Found this originally on Drudge - links to this. Not sure how credible the NY Sun is, though: http://www.nysun.com/article/30561 Bush Authorized Leak to Times, Libby Told Grand Jury A former White House aide under indictment for obstructing a leak probe, I. Lewis Libby, testified to a grand jury that he gave information from a closely-guarded "National Intelligence Estimate" on Iraq to a New York Times reporter in 2003 with the specific permission of President Bush, according to a new court filing from the special prosecutor in the case. The court papers from the prosecutor, Patrick Fitzgerald, do not suggest that Mr. Bush violated any law or rule. However, the new disclosure could be awkward for the president because it places him, for the first time, directly in a chain of events that led to a meeting where prosecutors contend the identity of a CIA employee, Valerie Plame, was provided to a reporter. Mr. Fitzgerald's inquiry initially focused on the alleged leak, which occurred after a former ambassador who is Ms. Plame's husband, Joseph Wilson, wrote an op-ed piece in the New York Times questioning the accuracy of statements Mr. Bush made about Iraq's nuclear procurement efforts in Africa. No criminal charges have been brought for the leak itself, but Mr. Libby, a former chief of staff to Vice President Cheney, was indicted in October on charges that he obstructed the investigation, perjured himself in front of the grand jury, and lied to FBI agents who interviewed him. Mr. Libby, who resigned from the White House and pleaded not guilty, is scheduled to go on trial in January 2007. In a court filing late Wednesday responding to requests from Mr. Libby's attorneys for government records that might aid his defense, Mr. Fitzgerald shed new light on Mr. Libby's claims that he was authorized to provide sensitive information to the Times reporter, Judith Miller, at a meeting on July 8, 2003. "Defendant testified that he was specifically authorized in advance of the meeting to disclose the key judgments of the classified NIE to Miller on that occasion because it was thought that the NIE was ‘pretty definitive' against what Ambassador Wilson had said and that the vice president thought that it was ‘very important' for the key judgments of the NIE to come out," Mr. Fitzgerald wrote. Mr. Libby is said to have testified that "at first" he rebuffed Mr. Cheney's suggestion to release the information because the estimate was classified. However, according to the vice presidential aide, Mr. Cheney subsequently said he got permission for the release directly from Mr. Bush. "Defendant testified that the vice president later advised him that the president had authorized defendant to disclose the relevant portions of the NIE," the prosecution filing said. ... (continues for 2 more pages)
Well...this seems like a nice little trial balloon to see how this plays in the court of public opinion. It would also dovetail nicely with Libby's possible defense that he was just doing what the president told him to do and that the president has the power to declassify any information he deems necessary. Hence, no crime was committed. interesting... There was another piece that came out a couple of days ago alleging that Fitzgerald knew the leaker from the very beginning.
I think the VP claims a similar right. It is much more likely that The Leaky Dick, Libby's immediate superior, gave the orders.
At any rate, if this report is true, it will once again show Bush to be the liar that he is. Bush: Chicago, Illinois, 9/30/03
this is about 15 minutes old but the news service at my work said NBC was reporting this too. this could be baaaaaaad.
Ah, but if we're talking about the same NIE, why was the WH claiming it needed to be declasified before being released to committees and press? And indeed it did go through a formal declassification process. If it was declassified at the time by Bush, why did it have to be declassified later? Something's rotten.
Here it is... from Firedoglake... (RH is the blogger and she's posting a comment)... http://www.firedoglake.com/
Libby "further testified that he at first advised the Vice President that he could not have this conversation with reporter Miller because of the classified nature of the NIE," the court papers said. Libby "testified that the Vice President had advised [Libby] that the President had authorized [Libby] to disclose relevant portions of the NIE." It looks like Cheney will be given the opportunity to testify in Libby's defense. Or maybe he will just tell the judge to go *uck himself. It is all good.
In that case, he should've taugh Dick Cheney some of those skillz. Seriously though, Bush is teflon, y'all know it, I know it, the American people know it. Accept it, then move on.
Sadly tiger's right! If any of these guys get close to a conviction, Bush will throw out the ole' pardon card.
I think the odds are greater that The Leaky Dick acted unilaterally. And maybe let Bush in on it later, if he was feeling generous.
