It sure
looks that way, although the story is still "developing hard"
SOURCES IDENTIFY AIDE COOPERATING IN INVESTIGATION... DEVELOPING HARD...
I will update when Raw Story does.
Update [2005-10-18 13:21:11 by pontificator]: The story is up!!! It's John Hannah!! An Aide to both Dick Cheney AND John Bolton!
Other news outlets, such as the
New York Daily News, are following the story as well:
Cheney's name has come up amid indications Fitzgerald may be edging closer to a blockbuster conspiracy charge - with help from a secret snitch.
"They have got a senior cooperating witness - someone who is giving them all of that," a source who has been questioned in the leak probe told the Daily News yesterday.
Incidentally, this is what happens in any major federal prosecution -- the people at the bottom are flipped so that the people at the top (who usually try not to leave fingerprints), can be prosecuted. The only thing unusual here is the target is not the Mafia or Enron, but is rather the White House.
Update [2005-10-18 15:45:26 by pontificator]: Hmmm, Administration sources are openly speculating that Cheney may have to resign:
Sparked by today's Washington Post story that suggests Vice President Cheney's office is involved in the Plame-CIA spy link investigation, government officials and advisers passed around rumors that the vice president might step aside and that President Bush would elevate Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice.
Time to re-review clause 2 of the Twenty-Fifth Amendment:
Section 2. Whenever there is a vacancy in the office of the Vice President, the President shall nominate a Vice President who shall take office upon confirmation by a majority vote of both Houses of Congress.
Now THAT would be one hell of a confirmation hearing. I would assume that anyone remotely caught up in this Plame investigation would be automatically disqualified as a candidate, INCLUDING Condoleeza Rice, charter member of the White House Iraq Group.