House Democrats Question Rove's Security
Clearance
Reuters
November 4, 2005
Nov. 4 (Bloomberg) -- Four senior House Democrats sent a letter to the White
House to ask if presidential aide Karl Rove is still eligible for a security
clearance.
Rove, the White House deputy chief of staff, has been informed by Special
Counsel Patrick Fitzgerald that he is in serious legal jeopardy. Fitzgerald has
been investigating who revealed the name of Central Intelligence Agency
operative Valerie Plame to reporters in July 2003 after her husband publicly
criticized the Iraq war.
Democratic Representatives John Dingell of Michigan, David Obey of
Wisconsin, John Murtha of Pennsylvania and Ike Skelton of Missouri today wrote
to Mark Frownfelter, associate director of the White House's Security Division,
saying the Plame investigation "raised questions about the maintenance of a
security clearance by Deputy Chief of Staff Karl Rove."
The Democrats based their question on two clauses in the guidelines for
security clearance for the executive office. One of the clauses bars people who
have exhibited conduct "involving questionable judgment, untrustworthiness,
unreliability, lack of candor, or unwillingness to comply with rules and
regulations."
The second clause states that any "allegations or admissions of criminal
conduct, regardless of whether the person was formally charged" could be
grounds for an employee to loose security clearance.
White House spokesman Trent Duffy declined to comment on the letter.
Lewis Libby, Vice President Dick Cheney's chief of staff, was charged Oct.
28 with five counts in connection with the case, including perjury and
obstruction of justice. Libby, who stepped down last month, pleaded not guilty
at his arraignment yesterday.
Niger Trip
Plame, 42, was a covert CIA operative whose husband, former Ambassador
Joseph Wilson, was dispatched by the agency in 2002 to Niger to investigate
reports that Iraq was seeking uranium "yellowcake" for a nuclear program. Plame
suggested Wilson for the trip because of his contacts with African leaders and
past experience on the continent, according to government documents.
Wilson said he told the CIA he didn't find the reports credible. After Bush
cited Iraqi attempts to gain nuclear materials in Africa in his 2003 State of
the Union speech, and the U.S. invaded Iraq in March of that year, Wilson
became increasingly critical of administration policy.
To contact the reporter on this story:
Jay Newton-Small in Washington at Jnewtonsmall@bloomberg.net
Last Updated: November 4, 2005 15:08 EST
|