If you see a snake, just kill it – don’t appoint a committee on snakes.
Americablog makes a very good point in a post on Nicholas Kristof’s continuing attack on Cheney–
[On Rove] “Either he’s still under investigation, and the White House needs to demand that its surrogates stop saying Rove is off the hook, or he IS off the hook, and the White House can finally tell us what Rove did or didn’t do.
Either way, it’s astounding that Rove has codeword security clearances and is STILL apparently being granted access to the top intelligence secrets in our nation, during wartime no less, when a cloud hangs over his head for two years now as to whether he’s a traitor. It’s difficult to believe that anyone would be permitted to retain such high-level access to our nation’s most sensitive intelligence once a legitimate concern has been raised about their being a security risk.” (My emphasis)
I hadn’t really thought about it, but I suppose that’s so. We haven’t yet heard that Cheney, Rove et al‘s security clearances have been revoked, so one can only assume they are still able to see secret material and have access to the nation’s security machinery and personnel.
That is very scary. They may be innocent of the actual crime of leaking – only until they’re proven guilty, that is – but they certainly have shown they can’t be trusted. Cheney is damned as a untrustworthy liar by his own closest aide, Libby. They can’t claim Libby is lying, because tbat would mean all his testimony was untrue, and if his testimony is untrue, well, then Cheney lied. Conversely if Libby’s testimony is true, Cheney lied. This is the man who would step into Bush’s shoes should, glory of glories, Bush be impeached. That traitorous slime like Rove and Cheney are so close to the nuclear button beggars belief.
So when and how does one’s security clearance get revoked? What do you actually have to do, and how is it done? I should’ve known bloggers would be on it:
David Sirota back in July:
Precedent Shows Rove’s Security Clearance Must Be Revoked
It is appalling that during an ongoing investigation, a White House adviser who has acknowledged helping leak classified information to the media still has access to the government’s most secret information. That’s right – Karl Rove still can peer into all the secret material he wants, maybe even to punish another honest opponent of the Bush administration. It’s why critics are rightfully demanding that, short of firing Rove, President Bush must at least immediately revoke Rove’s security clearance. And if the past is any guide, that request has historical precedent.
As a quick review of the last decade of news shows, the government has quickly revoked the security clearance of lower-profile figures that Rove when they have become embroiled in allegations of leaking or mishandling classified/sensitive material:
SECURITY CLEARANCE REVOKED FOR ALLEGATIONS OF PASSING CLASSIFIED INFO TO MEDIA: “Mr. Maloof’s Pentagon career was damaged in December 2001, when his security clearances were revoked. He was accused of having unauthorized contact with a foreign national, a woman he had met while traveling in the Republic of Georgia and eventually married. Mr. Maloof said he complied with all requirements to disclose the relationship. Several intelligence professionals say he came under scrutiny because of suspicions that he had leaked classified information in the past to the news media…” [NY Times, 4/28/04]
SECURITY CLEARANCE REVOKED FOR REVEALING CIA SECRETS TO MEDIA: “Richard Nuccio, a former State Department specialist on Guatemala whose top-secret security clearance was revoked last year for allegedly exposing CIA secrets” to the New York Times. [AP, 3/20/97]
SECURITY CLEARANCE REVOKED FOR MISUSE OF SECRET INFO: “[Former CIA Director] Deutch’s intelligence clearances were revoked last year because he had violated security rules by keeping classified information on computers at his house.” [NY Times, 2/6/00]
These past examples were very serious matters. That’s why the government moved to revoke security clearances – and that’s why Rove’s clearance also need to be revoked. Clearly, these past examples are in the same league of seriousness as a top White House official leaking classified information to the media and compromising national security in order to punish a political opponent. That’s why the exact same response is warranted. No person – not even the President’s top political guru – should be above the law, and above historical precedent in protecting America’s national security.
A formal request also was made in July – I wonder if they had a a reply?
CREW Asks President Bush to Suspend Rove Security Clearance Pending Outcome of Plame Investigation; Letter Sent to Bush Today
7/11/2005 2:25:00 PM
WASHINGTON, July 11 /U.S. Newswire/ — Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW) sent a letter today to President George Bush requesting that he immediately direct Karl Rove’s security clearances be suspended pending the outcome of the government’s investigation into the leak of Valerie Plame’s identity as an undercover agent for the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA).
As reported today in Newsweek, Karl Rove was a confidential source for Time magazine reporter Matt Cooper on the identification of a covert CIA agent. Rove disclosed that Ambassador Joseph Wilson’s trip to Iraq to investigate charges that Iraq was trying to buy uranium from Niger was authorized by Mr. Wilson’s wife, a CIA employee working on issues related to weapons of mass destruction. At that time, Valerie Plame, Ambassador Wilson’s wife, was a covert operative with the CIA whose identity as such had not yet been publicly revealed.
Under federal law, it is a crime to “intentionally disclose () any information identifying” a covert agent ?to any individual not authorized to received classified information.” 50 U.S.C. (Section) 421(a). Thus, by disclosing to Matt Cooper Ms. Plame’s relationship with the CIA and thereby identifying her as a covert agent, Mr. Rove appears to have committed an illegal act.
“Considering that it is a federal crime to identify covert agents, and that President Bush signed executive orders identifying the vital role the President plays in protecting national security secrets from unauthorized disclosure, it is appropriate for the President to suspend Mr. Rove’s clearance pending the investigation’s outcome,” Melanie Sloan, executive director of CREW, said today.
“The evidence uncovered so far raises serious questions about Mr. Rove’s conduct and his ability to safeguard highly sensitive classified information. Until those questions are resolved, CREW believes it is not appropriate for Mr. Rove to have continued access to classified information. Anything short of suspension raises an unacceptable risk to our nation’s security,” Sloan wrote to the President today.
I’ll leave the last word on what should be done to such people to tht quintessential undercover agent, Harriet Tubman :
Never wound a snake; kill it.
