As requested by a number of readers, the following chart was displayed at today’s House Oversight Committee hearings (live blogged here) as chaired by Henry Waxman (D-CA). The BRAD BLOG obtained the chart from his office.
It was presented by Rep. Paul Hodes (D-NH) during the hearing and shows the known number of disclosures of Valerie Plame-Wilson’s identity by the White House and the State Department. Plame-Wilson testified under oath today that she was a covert CIA operative working to monitor WMD in Iraq when her cover, and that of her entire network, was blown after the disclosure of her identity by White House officials.
She also testified it was the first time such a CIA agent’s cover was purposely blown by our own government.
The chart is followed by the section from the text transcript when the chart was initially displayed this morning…
What happened to you is deadly serious. You were the victim of a national security breach. If this was a law enforcement context, something I’m familiar with, it would be equivalent to disclosing the identity of an undercover police officer who has put his life on the line, and the lives of all those who help that officer.
Our job on this committee is to find out how the breach happened. Now, I’d like to show you a chart that we prepared on the committee — you’ll see it up on the screens, and we’re putting it up here on paper. That chart is a graphic depiction of all the ways that your classified CIA employment was disclosed to White House officials and then to the press.
Every colored block on that chart is an individual, and every arrow shows a disclosure of classified information. That classified information was your CIA employment status. And the arrows are based on the testimony in Mr. Libby’s criminal case and press reports. This chart shows over 20 different disclosures about your employment. Let me ask you, looking at this chart, are you surprised that so many people had access to the classified information about your CIA employment?
MS. PLAME WILSON: Yes, I am, Congressman. And I’m also surprised at how carelessly they used it.
Investigate, convict, incarcerate. Bushco is the worst administration in this history of our country. I am outraged that this country impeached a president for a blow job (no one died) but this president lies us into war (hundreds of thousands dead) shit’s all over the constitution, breaks the law at will, bankrupts America and is allowed to sit in the people’s house despite all this. What the hell kind of an alternative universe am I living in.
They all need to be indicted for treason and hung! That chart makes me want to PUKE! I have so had it with all this BS. The trickling out of all of this, day after day a new scandal…… ITMFsA
Thank you, Brad.
It is high time we mentioned how much your relentless investigations and tireless work ethic have done for this country in its darkest hour.
A very humble thank you.
–Mark
I call this the The Plame-Berger dichotomy.
Was Valerie Plame’s affiliation with her employer classified? Yes or no? If so, what was the classification level? If not, why the cacaphony of media attention?
The documents that Sandy Berger stole and destroyed were classified Top Secret. He did so just prior to their discovery by the 9/11 Commission. And no… one… cares.
You can watch the entire hearing here.
Their job is to investigate how the leak happened, eh? Let me save them the trouble – ask Dick Armitage! He’s already confessed to doing it. Why does everyone on the committee not talk about this or even mention his name? You got the guy, for crissake!! Prosecute his ass! What the hell his Hodes doing here? This is a complete waste of time – they’re barking up the wrong tree. I’m beginning to wonder why I voted for him.
I simply do not believe that Richard Armitage was the first to leak. I feel that his admission, plus immunity, was done in order to create cover for Rove, though it didn’t quite work out as planned.
Armitage is lying.
cacaphony, no such word but that reminds me. I have to get toilet paper. 🙂
ALL THE FUCKING gop SHIT THAT OUTED VALORIE PLAME MUST BE MADE TO PAY ! ! !
My question: Is that a “Known Unknown”? Someone with access, yes? Someone who would be likely to be told before Karl Rove and Dick Cheney.
Is the unknown Bush senior?
Larry, I’m thinking Bush II.
I’m thinking of the Shrub.