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Cooper Testifies, Names Karl Rove as Source

By Jeralyn, Section Valerie Plame Leak Case
Posted on Wed Jul 13, 2005 at 12:43:30 PM EST
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Time reporter Matthew Cooper testified for two and one half hours before the grand jury today. He named Karl Rove as his source and said he would write about the details of his testimony in an upcoming Time article. His lawyer handed out copies of a waiver signed by Robert Luskin, Karl Rove's attorney.

Two and a half hours is a long time to be in front of the grand jury to testify about a single conversation. I wonder what else he was asked?

< Chief Justice Rehnquist Hospitalized With Fever | Text of Karl Rove's Waiver to Cooper >

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    Cooper Testifies, Names Karl Rove as Source | 20 comments (20 topical)
    Re: Cooper Testifies, Names Karl Rove as Source (none / 0) (#1)
    by soccerdad on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:01:10 PM EST
    This whole Rove thing will blow over once Bush does a recess appointment of Bolton and nominates a certifable wacko to the supreme court ;-)

    Re: Cooper Testifies, Names Karl Rove as Source (none / 0) (#2)
    by jarober on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:01:11 PM EST
    Based on your reverence for this special prosecutor and this grand jury, I assume that you think every stupid avenue that Ken Starr wandered into was justified as well?

    Re: Cooper Testifies, Names Karl Rove as Source (none / 0) (#3)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:01:11 PM EST
    James, I have no reverence for any grand jury or prosecutor. It's a rubik's cube to me, a puzzle, and as I've said more than a few times, I'm trying to figure out where he's going. That's why there is a picture of the rubik's cube at the top of all my "try to connect the dots" post. Trying to figure out who (if anyone) is a target, and what the various player's legal exposure might be (i.e. what they might be charged with) is hardly being enamored. I'm not advocating for anyone to be indicted.

    Re: Cooper Testifies, Names Karl Rove as Source (none / 0) (#4)
    by Al on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:01:11 PM EST
    Greg Palast makes a very good point today, in his usual understated, quiet manner:
    Karl Rove ain't no "source." A confidential source -- and I've worked with many -- is an insider ready to put himself on the line to blow the whistle on an official lie or hidden danger. I would protect a source's name with my life and fortune as would any journalist who's not a craven jerk (the Managing Editor of Time Magazine comes to mind).

    But the weasel who whispered "Valerie Plame" in Miller's ear was no source. Whether it was Karl Rove or some other Rove-tron inside the Bush regime (and no one outside Bush's band would have had this information), this was an official using his official info to commit a crime for the sole purpose of punishing a REAL whistleblower, Joseph Wilson, Plame's husband, for questioning our President's mythological premise for war in Iraq.



    Re: Cooper Testifies, Names Karl Rove as Source (none / 0) (#5)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:01:11 PM EST
    That's why there is a picture of the rubik's cube at the top of all my "try to connect the dots" post. And a damn fine job you do it it too, Jeralyn. Man am I walking with a spring in my step these days :)

    Re: Cooper Testifies, Names Karl Rove as Source (none / 0) (#6)
    by Richard Aubrey on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:01:11 PM EST
    Palast hasn't exactly got it right. In fact, he's got it 'way wrong. The story Cooper was being warned about was Wilson's misrepresentation of his own report. The truth about Niger was also in later reports. Something, probably Iraqi search for yellowcake, was going on. Wilson lied about his own report in the op-ed. That's not exactly whistle-blowing, when your official report says the opposite. Palast does bring up a good point, which is how Rove knew. What, exactly, Rove knew is another question. Then, of course, Plame would have to be a covert op for this to be a crime, and it appears she was not. But, as Palast seems to have missed, the NYT says there is probably no crime there, so there's no crime.

    Re: Cooper Testifies, Names Karl Rove as Source (none / 0) (#7)
    by Jlvngstn on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:01:11 PM EST
    Here is what I do not understand, if there was no crime committed, than why are the reporters being held? Why did Cooper have to reveal his source? Based on what we are hearing from the right, Plame was not covert, and there was no crime committed. So why are they investigating and holding the reporters? It would seem to me that if in fact Plames status was not covert at any level, than the President should ask the Special counsel to terminate the investigation. Or am I missing something?

    Re: Cooper Testifies, Names Karl Rove as Source (none / 0) (#8)
    by Jlvngstn on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:01:11 PM EST
    Oh because the CIA requested an investigation of the outing of an undercover operative: The CIA has asked the Justice Department to investigate allegations that the White House broke federal laws by revealing the identity of one of its undercover employees in retaliation against the woman's husband, a former ambassador who publicly criticized President Bush's since-discredited claim that Iraq had sought weapons-grade uranium from Africa, NBC News has learned.

    Re: Cooper Testifies, Names Karl Rove as Source (none / 0) (#9)
    by Sailor on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:01:11 PM EST
    Somehow RA spouts an exact replica of the RNC talking points. What a coincidence!? And are completely debunked by Josh Marshall and associates' links.

    Re: Cooper Testifies, Names Karl Rove as Source (none / 0) (#10)
    by Richard Aubrey on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:01:11 PM EST
    Sailor. Maybe the RNC has a grasp on reality. JL. Byron York has a column on what he [we] don't know. Most of what we would need to know to come to a conclusion, we don't know.

    Re: Cooper Testifies, Names Karl Rove as Source (none / 0) (#11)
    by Sailor on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:01:11 PM EST
    Actually what is apparent is that RA in a repub operative masquerading as a regular joe on this site. Congrats TL for becoming popular enough to warrant their attention. We know that rove outed a cia operative. We know that bush said he would at least fire anyone in his admin that leaked. We know that bush and scotty and every public figure in this misadmin (condi, bush, rove, cheney, powell, rumsfeld ... et al) lies. (please, please, please ask me for links!) And now we know that ra is nothing but a plant by the rnc to spread disinfo on this site because he ranted the rnc tp's before they were made public.

    Re: Cooper Testifies, Names Karl Rove as Source (none / 0) (#12)
    by Al on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:01:11 PM EST
    The story Cooper was being warned about was Wilson's misrepresentation of his own report. The truth about Niger was also in later reports. Something, probably Iraqi search for yellowcake, was going on. Wilson lied about his own report in the op-ed.
    Aubrey, that doesn't even make any sense. Hard to refute, though, I'll give you that.

    Re: Cooper Testifies, Names Karl Rove as Source (none / 0) (#13)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:01:11 PM EST
    Politics, the way the wingnuts play it, is all about smearing your opponents, and Rove was trying to smear Joe Wilson, his political opponent (who willingly entered that arena). There was nothing illegal about that, until the point where he revealed the name of an undercover CIA operative, if he did so "knowingly." I don't think it is far fetched to suspect that someone involved in the process "knew" -- but that is why there is an investigation.

    Re: Cooper Testifies, Names Karl Rove as Source (none / 0) (#14)
    by Quaker in a Basement on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:01:11 PM EST
    Then, of course, Plame would have to be a covert op for this to be a crime, and it appears she was not.
    Oh really?

    Re: Cooper Testifies, Names Karl Rove as Source (none / 0) (#15)
    by Jlvngstn on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:01:12 PM EST
    RA: So is it your contention that the CIA was lying when it called for an investigation of an undercover officer?

    Re: Cooper Testifies, Names Karl Rove as Source (none / 0) (#16)
    by Jlvngstn on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:01:12 PM EST
    Quaker, I think the CIA asking for an investigation as noted above refutes any of the rights assertions as to Ms. Plames status. Let's all look at it one more time and end the bs about her status: Why is there an investigation? The CIA has asked the Justice Department to investigate allegations that the White House broke federal laws by revealing the identity of one of its undercover employees in retaliation against the woman's husband, a former ambassador who publicly criticized President Bush's since-discredited claim that Iraq had sought weapons-grade uranium from Africa, NBC News has learned. Traitors.

    Re: Cooper Testifies, Names Karl Rove as Source (none / 0) (#17)
    by ppjakajim on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:01:12 PM EST
    JL - The question is, was she, or wasn't she. The fact that the CIA asks this means nothing beyond that. I say again. She was as covert as the Washington Monument. And easy on the traitor word. You may get people to start thinking about how "aid and comfort to the enemy" can be accomplished.

    Re: Cooper Testifies, Names Karl Rove as Source (none / 0) (#18)
    by roger on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:01:12 PM EST
    Jim, Bush stated, with no qualification, that he would fire whoever made the info public. All he needed was to know who did it. Now he knows, we all do. So, the real question is: will he keep his word, or is he a liar?

    Re: Cooper Testifies, Names Karl Rove as Source (none / 0) (#19)
    by Jlvngstn on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:01:12 PM EST
    Jim, you are right I am using Traitor very casually, inasmuch that the right wing pundits do. The CIA called for the investigation which leads me to believe that they felt it was a tremendous breach of confidence, perhaps not national security but certainly confidence. The question is whether or not the act was traitorous or simply irresponsible and malicious. Traitor by defintion implies a wanton act to betray one's country or a trust. I don't believe he betrayed his country, but I am quite confident that a trust was betrayed. If there was no crime committed, than I would argue that the president needs to put an end to the investigation. He needs to publicly declare that Ms. Plame was not a covert agent and thus revealing her identity was of no consequence.

    Re: Cooper Testifies, Names Karl Rove as Source (none / 0) (#20)
    by Jlvngstn on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:01:12 PM EST
    The focus of the investigation after all was not to identify the leaker to prosecute for merely leaking information. The investigation was was ordered because of the sensitivity of information released. Therefore, continuing an investigation that has no credibility or justification based on the assumption that Plame was not covert, is merely a witch hunt. The president can therefore halt the investigation by simply ordering it to stop based on its false pretenses. After all, if someone is accused of murder and the person allegedly murdered suddenly appears, there no longer is a crime is there? Would they continue to investigate a murder if there turned out to be no murder? How can one obstruct justice if the premise with which the investigation was based on is not valid? If in fact, Ms. Plame was not covert and there was no breach of security or trust, the President owes it to the American people to halt this waste of taxpayer money. He needs to conduct a press conference and inform the American People that Ms. Plame's identity was not protected or sensitive and that the CIA mischaracterized her role in their organization.

    Cooper Testifies, Names Karl Rove as Source | 20 comments (20 topical)