From the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform's hearings on the Plame leak. Excerpts from transcripts available at The Raw Story. Pictures in the public domain.
REP. WAXMAN: Thank you.
Before I recognize the next witness, I just want to clarify this point. The investigation by Mr. Fitzgerald didn't take place for months and months and months after it was well-known that there had been a leak of the identity of a covert CIA agent. Now, as I understand it, there's an obligation for the White House to conduct an immediate investigation to find out whether they needed to suspend security clearances of somebody who had leaked this information, to maybe take disciplinary action against an individual who might have been involved, and thirdly, to find out who divulged it.
And the White House had that obligation, because this was a matter of important, highest-order national security. Am I stating things correctly, Mr. Leonard?
MR. LEONARD: Mr. Chairman, as you point out, whenever there is suspected unauthorized disclosure or compromise, there is an affirmative responsibility to do an inquiry. At the very least to determine -- to implement corrective action. So that -- subsequent and additional and similar violations do not continue to occur, and also to be able to ensure that any potential damage to national security is assessed.
And part of the assessment of corrective action is also the assessment of the need for sanctions.
REP. WAXMAN: Right after the Novak column appeared, there was an outrage that this was disclosing a covert agent. And not only that, the CIA was so angered by it that they wrote a letter to the Justice Department demanding an investigation. And in light of this, which took place immediately after the information of the leak was disclosed, the White House still has not initiated an investigation. Am I correct in that statement, Mr. Knodell?
MR. KNODELL: That's correct. My office does not.
REP. WAXMAN: Thank you.
REP. HODES: What discussions, if any, have you had with anyone about whether or not you should or should not institute an investigation into the security breaches that are the subject of this hearing today?
MR. KNODELL: I've had no conversations.
REP. HODES: You haven't talked to anybody?
MR. KNODELL: That's correct.
REP. HODES: So when you say you're going to go back to the White House and take it up with senior management, you're senior management, aren't you?
MR. KNODELL: Yes, sir. I am.
REP. HODES: So you're going to go back and talk to yourself about whether or not you're going to conduct an investigation? Is that what you want this panel to believe?
MR. KNODELL: I will -- I report to several people.
REP. HODES: Who do you report to, sir?
REP. CUMMINGS: So even if Karl Rove or any other White House official did not know that Ms. Wilson's employment status was classified, the disclosure of such information to an individual not authorized to receive it could have been a violation of the executive order? And that is an executive order of the president of the United States. Is that right?
MR. LEONARD: That's right.
REP. CUMMINGS: So, basically the president set up some rules and then he said, I'm going to make sure that if anybody violated these rules, they're going to have major problems, and they're going to have to go. And then the next thing you know, there is apparently a violation, but there has been no action. Is that right?
MR. KNODELL: Other than the criminal proceedings, no action from my office.
Just a friendly reminder.
