Senate Intelligence Committee to Examine Use of Cover by U.S. Spies

[flpoljunkie]

http://www.nytimes.com/2005/07/25/politics/25leak.html?ei=5094&en=89b014aeadfe83c3&hp=&ex=1122350400&partner=homepage&pagewanted=print

July 25, 2005

Senate Panel to Examine Use of Cover by U.S. Spies

By SCOTT SHANE

The Senate Intelligence Committee will conduct hearings on American spy agencies' use of cover to protect the identities of intelligence officers, the committee chairman said on Sunday.

The chairman, Senator Pat Roberts, Republican of Kansas, said on the CNN program "Late Edition" that the committee was "going to go into quite a series of hearings in regard to cover." The practice of intelligence cover has come under scrutiny during the investigation of the disclosure of the C.I.A. employment of Valerie Wilson, who had worked under cover for the agency for 18 years before being publicly identified as a C.I.A. operative in 2003.

"You cannot be in the business of outing somebody" working under cover, Mr. Roberts said. He said, however, there were questions about the depth of Ms. Wilson's cover, because she had been based at the Virginia headquarters of the Central Intelligence Agency at least since 1997.

"I must say from a common-sense standpoint, driving back and forth to work to the C.I.A. headquarters, I don't know if that really qualifies as being, you know, covert," Mr. Roberts said. "But generically speaking, it is a very serious matter."

__________________

Roberts gives himself away in his disparaging comments regarding "Ms. Wilson." Looks like another White House whitewash in the works already. Is there a Republican in the Congress who has the cajones to stand up to the corrupt Bush administration? I think not.

[freeplessinseattle]

1. omg! what messed up logic. they're spinning so hard

they can't see straight.

[blm]

2. Roberts needs to finish Phase2 of the Iraq Intel report. He should also

testify UNDER OATH to Fitzgerald how he came to wtite an addendum to the Senate Intel report that concluded that Wilson lied. Only two other GOP senators signed on to that conclusion.

[flpoljunkie]

5. Yet not one media whore has asked Roberts why Phase II, agreed to in 2/02

has not been done. Wolfie blew a perfect opportunity yesterday, altho he did ask Roberts about the outing of Valerie Plame. Here is the transcript of the exchange. Roberts' answer is despicable.

http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0507/24/le.01.html

BLITZER: Welcome back to "LATE EDITION." We're continuing our conversation with Republican Senator and Intelligence Committee Chairman Pat Roberts and Democratic Senator Dianne Feinstein, also a member of the committee. How big of a deal in your assessment is the fact that the CIA asked the Justice Department to investigate the leak of that covert CIA operative, Valerie Plame? Is this a big deal in your opinion, releasing the identity of an undercover CIA officer?

ROBERTS: Why yes, it is a big deal. And in the Intelligence Committee, we're going to go into quite a series of hearings in regards to cover. You cannot be in the business of outing somebody, if that's the proper word.

BLITZER: I ask the question because some are suggesting she really wasn't undercover any more. She had been working at the CIA in nonproliferation. She really wasn't a technical...

ROBERTS: There's a five-year period, OK? And whether or not that five-year period had been reached or not is still questionable. And I must say from a common sense standpoint, driving back and forth to work to the CIA headquarters, I don't know if that really qualifies as being, you know, covert.

But generically speaking, it is a very serious matter although it obviously dovetails now into the issue of the day in regards to Karl Rove and the First Amendment, and all of that.

[applegrove]

3. Wow - I'm surprised there was a Presidential Commission into

Is bugging really a crime? It is more cost effective than sending spies into Democratic National Headquarters. The better evil during Watergate.

[atreides1]

4. Republicans with cajones, is like a Black Klansman!!!

There are no Republicans in Congress left who possess anything even close to what you're asking for, they gave up their integrity and sense of honor to be able to control all 3 branches of the U.S. government.

And though at time one or two may surprise us with little tidbits of
the concept of right and wrong, they will mostly support this murderer called Bush and his policies.

[flpoljunkie]

6. Not one Republican has the requisite integrity to speak out against Bushco

McCain has certainly made clear he ain't gonna do it. His covering for Rove yesterday on THIS WEEK was truly despicable. In case, anyone missed it, video clip below.

http://www.crooksandliars.com/2005/07/24.html#a4123

[DELUSIONAL]

7. does this mean the Republicans want a complete list of

covert agents -- so that they can give this list to Rove -- just in case he needs to out another agent??

Just how do the Republicans propose to do this "investigation" without outing even more covert agents. Perhaps Cheney needs to know if any other covert operations are investigating one of his business dealings?

Its really bad when we just can not trust our own government.

I doubt I'll ever be able to believe anything the government says ever again.

[ochazuke]

8. talkingpointsmemo has covered Sen. Robert's actions as White House lacky

Roberts committee to investigate Fitzerald probe:
http://www.talkingpointsmemo.com/archives/week_2005_07_24.php#006156

Roberts committee to investigate how CIA issues covert status:
http://www.talkingpointsmemo.com/archives/week_2005_07_24.php#006153

The upshot: Sen. Roberts is a representative of the White House, not the people of Kansas.

(I believe he was totally unapposed in his last election) Kansas should be ashamed.

[flpoljunkie]

9. Yes, just read this at talkingpointsmemo. Very interesting, indeed.

More from article in the Boston Globe today...

The chairman of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence could hold hearings on the use of espionage cover soon after the U.S. Congress returns from its August recess, said Roberts spokeswoman Sarah Little.

Little said the Senate committee would also review the probe of special prosecutor Patrick Fitzgerald, who has been investigating the Plame case for nearly two years.

http://www.boston.com/news/politics/president/bush/articles/2005/07/25/congress_plans_to_scrutinize_plame_related_issues/