From John Hannah To David Wurmser

tYesterday, Raw Story told us that John Hannah, an aide to Dick Cheney, had received a target letter in the Plame investigation and has become a cooperating witness.

Today, Raw Story moves on to David Wurmser:

A second aide to Vice President Dick Cheney is cooperating with the special prosecutor's probe into the outing of covert CIA agent Valerie Plame Wilson, those close to the investigation say.

Now, those close to the investigation say that a second Cheney aide, David Wurmser, has agreed to provide the prosecution with evidence that the leak was a coordinated effort by Cheney’s office to discredit the agent's husband. Her husband, former ambassador Joseph Wilson, was one of the most vocal critics of the Iraq war.

Wurmser, Cheney’s Middle East advisor and an assistant to then-Under Secretary of State for Arms Control and International Security Affairs John Bolton, likely cooperated because he faced criminal charges for his role in leaking Wilson's name on the orders of higher-ups, the sources said.

My advice to excitable lefties - take a breath.  One might perfectly well headline a story screaming that Libby and Rove are cooperating with the investigation, since they have been.  With the Hannah story, there were at least suggestions of a target letter and an immunity deal.  This Wurmser story could simply be a hyped-up version of "Wurmser was asked to testify, and, like every other White House aide, did so".

That said, I am in complete agreement with The Heretik, who rounds up the lefty perspective and offers this reminder:

...considering that both John Hannah and David Wurmser worked for John Bolton, maybe it is not too soon to wonder about what Bolton talked about with Judy Miller when he was so kind to see her in jail.

For folks who have forgotten (or blocked) this - Bolton visited Judy in jail in early August; Judy's team approached Libby's side for a new waiver in late August.

And when she testified, Judy believed she had learned about Ms. Plame from other sources as well as Libby, but could not remember any names.

So, is it absurd to think that, just maybe, Bolton and Miller had an understanding that Hannah and Wurmser would forget talking to her if she could do the same?  And maybe he visited her in jail just to reassure her that all was well, and no one's memory had improved?

Hey, ask the Heretik.

MORE:  While I am ignoring stuff, I will ignore the Daily News story which shocked so many with the news that Bush rebuked Rove for his role in the Plame leak.  Scroll down, and David Corn provides a good example of how to leap to a conclusion:

BUSH KNEW OF THE COVER-UP?

...An angry President Bush rebuked chief political guru Karl Rove two years ago for his role in the Valerie Plame affair, sources told the Daily News.

"He made his displeasure known to Karl," a presidential counselor told The News. "He made his life miserable about this."

...Waitaminute! Two years ago, the White House--via McClellan--definitively declared that Rove was not "involved" in the CIA leak. But if Bush at some point upbraided his guru about the leak that means (a) Bush knew that Rove was involved and (b) Bush countenanced McClellan's dissemination of a false cover story. This is evidence that Bush was a party to the attempted White House cover-up and that Bush might have directly lied about the issue.

Hey, wait a minute yourself.  Was there ever a serious dispute that Karl Rove made the "Wilson's wife is fair game" comment *after* Novak published his column?  Did he not draw heat for that in the press?  Might that have drawn a Presidential frown?

Let's see - relying on these White House press briefings, I see that an Oct 5, 2003 Newsweek story about Chris Matthews, Karl Rove, and Rove line that Wilson's wife was "fair game" prompted questions to Scott McLellan on Oct 6 and Oct 8, and to George Bush himself on Oct 7 of 2003.

And per the Daily News story, I see that Rove 'fessed up to whatever he 'fessed up to with President Bush after the DoJ got involved at the end of September 2003.

So, it is at least a possibility that Rove admitted to making phone calls after Novak's column was published, and Bush was displeased.  It is possibe if one is casting about for less extreme explanations, of course.

Comments

[leah]

Any chance Judith Miller got acquainted with Ms. Plame during the time she was writing the book "Germs", published post-9/11. She interviewed CIA weapons experts, including Richard Clarke and others within the Wilson/Plame circle. Also, check out Victoria Toensings article in Human Events. She describes nothing more than a covert CIA operation against the President.

[Sue]

For what it's worth, David Corn is now calling for a 'report' but saying it is too late for democrats to ask for one, they will be seen as cry foul after the fact. He has been gung ho that indictments were about to be issued. Interesting that he is in spin mode now.

[Larry j]

Larry Johnson and his VIPS friends are working overtime to feed "rawstory". Why would any WH staff worry about criminal threats when they know by the time their trials start, they will be pardoned anyway?

By the way, there is no problem with discrediting a critic...especially when that critic is a proven liar. Please hold all "outed wife to get husband" crap.

Thank you.

[clarice]

TM, Although Bolton is hirsutely unchic, I don't think that's reason enough to finger him. As for anything he said to Judy in jail, I suspect the idea that he'd used the jailhouse visit to suborn perjury or urge obstruction of justice was bound to pop up among the same deranged folks who ignore that 99 people visited her in jail, including Russert, who apparently has a great deal more to be worried about than does Bolton.

[Jim E.]

TM,
Out of curiousity, I'm wondering if you'd want FitzGerald to issue a report if no indictments are sought. Obviously, given your political sympathies, you'd do an endzone dance from here to eternity and mock any suggestion that FitzGerald issue a report. From what I've read, he doesn't even have the authority to issue one if he wanted to anyway.

On the other hand, given the time you've put into all of this, all of the mysterious turns this story has taken, all of the unanswered questions we still have -- I guess I'm wondering if a small part of you (the non-political, non-partisan part) will be disappointed if the story would end next week with no further revelations.

[clarice]

What sources do you suppose were in on this chat betweeon the President and his closest advisor? Doesn't pass the laugh test, but that virtually nothing on this case (including Miller's account of her testimony) does these days.

[windansea]

I'd like a report on how Joe Wilson could describe forged niger docs 8 months before we had them

how bout you Jimeeee??

[kim]

Disappointed for curiosity unsatiated, but perhaps exhiliharated at being unchallenged for the story.
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[Go Metro]

I think no one will be indicted.

[Tom]

Tom, before you're making a great deal out of these Raw Story articles, whose authors purport be relaying information I've seen in no other media from people "familiar with Fitzgerald's probe."

The Raw Story articles were penned jointly by Jason Leopold and Larisa Alexandrovna, two very left-wing alternative media journalist activists who write for venues such as The Nation and Huffington post. I don't say that such individuals are necessarily lying, exaggerating, or always susceptible to the kinds o wishful thinking that just might lead them to frame information according to a preconcieved agenda, but just Google these two reporters.

Here's some nice commentary by Larisa Alexandrovna from the Huffington Post:

"It seems that our dear President needs smoke blown up his ass regularly in order to maintain his fine swagger and shit-eating grin."

Are we really to believe that such a person has close and reliable friends working out of Fitgerald's office?

[macranger]

It's amazing that RS talks about "target letters" when MSM reports that Fitz hasn't decided.

Snag....

[Syl]

You know, I hardly think

"coordinated effort by Cheney’s office to discredit the agent's husband"

is a crime.

And discredit is a far cry from revenge.

[Tom]

Really, you need to google the two "journalists" who are pushing this stuff in RS.

The idea that a couple of far left Michael Moore types would have contacts that nobody else has in the office of a leak-obsessed Republican special prosecuter is totally unbelievable.

Further, everything they say is based on "several sources familiar with Special Prosecutor Patrick Fitzgerald’s probe."

What the hell does that even mean? I'm familar with Patrick Fitgerald's probe. Aren't you? Do you suppose Joseph Wilson might be as well? Such an open-ened description has to be taken with an entire truckload of salt.

[CaseyL]

Fitzgerald can't "release a report" afterwards. It's not a matter of whether he wants to. As I understand it, the law regarding Special Prosecutor GJs (as opposed to Independent Counsel GJs) says no reports are issued afterwards.

[Patrick R. Sullivan]

'The Raw Story articles were penned jointly by Jason Leopold...'

Who got fired by Salon for his stupid story about Army Sec'y Tom White back in 2002. Who admitted that there are people he's worked for who vow never to do so again.

[kim]

Like Paul said, the last rattling gasp. I chortle.
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[TM]

Out of curiousity, I'm wondering if you'd want FitzGerald to issue a report if no indictments are sought. Obviously, given your political sympathies, you'd do an endzone dance from here to eternity and mock any suggestion that FitzGerald issue a report.

...I guess I'm wondering if a small part of you (the non-political, non-partisan part) will be disappointed if the story would end next week with no further revelations.

Well, if there is no report, I will feel like I have watched the first twenty three hours of "24", and missed the big finish.

As a partisan hack, I suppose that "no report" might be acceptable.

But my official editorial position (which may be unpublished, but follows logically from my call for Congressional hearings) is that we need a report.

At a minimum, this story will never go away, and Dems will be whining about this to my grandkid's grandkids.

And if the WH did wrong, they should pay. I just don't think the CIA should get all the referree's calls in a CIA v. White House leaking match.

I also want the report to include the chichanery by the press, Wilson, and the CIA, and I suspect that not all of that will be covered (but the press will be hammered).

But yes, I want a report for personal satisfaction and to heal the public indifference. "Wounds"! I meant "wounds"!

[clarice]

There won't be a report. And as for a Congressional hearing-PHEH--the worst way to get to the truth.

You have to write the book TM. You know it. I know it. And if I had your mother's address I'd persuade her, too. ;).

[TM]

No perort? As a grim partisan, I suppose there is an advantage to sending the Dems even further into the fever-swamps of their many conpiracy theories.

Of course, unless Fitzgerald indicts everyone up to George, Laura, and Barbara, there will be plenty of unsatisified Dems.

And a trial (or trials) will leave a lot if unanswered questions.

[kim]

Your umpire's so blind the pitcher balked the ball into the right field bleachers and he called a strike.
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[Jeff]

As a grim partisan, I suppose there is an advantage to sending the Dems even further into the fever-swamps of their many conpiracy theories.

You've gotta be kidding me. Sure the right doesn't have a lock on conspiracy theories, but have you been reading the comments from righties here? You'd think Joseph Wilson has both powers of mind control and time travel, as well as the CIA, the State Dept, the NYT, the WaPo and who knows what else under his spell.

[kim]

Ironic that the spokesman for the Bush Lied, People Died Meme was such a charlatan. Nobody legit could bring it up. And when his legitimacy is challenged, the keg goes off.

Joe is analogous to the Downs child used as an IED.
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[harrison shepard]

IS IT POSSIBLE FOR PATRICK FITZGERALD TO FUCK HIMSELF? IF SO, CAN HE? PATRICK FITZGERALD IS THE SAME GUY WHO HAS MOLESTED LITTLE BOYS. FITZGERALD GOT FIRED FROM HIS JOB AT AN ALL BOYS SCHOOL FOR FONDLING FIVE YEAR OLDS.

[clarice]

well raimondo has gone around the bend--again..http://www.antiwar.com/justin/?articleid=7681