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Who Was Novak's Second Source?

The Washington Post reports some new dots in RoveGate:

In a strange twist in the investigation, the grand jury -- acting on a tip from Wilson -- has questioned a person who approached Novak on Pennsylvania Avenue on July 8, 2003, six days before his column appeared in The Post and other publications, Wilson said in an interview. The person, whom Wilson declined to identify to The Post, asked Novak about the "yellow cake" uranium matter and then about Wilson, Wilson said. He first revealed that conversation in a book he wrote last year. In the book, he said he tried to reach Novak on July 8, and they finally connected on July 10. In that conversation, Wilson said he did not confirm his wife worked for the CIA but that Novak told him he had obtained the information from a "CIA source."

Novak told the person that Wilson's wife worked for the CIA as a specialist in weapons of mass destruction and had arranged her husband's trip to Niger, Wilson said. Unknown to Novak, the person was a friend of Wilson and reported the conversation to him, Wilson said.

Harlow, the former CIA spokesman, said in an interview yesterday that he testified last year before a grand jury about conversations he had with Novak at least three days before the column was published. He said he warned Novak, in the strongest terms he was permitted to use without revealing classified information, that Wilson's wife had not authorized the mission and that if he did write about it, her name should not be revealed.

Harlow said that after Novak's call, he checked Plame's status and confirmed that she was an undercover operative. He said he called Novak back to repeat that the story Novak had related to him was wrong and that Plame's name should not be used. But he did not tell Novak directly that she was undercover because that was classified information.

In a column published Oct. 1, 2003, Novak wrote that the CIA official he spoke to "asked me not to use her name, saying she probably never again will be given a foreign assignment but that exposure of her name might cause 'difficulties' if she travels abroad. He never suggested to me that Wilson's wife or anybody else would be endangered. If he had, I would not have used her name."

We know that one of the "senior Administration officials" that Novak talked to was Rove. The Post says the second official remains unknown. Those that Fitzgerald has interviewed include: "former CIA director George J. Tenet and deputy director John E. McLaughlin, former CIA spokesman Bill Harlow, State Department officials, and even a stranger who approached columnist Robert D. Novak on the street."

Joe Wilson wrote of the Novak-Pennsylvania Avenue street encounter in his book, excerpted by Salon here.:

Late on Tuesday afternoon, July 8, six days before Robert Novak's article about Valerie and me, a friend showed up at my office with a strange and disturbing tale. He had been walking down Pennsylvania Avenue toward my office near the White House when he came upon Novak, who, my friend assumed, was en route to the George Washington University auditorium for the daily taping of CNN's "Crossfire." He asked Novak if he could walk a block or two with him, as they were headed in the same direction; Novak acquiesced. Striking up a conversation, my friend, without revealing that he knew me, asked Novak about the uranium controversy. It was a minor problem, Novak replied, and opined that the administration should have dealt with it weeks before. My friend then asked Novak what he thought about me, and Novak answered: "Wilson's an asshole. The CIA sent him. His wife, Valerie, works for the CIA. She's a weapons of mass destruction specialist. She sent him." At that point, my friend and Novak went their separate ways. My friend headed straight for my office a couple of blocks away.

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    Re: Who Was Novak's Second Source? (none / 0) (#1)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:01:40 PM EST
    I have a question. Concerns have been expressed on other blogs that the Intelligence Committee's proposal to invetigate Fitzgerald's investigation might provide immunity to Rove, Libby, et al. IIRC, that immunity only affects the testimony given in a congressional hearing. It doesn't affect the possible prosecution if viable testimony is developed independently of congressional hearings - i.e. what Fitgerald is developing on his own. But what if the testimony given in a congressional hearing is different from what was provided to the grand jury? Perjury, no?

    Re: Who Was Novak's Second Source? (none / 0) (#2)
    by theologicus on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:01:40 PM EST
    a stranger who approached columnist Robert D. Novak on the street And who might that have been, pray tell? Methinks it was Shallow Throat. Once he turns 90 and becomes senile his true identity can be released, or at least some sembalnce thereof.

    Re: Who Was Novak's Second Source? (none / 0) (#3)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:01:40 PM EST
    Here it comes as you predicted IMMUNITY FOR ROVE and LIBBY From WayneMadsend report: July 26, 2005 -- Sen. Pat Roberts (R-Kan.) intends to interfere in Fitzgerald probe. Senator Pat Roberts, chairman of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, announced that his commitee will be "reviewing" the criminal probe by special prosecutor Patrick Fitzgerald of the White House leak of the identities of covert CIA agents. If Roberts is serious and not just grandstanding, this may indicate that the White House is looking to give Fitzgerald's targets (Karl Rove, Lewis "Scooter" Libby, and others) congressional general immunity from prosecution in return for their testimony before Roberts' committee. This was the method by which John Poindexter and Oliver North were able to avoid jail time for their roles in Iran-contra, their convictions being overturned by a federal appeals court because of their previously granted congressional immunity. There is also a bit of Watergate redux in Roberts' statement. Pressure by the GOP on Fitzgerald is reminiscent of the Nixon administration's decision to fire Watergate prosecutor Archibald Cox. This is the key to Roberts investigation. Talk Left warned against this long time ago but here it comes.

    Re: Who Was Novak's Second Source? (none / 0) (#4)
    by teacherken on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:01:40 PM EST
    Correct me if I am wrong, since IANAL, but Roberts cannot by himself grant immunity. If Congress wants to grant immunity do they not have to go before a judge to get permission? I have memories of that happening with Oliver North. And if they are going to go to Court, will not Fitzgerald get an opportunity to oppose? Again, Walsh opposed in Iran-Contra, but the judge granted anyhow, that's if my memory is not fried by the DC heat wave.

    Re: Who Was Novak's Second Source? (none / 0) (#5)
    by ppjakajim on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:01:40 PM EST
    Hmmm. So we have a friend of Wilson, who didn't identify himself as such, wants information from Novak about an article he hasn't written, and all of this was jusr happenstance because he ran into Novak on the street? Come on. That's so outlandish Hollywood wouldn't use it as a plot.

    Re: Who Was Novak's Second Source? (none / 0) (#6)
    by Jlvngstn on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:01:40 PM EST
    You know what the problem is with the left? We are already bored with this story and just want the investigation to reveal itself. The right on the other hand, never tires of these stories against the left and recycles them for years to come. Each day that passes there is less and less commentary on this topic. If this were a demo, the right would be posting and blabbering non stop. I would like to see less civility from the left, but what can you expect from a guy that grew up in the projects.......

    Re: Who Was Novak's Second Source? (none / 0) (#7)
    by Repack Rider on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:01:41 PM EST
    So we have a friend of Wilson, who didn't identify himself as such, wants information from Novak about an article he hasn't written, and all of this was jusr happenstance because he ran into Novak on the street? As I understand it, Wilson engineered the "chance" meeting in order to see what Novak knew and what he might tell a total stranger on the street. Novak came through, revealing more to a stranger than he admitted knowing later. And now this has been given to the Grand Jury. For some reason, the wingnuts seem to think Wilson has been accused of something beyond telling the truth and being enraged when his family's privacy was destroyed. He has not. All the unethical behavior and lies have come from the administration.

    Re: Who Was Novak's Second Source? (none / 0) (#8)
    by ppjakajim on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:01:42 PM EST
    Repack writes:
    As I understand it, Wilson engineered the "chance" meeting in order to see what Novak knew and what he might tell a total stranger on the street.
    So, if you are correct, Wilson entrapped Novak and in the process aided and abetted him in outing his own wife, which everyone assures me is a crime. Nice. Let's see, 6 years should be about right. ;-)