Murray Waas has consistently had some of the best reporting on the Plame affair. So I presume his scoop is legit when he
describes not only that Novak talked, but what he said.
Some highlights--and thoughts--below the fold.
Waas suggests several times in his post that Novak plotted a response that amounts to obstruction of justice. For example:
Novak had claimed to the investigators that the Bush administration officials with whom he spoke did not identify Plame as a covert operative, and that use of the word "operative" was his formulation, and not theirs, according to those familiar with Novak's accounts to the investigators.
So Novak talked (presumably with the generous approval of Rove, whom Novak was trying to get off the hook). And said precisely what Rove is now saying, that Rove didn't know Plame was a NOC.
But Fitzgerald doesn't buy this story (and why would he, seeing how Novak changed his tune in his columns?).
Federal investigators have been skeptical of Novak's assertions that he referred to Plame as a CIA "operative" due to his own error, instead of having been explicitly told that was the case by his sources, according to attorneys familiar with the criminal probe.
That skepticism has been one of several reasons that the special prosecutor has pressed so hard for the testimony of Time magazine's Cooper, and New York Times reporter Judith Miller.
And it seems like they've got reason to believe Novak was involved in a plot to obstruct the investigation. Like phone records from the officials involved to Novak.
Also of interest to investigators have been a series of telephone contacts between Novak and Rove, and other White House officials, in the days just after press reports first disclosed the existence of a federal criminal investigation as to who leaked Plame's identity. Investigators have been concerned that Novak and his sources might have conceived or co-ordinated a cover story to disguise the nature of their conversations.
Cooper testifies tomorrow. If he says Rove outed Plame as a NOC, then this all starts to wrap up, with a prosecution for Rove and obstruction of justice charges for a bunch of other people. If Cooper doesn't say that, then we're back to waiting for Judy to squeal. We might be able to piece together a perjury charge or two. But it looks like it all comes down to what Cooper says tomorrow.
Anyway, click through and read the whole thing...