Perjurers in the West Wing
Scooter Libby told investigators and the grand jury that he got the name of Valerie Plame from Tim Russert. There's a problem with that claim. At the time Russert reportedly told Libby, Russert had never heard of Plame and had no idea, obviously, of her association with the CIA. So Libby has perjured himself.
Rove said he discussed Plame with Matthew Cooper at the end of a discussion of welfare reform, the idea being that he casually mentioned her CIA affiliation. Why casually undermining national security and endangering the safety of other CIA agents and covert sources abroad should be regarded as a defense is unclear to me: if he did so casually, it makes him out to be a monster who thinks nothing of endangering countless lives. And this is his defense? But the problem with this theory is that Cooper took notes of the conversation, and there is nothing about welfare reform in the notes; nor can he recall discussing welfare reform with Rove. And Rove has told a number of mutually exclusive stories of where he got the information on Plame, and used to claim he'd never spoken about her at all. So Rove has surely perjured himself, too.
They are, both of them, guilty of more, and worse. But they can be convicted on these charges. Now it's just up to the prosecutor to charge these incorrigible criminals.
2:26:54 PM 
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