Cheney's former aide told a jury that classified information he gave to journalists was OKd.
Former vice presidential aide I. Lewis "Scooter" Libby has told a federal grand jury that his "superiors" authorized him to leak highly sensitive intelligence to journalists, including a New York Times reporter he allegedly tipped off to the name of an undercover CIA operative.
The revelation is contained in a Jan. 23 letter from Special Prosecutor Patrick J. Fitzgerald to lawyers for Libby, who was indicted in late October in connection with the leak of the operative's name. In the letter, Fitzgerald recounts testimony in which Vice President Dick Cheney's former chief of staff admitted circulating portions of the National Intelligence Estimate to reporters in June and July 2003.
"It is our understanding that Mr. Libby testified that he was authorized to disclose information about the National Intelligence Estimate to the press by his superiors," Fitzgerald wrote.
More…
CIA leak case, White House takes flak over Katrina
Washington's inadequate response to the catastrophic flooding unleashed by hurricane Katrina came under renewed scrutiny yesterday with the disclosure that top aides to President George W. Bush were told the levees had been breached the day the storm hit.
In a separate blow to the administration, Lewis (Scooter) Libby has reportedly told a grand jury that his former boss, Vice-President Dick Cheney, gave him the go-ahead to leak classified information on Iraq's weapons-of-mass-destruction capabilities.
More…
