John Conyers (D-MI), ranking member of the U.S. House Judiciary Committee, has just sent the following letter to George W. Bush and Dick Cheney, The BRAD BLOG has learned.
The letter, published exclusively below, concerns questions about the revelations from National Journal yesterday that Cheney’s former chief of staff, I. “Scooter” Libby testified to Special Counsel Patrick Fitzgerald’s grand jury that he was “authorized” by Cheney and other White House “superiors” to leak classified national security intelligence to the media.
It should be noted that a Vice President’s chief of staff, doesn’t have all that many “superiors” in addition to the Veep himself.
The leaks, as reported by Murray Waas, were meant to discredit former Ambassador Joe Wilson’s assertions that the Administration was manipulating various intelligence in the lead up to the Iraq War, and later, to justify the Administration’s questionable use of pre-War Intelligence.
We post Conyers’ letter in full, including questions seeking confirmation and clarification from both Bush and Cheney on these matters below…
The President
The Vice President
The White House
Washington, DC 20500
Dear Mr. President and Mr. Vice President:
Yesterday, the National Journal and AP reported that the Vice President’s former Chief of Staff, I. Lewis (Scooter) Libby, had testified to a federal grand jury that as part of an effort to discredit Ambassador Joseph Wilson and defend your Administration’s use of prewar intelligence, he had been authorized by the Vice President and other White House superiors to leak classified information to journalists.(1) Moreover, correspondence filed by Special Prosecutor Patrick J. Fitzgerald also reveals that Mr. Libby has asserted that he had been authorized to disclose to the media a still-classified portion of a National Intelligence Estimate about alleged efforts to develop nuclear weapons to the media.(2)
If this is true, I am concerned that it constitutes an abuse of power at best, and may be outright unlawful at worst. As I understand the applicable declassification regulations, they provide that “[i]nformation shall be declassified as soon as it no longer meets the standard for classification under this order.”(3) Under these standards, it would appear that neither classified nuclear information nor Valerie Plame’s status as a covert agent or the name of her employer warranted declassification. This is why Special Prosecutor Fitzgerald has stated that these leaks were “a serious breach of public trust”(4)
As a result of these reports, I would like to ask you the following questions:
1. Is the report in the National Journal accurate? Have you or your staffs authorized Mr. Libby or other personnel within the Administration to declassify and leak information to the media relating to the Iraq war and the use of pre-war intelligence on any occasions? If so, please describe.
2. What is the legal basis for authorizing such declassifications and disclosures?
3. On September 30, 2003, the President declared, “[l]isten, I know of nobody – I don’t know of anybody in my administration who leaked classified information … If somebody did leak classified information, I’d like to know it, and we’ll take the appropriate action.”(5) Do you still stand by the President’s pledge and, if so, what action are you planning to take against any individuals who may have authorized the leaks described in the National Journal article?
To the extent you believe any of the information needed to respond to the above questions may be classified or sensitive, I am happy to meet with you or your staffs directly on these matters. I may be reached through my Judiciary Committee office at 202-225-6504, 2142 Rayburn House Office Building, Washington, D.C. 20515. Thank you.
Sincerely,
John Conyers, Jr.
————————————-
2 Id.
3 Executive Order No. 12958, 68 Fed. Reg. 15,315 (Mar. 28, 2003).
4 Peter Slevin and Carol D. Leonnig, Inquiry as Exacting As Special Counsel Is, Washington Post, Oct. 24, 2005, at A3.
5 President George W. Bush, President Discusses Job Creation with Business Leaders, Remarks at University of Chicago (Sept. 30, 2003) (transcript available at: http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2003/09/20030930-9.html).
Congressman Conyers rocks! Would that he could get an answer to this letter.
Hey, they will probabley file this in the same file that all the other requests by Conyers where throw, I mean placed.
Looks like Conyers is building a accurate trail of attempts to communicate with this "stone walling " secret admistration.
So much news in the last 48 hours that it is mindbloggering.
Peter
I’ll answer his letter:
1. Yes, it’s accurate. Of course we have! How do you think we fooled everyone into going to war? We are currently printing out the details, but it’s going to take a while to print out 23,458 pages.
2. Legal basis? Dude, what we did is so illegal. We’re busted, what else can we say?
3. No, we obviously don’t stand by his words anymore, he was caught in a lie. Good for you, bad for us.
Conyers is taking it to them and rattling the cages…he should add that to an impeachment resolution and start spreading the tides at this point.
Cheney’s response will be:
"Yes, I authorized all of it. It was perfectly acceptable, because Halliburton needed to meet its bottom line. And I wasn’t about to not let the neocons get their war. You see, I can do whatever I like. Just try and stop me. You’re free to disagree of course, but I believe I am above the constitution and the law."
Special prosecutors step in….*and bring Cheney right down.*
🙂
Doug
"PS: Congress is free to change the constitutional law if they like, and adjust what they want. And I’m free to ignore them." -Dick Cheney
Doug E.
On Democracy NOW! news, as we speak, their top story is the Libby/Cheney story. It was on from 6-6:20, with a 15 minute interview via telephone with Murray Waas. It’s on DISH channel 9415.
I’ll switch over to the MSM and see if this is their top story, or even if it’s a story PERIOD in the MSM.
Big Dan, mediawatchdog (…RUFF!)
The legal basis is simple:
"There is a legal basis. I make the law, and wrote it in the patriot act. That means I am free to have the executive branch ignore any law I like and follow the patriot act, which as implied allows me to disclose classified information at whim."
Doug
I watched the beginning of one of the MSM news at 6:30, and this story was not listed as "tonight’s top stories." Then I bounced back and forth between ABC/NBC/CBS, and did not see this story. They did, however, cover the Wayne Gretzky betting scandal. I guess they think that’s more important than this.
Democracy NOW! led with this story, it was 20 minutes long, including a 15 minute interview with Murray Waas, live via telephone.
The MSM news on TV is a non-factor in creating an informed citizenry. Wayne Gretzky…
Brad: Get Amy Goodman on your blog/show. She’s the only one on television saying the news, she deserves it.
gw and cheney do not respect anyone – not the Constitution, the citizens or peers. Conyers is head and shoulders above gw.
all the answers are classified as Conyers is not to be trusted with national security information, committee or not….
all of it is bull…..
lies… criminals….
they fly white unmarked surveillance aircraft in Columbia SC neighborhoods too…….
OT – KTLK 1150 in Los Angeles is reporting that several photos of Bush/Abramoff are on the internet. Who has seen these?
http://mparent7777.livejournal.com/6274633.html
peterpont #2 said :
"…Conyers is building a accurate trail of attempts to communicate…"
You may have something there. After the responses to earlier letters and petitions I don’t realy expect any response to this one either. Yet John keeps on hammering away at it.
Thank You John.
Although there was no mention of John’s letter, NBC did spend some time on the Michael Brown/Katrina story and also mentioned Libby’s testimony regarding Cheney. (West Coast Edition).
Earlier today I recieved an email from kennedy’s people saying he was going to be on NBC news talking about the wire tapping, but that didn’t happen. (West Coast )
I keep waiting for the teflon to wear off the fan. I mean the shit keeps hitting it, but so little is resulting – so far anyway!
The reaction to Rev. Joseph Lowery’s speech the other day gives one hope. Do the people in the audience represent the "Real" America which we typicaly have been not allowed to see?
I wish there were some closeups of George and Laura’s faces during that speech and Carter’s!
>>>
Conyers is head and shoulders above gw.
Intellectually, ethically, honorably, yes… in physical stature it’s the other way around! 😀
Great guy, from my area… I’m dying to finally meet him in person… one of the handful of pols I appreciate…
OT
Why is there nothing at Raw or elsewhere about DeLay being appointed to the Oversite Commitee overlooking the Justice department which is investigating Abramoff and DeLay himself?
It Seems Air America is the only Place I’ve heard about it.
What reasonable person would take what John Conyers says seriously?
John Conyers was first elected to congress in 1964. It is now 2006. Which is what? Forty-two years in Congress? And every year since 1989 he tosses in his pet bill for reparations, and vows to keep doing it until he dies, which will obviously be in office. My understanding is that he never fails to beat the drum for reparations when he’s running for re-election, every two years. The poor saps who vote for him must really eat it up, along with his advocating freedom for convicted cop-killer Mumia Abu-Jamal.
Doesn’t Conver’s district cover half of Detroit, the poorest big city in America and one of the most crime-ridden? Conditions the good Congressman blames on racism. I believe the movie "8 Mile" was set in the Conyer’s district.
Now his district has a huge Muslim population.
Which leads us to the topic: The leaking of Valerie Plame’s name was more the result of Washington-style gossip (see Bob Woodward) than a calculated attempt to shut up her husband. I never understood how that tactic would shut him up anyway?
Besides, who would take what Joseph Wilson says seriously, anyway?
does anyone take jose chung seriously?
BVAC A whole bunch of basement kids called freepers do I’m guessing!!
John Conyers is a perfect statesman. I don’t have to agree with him all the time to know he always goes out of his way, always to stand up for people.
He never stops. Thats the way of a statesman and not a politican. He does what he does regardless of the time, whether its off year, election year, and he does it to stand up for civil rights.
Doug
#15 – yes, Conyers moral and ethical stature is head and shoulders above gw 😉 Conyers has a mind and speaks it – even when it is not popular among his peers. That in my book speaks volumes. It takes courage to take a stand and do the right thing. So many Dems and Reps don’t get that message. Conyers is fighting for our Constitution!
#20
Was that an attempt at poetry?? Dude. Take a class or something. Use SpellCheck.
You’re embarrassing yourself. Jeez!
God Bless John Conyers!
Conyers and all, including past White House Legal Counsel for past republican presidents who calls Bush King George III (link here) are responding to written and spoken revelations.
But there is strong evidence that the Bush regime is the first in history to have a policy of not writing down the real policies, so they cannot be discovered.
Check this out:
"In a July 23, 2002, e-mail to a GSA official, Safavian discussed getting information about the Silver Spring site to Capito’s office. But Volz discovered a complication the next day.
Volz told Abramoff that someone at the GSA wanted the congresswoman to put her request in writing. ‘We can’t ask the most vulnerable Republican incumbent member of Congress in the House to put something in writing that can be made public,’ Volz wrote. "The congresswoman’s office has already put the request in and you would think that would be enough!!!"
(link here, emphasis added).
Even the past CIA head as to Mid-East situations is now saying that the neoCon republican regime intentionally frauded up the intelligence to say what they wanted it to say (link here).
They do that to everything, including statutes, UN Resolutions, Treaties, and even the US Constitution.
So we are all fighting a fight that involves written records, but the real hidden, secret, and anti-law policies are not being written down in my estimation.
Nevertheless, we know where their heart is … they are fascists.
Why as the habitually lying S.O.B’s ANYTHING!? OF course they will deny ALL of it! Conyers needs to save his labors and would be better spent urging his collegues in House to start IMPEACHMENT ASAP! AND NOW! And NOT wait til we get control of House! Why ask them anything when they will just LIE!? Get a clue people! Demand ALL of Congress impeach Bush and cohorts and NOW or face impeachment themselves! I know Conyers is for it but alot others need to be too! Now Bush wants to make it illegal to protest him! He needs to be out and NOW! Not in future but IMMEDIATELY! And stop asking the lying S.O.B. to clear up anything! THEY LIE PERIOD! And Libby had better watch it or he will wind up dead that is M.O. of people who cross Bush and Cheney! BE PATRIOTIC NOW AND DEMAND IMPEACHMENT AND DEMAND NO TO HIS LOUSY BUDGET TOO AND NO MORE MONEY FOR $$! NONE! AND BRING OUR TROOPS HOME AND NOW!
Conyers surely knows that these people despise him and ignore him. He is but a gnat to them. So he must have a plan, since obviously trying to get answers and accountability from the imperious NeoCons is farcical. So I’m with Peterpont on this one. Conyers must be laying a groundwork for something. The question is what? How can he really DO anything when every single branch of government and the press have been taken taken over by the NeoCons?
I think the only chance he has is to find some moderate Republicans willing to break ranks with the NeoCons. But since they are ALL in lockstep (the NeoCons have had five years to comb through everyone’s personnel records and find things to hold over everyone’s heads) this seems highly unlikely.
In other words, though I’m a huge fan of Conyers, this letter just seems like busywork to me.
No, the only way we’re going to effect change is to vote these cretins out. But as Brad Blog readers know–we CAN’T!
Click here to ask Barbara Boxer to lead the fight for fair elections!
Last weekend to sign the petition urging Senator Boxer to champion fair elections! Please forward this URL to everyone you know who cares about America:
http://www.petitiononline.com/boxer123
Next week the petition goes to the Senator along with a copy of Mark Crispin Miller’s "Fooled Again."
look
yes we wire tap
yes we
reveal CIA agents
and let other agents
get compromised
and now we have "none"
in
Iran
sham
on purpose
our purpose
Israel
Jesus
you
hell
therefore
Katrina
oh well
suffer
pray more tithe
tiny tactical nukes
controling the world
your mind to
tv
SC
you cant compete
capitulate
congratulate
don’t hate
we are
the new reich
period
deal with it
and yes
slavery is coming
oh wait
already here
how much is minimum wage
uh
yeah
try to find a job lately
and the boarse
no way
gotta bomb that
multiple moabs
Israel
Zionism
AIDS
assinations
its real people
and I have your ISPs
and I see when you pee
hee hee
holla
see you in ’08
I’m rich blank
blank the poor
i
am
a
conservative
keep all for me
sorry
oh yeah
but Jesus
Jim
Thats untrue…..we can and will vote them out, because the voting machines are being ripped out of every state. I just helped them take away the machines in another place. The only thing they work for is neocons.
Doug
Jim & Doug #26-#27
I think Doug has the high ground that we can’t give up.
Jim is right that elections are corrupt and therefore neoCon infected courts have stepped in to determine who the president is in times past.
But the upcoming November elections are different from any presidential election.
One very important difference is that we have a constitutional right to vote for congress members, but we do not have a constitutional right to vote for any president.
What this means is that we can form a group and file our own lawsuits this November … hundreds of personal lawsuits, if they screw with the congressional elections this year.
We can use 42 USC 1983 and federal voting statutes and sue in the federal courts en masse because the acts will have been done "under color of state law". That may be confusing at first, but it really clears up after reading a bit.
I certainly plan to. If anyone wants to prepare for that with me, let me know. We can form a blog area to help each other with our lawsuits.
What do you think?
I’m not as pessimistic as my friend Jim Cirile about the 2006 election being honest, for several reasons.
1) It’s much harder to rig 50 elections than just one.
In order to keep control of the Senate and House, Republicans might have to go that far.
2) Crooked machines are being non-certified all over the country.
3) Diebold’s problems have shed light on the 2004 election. Even Jeb Bush shed crocodile tears over the Leon County test. We’re no longer "conspiracy theorists." The media will now investigate any election that looks fishy, where they didn’t in 2004.
4) By November, the Coingate scandal in Ohio will have attracted more attention, as Noe faces the music and as his links to Abramoff become clearer.