Last week, we learned that Scooter Libby told a grand jury that he was authorized by his “superiors” to disclose classified information to reporters about Iraq’s weapons capability in June and July 2003. Obviously, it’s a pretty startling revelation if accurate — for all the recent complaints about the scourge of classified leaks, Libby’s account suggests these sensitive leaks were standard operating procedure at the very top of the White House.
Yesterday, several major political figures called for an investigation into Cheney’s office’s leaks. Most of the critics were Dems — with one key exception.
Howard Dean got the ball rolling on CBS, saying. “If it turns out that Scooter Libby, who said this week that his superiors ordered him to leak the information for political reasons, then this vice president may not be vice president very much longer.”
But it wasn’t just Dean raising concerns.
Sen. Jack Reed, D-R.I., called the leak of intelligence information “inappropriate” if it is true that unnamed “superiors” instructed Cheney’s former chief of staff, I. Lewis “Scooter” Libby, to divulge the material on Iraq.
Sen. George Allen, R-Va., said a full investigation is necessary.
“I don’t think anybody should be releasing classified information, period, whether in the Congress, executive branch or some underling in some bureaucracy,” said Allen, who appeared with Reed on Fox News Sunday.
Allen added that Plame prosecutor Patrick Fitzgerald should pursue the issue and “prosecute as appropriate.”
Just to summarize the context here, a leading GOP senator, and top-tier 2008 presidential candidate, went on Fox News and said systemic leaks from Dick Cheney’s office should be the subject of an independent federal investigation.
I expect some of these guys to distance themselves from the Bush White House, but I didn’t expect Allen to go this far.