White House Outted CIA Agent

[chequita guevara]

Originally posted by Q Cubed
isn't this old news?

I'd heard it before but I didn't have a credible source until now.

[DanS]

Him going public was bad news, but it's not fair game to go after his wife, and it's highly illegal too. This should be investigated fully and I expect that it will be. If somebody in the administration broke the law then they should go to the slammer.

[Ned]

Didn't Janet Reno kill the special prosecutor law?

[Jack_www]

If someone from Bush admin leaked this, it will be impossible to find out who did it. Reporters never give up their sources. Only way is if they have it written down that Bush ordered it or have it on tape, but if you are smart you would not leave such records behind, or if you did you would be destroying them before an investigation is started.

I doubt anything will come of this in the end.

[Berzerker]

Didn't Janet Reno kill the special prosecutor law?

Only time and Congress can kill it, I believe it has a sunset provision so that it dies unless Congress extends it.

As for the incident, let's see how "law and order" these Repubs are now. Let's see if Ashcroft goes after the leaker(s) with the same enthusiasm he goes after medical pot people out in California.

[mindseye]

Originally posted by DinoDoc
Out of curiosity how did the husband expect to keep the wife's identity a secret with him going public?

Well, apparently he expected the Bush administration to respect federal law concerning blowing the cover of agents.

Bad bet.

[Alexander's Horse]

Revealing the identity of one of your own intelligence officers is just despicable, a hanging offence in my book.

[Dis]

this is just horrible.

I already knew I wasn't going to vote for Bush. But this event really forces me to not vote for Bush even if a gun is held to my head (which might actually happen)

[Alexander's Horse]

There's usually heavy penalties for this kind of thing i.e. of the treason variety.

[Verto]

Originally posted by Dissident
this is just horrible.

I already knew I wasn't going to vote for Bush. But this event really forces me to not vote for Bush even if a gun is held to my head (which might actually happen)

[GePap]

The husband was a public figure..why would him making public comments in any way bring his wife closer to being fond out? That line of arguement makes no sense to me.

It also mystifies me that anyone would think that revealing this info would in any way hinder the man's case..why would it, the fact that his wife worked for the CIA? And if the possibility oif making the info known was used to intimidate, then you may also have blackmail.

Someone in the White House screwed up royally..lets hope the biggest, fattest possible head rolls.

[MrFun]

Chegitz is at it again . . .

[Nubclear]

Isn't that back hammer and sickle from Red Alert 2?!

Nerd!!!!

[Berzerker]

There's usually heavy penalties for this kind of thing i.e. of the treason variety.

10 year max, treason would have to be aiding and abetting the enemy and this is more ambiguous since it was about internal politics and not a specific enemy. Besides, there has to be an ongoing declared war for treason to apply (not that pols let the Constutition get in the way).

Gepap -

It also mystifies me that anyone would think that revealing this info would in any way hinder the man's case..why would it, the fact that his wife worked for the CIA?

It doesn't hinder Wilson's position, but it does send a warning to others who might go public. In this case, Wilson was punished by hurting his wife's career. If she was in the covert arm of the CIA, her career in that area has been compromised. I've heard this has happened before in congressional meetings when congressmen had a grudge against someone in the CIA so the agent was called to testify before Congress thereby "outing" them - ending their career in the covert arena.
It remains to be seen if she was a covert op, according to Novak she was an analyst and there may not have been some malicious attempt to punish Wilson. Novak's version of events, and he was the commentator involved here, paints a different picture.

[Alexander's Horse]

hmm, this would be covered in Australia by the Crimes Act and the Official Secrets Act.

From memory you'd be looking at up 7 years an/or a heavy fine. Its unlikely to attract jail time but you would lose your job and get a qualified security clearance which would make it difficult for you ever to be employed by the government again. The fact its a criminal offence would affect your future employment prospects elsewhere, ability to practice as a lawyer etc.

I imagine the situation wouldn't be much different in the US. These laws were coordinated across the UK, Australia, New Zealand, Canada and the US during the cold war.