McClellan Says Bush Didn’t Know
Earlier today, Scott McClellan told the House Judiciary Committee that he does not believe that President George W. Bush had knowledge of the CIA leak. Valerie Plame’s cover as a CIA operative was blown by the said leak, as a means to retaliate against her husband speaking out against the government’s case for war against Iraq.
However, McClellan did tell the committee that Bush ordered through his Chief of Staff to tell reporters that Karl Rove and Lewis “Scooter” Libby had nothing to do with the leak. Libby was convicted of Obstruction and Perjury and was sentenced for 2 1/2 half years prison sentence. However, Bush has commuted the sentence. As the scandal erupted, Bush said he would fire anyone involved with the leak.
McClellan said that both Rove and Libby deceived him about their role concerning the leak. The committee asked about Vice President Dick Cheney’s involvement. “I do not think the president in any way had knowledge about it,” McClellan said. “In terms of the vice president, I do not know. There is a lot of suspicion there.”
McClellan also stated Bush should fully explain what he knew about the leak and how he decided to invade Iraq. The White House was “less than candid and less than honest” as it made its case for war, he said.
Democrats on the committee have called for Bush’s impeachment, but Democratic Party leaders have rejected the notion. However, Congressman Dennis Kucinich (D-OH) introduced 35 articles of impeachment of President Bush on June 9th, 2008.
Okay, now for the opinion part…
I am sure everyone expected some sort of reaction from the Republicans. However, I do take issue of two Republican Congressmen on this issue.
Rep. Lamar Smith (R-TX) questioned McClellan’s motives and said that he sold out Bush for “few pieces of silver.” I do not have a problem if you are on a congressional committee and you try to ascertain the motives of the person testifying in front of your committee.
However, Smith could not attack the testimony of McClellan, so he resorted to attacking McClellan’s character because of McClellan’s book. I wager that if Bush was a Democrat, and McClellan did the same thing Rep. Smith would be calling McClellan, a Great American Hero!
Rep. Steve King (R-IA) said McClellan should have kept his mouth shut. “From an integrity standpoint, could you not have taken some of this to the grave with you and done this country a favor?” King asked.
McClellan should have kept his mouth shut? Take information of corruption within the White House to his grave? What the hell? An U.S. Congressman actually suggesting keeping important information from the public?
How can King speak of integrity while suggesting this?
If a CIA agent was responsible for this leak, they would have arrested and tried for at least sedition. I do think Libby should do the time he was given by a jury. I also think an investigation of Karl Rove and Dick Cheney’s roll in this be done.
I do not care if the White House is controlled by Republicans or Democrats, this kind of corruption can not be allowed. If this happened during Clinton’s reign, the Republicans would be tripping over each other to impeach and convict him for this. I have to give them credit for that at least, while the Democrats are afraid to challenge Bush once they gained power of Congress back in 2006 with a clear mandate from the people.
This is so wrong on so many levels.
Source Article
Bush Didn’t Know about CIA leak, McClellan says
Additional Reading
What Happened by Scott McClellan
Fair Game by Valerie Plame Wilson
What I Didn’t Find In Africa by Joseph Wilson (Article by Valerie Plame’s husband that was suggested to cause the leak in retaliation.)
