Time’s Matt Cooper was prepared to go to jail to protect his source, but received word early yesterday from his source that he had been released from his promise of confidentiality.
And who was this secret source? Surprising absolutely no one, it was Karl Rove.
“A short time ago, in somewhat dramatic fashion, I received an express, personal release from my source,” Mr. Cooper said. “It’s with a bit of surprise and no small amount of relief that I will comply with this subpoena.”
Mr. Cooper’s decision to drop his refusal to testify followed discussions on Wednesday morning among lawyers representing Mr. Cooper and Karl Rove, the senior White House political adviser, according to a person who has been officially briefed on the case. Mr. Fitzgerald was also involved in the discussions, the person said.
In his statement in court, Mr. Cooper did not name Mr. Rove as the source about whom he would now testify, but the person who was briefed on the case said that he was referring to Mr. Rove and that Mr. Cooper’s decision came after behind-the-scenes maneuvering by his lawyers and others in the case.
Those discussions centered on whether a legal release signed by Mr. Rove last year was meant to apply specifically to Mr. Cooper, who by its terms would be released from any pledge of confidentiality he had made to Mr. Rove, the person said. Mr. Cooper said in court that he had agreed to testify only after he had received an explicit waiver from his source.
Cooper’s notes, apparently, pointed to Rove being his source, so this simply confirms what everyone already believed.
However, it’s important to note that while this proves that Rove was a source for Cooper, it doesn’t prove that Rove leaked Valerie Plame’s identity.
Update: As Atrios notes, the Washington Post reported the opposite, saying that Rove was not the source who called Cooper yesterday morning and personally waived the confidentiality agreement. Who’s right? I haven’t any idea.