Bush Approved Leak of Iraq Arms Intelligence, Libby Testified -- Bloomberg.com
Bloomberg.com says President Bush authorized disclosure of classified information on Iraq's weapons program to rebut war critics, a former top administration aide told a grand jury, according to documents filed in federal court. The documents don't allege the president approved the identification of covert CIA operative Valerie Plame, although they were filed in connection with the investigation into who leaked the operative's name to reporters in 2003. The court filing by special prosecutor Patrick Fitzgerald also doesn't suggest Bush violated any rule or law governing the handling of classified material. In the filing, Fitzgerald describes Libby's testimony about disclosure to former NY Times reporter Judy Miller of a 2002 National Intelligence Estimate on Iraq's pursuit of nuclear materials. "Defendant testified that the vice president later advised him that the president had authorized defendant to disclose the relevant portions of the NIE,'' Fitzgerald wrote.
Bloomberg.com says President Bush authorized disclosure of classified information on Iraq's weapons program to rebut war critics, a former top administration aide told a grand jury, according to documents filed in federal court. The documents don't allege the president approved the identification of covert CIA operative Valerie Plame, although they were filed in connection with the investigation into who leaked the operative's name to reporters in 2003. The court filing by special prosecutor Patrick Fitzgerald also doesn't suggest Bush violated any rule or law governing the handling of classified material. In the filing, Fitzgerald describes Libby's testimony about disclosure to former NY Times reporter Judy Miller of a 2002 National Intelligence Estimate on Iraq's pursuit of nuclear materials. "Defendant testified that the vice president later advised him that the president had authorized defendant to disclose the relevant portions of the NIE,'' Fitzgerald wrote.
