that Bush, Chaney, Rove and the rest of his croanies won't just claim "executive privilige" or tell us that to tell us everything would jeopardize the safety of our country. They have done it many times before and I feel that if put in the possition of being investigated they would use the same trump card that has kept them where they are. But that being said, I would love to see them brought before Congress and asked the hard questions that so many of the citizens of the United States would love to ask. To quote the Presidential Idiot himself "Bring it on!!"

[Samson1]

Hey Chris Van Winkle, glad you finally woke up. Join the rest of the country. We all know they lie, cheat, steal and send our young off to die for their enrichment. Investigate? How about a resolution making them available for war crimes trials?

[sugarmoes]

lead the way, sir!

[hopeless277]

Ya THINK??????

[mommadona]

Uh...could you PLEASE pick up the phone and contact your two LEADERS and immediately put the people's constitutional power of IMPEACHMENT back on that there table, sir?

WHAT WERE THEY THINKING??!!!
And NOW WHAT DO WE DO? Call them up and say "WE TOLD YOU SO!"...(?)

[wadenelson1]

It's long past time for investigation, Mr. Dodd.

It's time for impeachment hearings.

You want to run for higher office, get on the bandwagon with Kucinich on this.

[UkieOlie]

Will we have Fitzmas this year?

[Bocababs]

I agree with you Senator, but what good would one more investigation do? The country has been in a constant state of viceral politics since the Supreme Court elected this president and I for one, don't see us "playing nice in the sandbox" with each other any time soon.

[scooperss]

Who's going to investigate? Mukasey,? yeah right!

[Mojane]

Investigate, arrest, try, convict, impeach, imprison all of them.

[jimpryor99]

When you open an investigation about the ONLY person who has ADMITTED being the source, I'll be impressed. Until then, its just election year politics.