Former Ambassador Joe Wilson’s little-read book from last year is finally getting some attention from journalists, but not the kind that bolsters his case against the Bush administration for supposedly leaking his wife’s identity:
In The Politics of Truth, former ambassador Joseph Wilson writes that he and his future wife both returned from overseas assignments in June 1997. Neither spouse, a reading of the book indicates, was again stationed overseas. They appear to have remained in Washington, D.C., where they married and became parents of twins.
Six years later, in July 2003, the name of the CIA officer — Valerie Plame — was revealed by columnist Robert Novak.
The column’s date is important because the law against unmasking the identities of U.S. spies says a “covert agent” must have been on an overseas assignment “within the last five years.” The assignment also must be long-term, not a short trip or temporary post, two experts on the law say. Wilson’s book makes numerous references to the couple’s life in Washington over the six years up to July 2003.
Let’s see if this very relevant point gets picked up by other outlets. I’m not hopeful.
But I’ll admit this case is getting rather Clintonian, if this is true:
Though that key law may not have been broken in leaking the name, Fitzgerald must still be pursuing evidence of some type of wrongdoing, said Victoria Toensing, another of the attorneys who helped draft the 1982 act. …
But, Toensing said, “reading between the lines, I’d say he’s got a ‘Martha Stewart case’ ” involving perjury or obstruction of justice. In other words, though a crime may not have been committed at the start, one may have occurred during the investigation when someone lied to Fitzgerald or to a federal grand jury.
Which would be an unbelievably stupid thing for anyone in the administration to do, and in that case, they would deserve to be fired. I’ll join the rabid pack of pundits and bloggers calling for Karl Rove’s head when I see some evidence of a coverup. Until then, this is all bytes and fury signifying nothing but contributions to MoveOn.org.
UPDATE: Talk about unbelievably stupid things to do – Rep. Peter King (R-NY) on MSNBC:
And Joe Wilson has no right to complain. And I think people like Tim Russert and the others, who gave this guy such a free ride and all the media, they’re the ones to be shot, not Karl Rove.
Wouldn’t want to engage in fiery rhetoric that matches the empty-headed witchhunt by groups with no firmer principle than running Dubya and the Brain out of town on a rail, would we?
I’m a tech journalist who’s making a TV show about a college newspaper.