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Dick Cheney's FBI Interview Notes on Valerie Plame Leak

CREW announced today that the FBI released notes (pdf)of former Vice-President Dick Cheney's FBI interview on the leak of Valerie Plame's identity, purusant to its FOIA lawsuit. In the interview, Cheney is critical of the CIA.

Cheney could not recall 22 things, including, whether he had ever told Scooter Libby about Valerie Plame. Via Mother Jones, A list is below: [More....]

  • Whether the Wilson trip was discussed during any of the visits he made to the CIA with his Chief of Staff, Scooter Libby.
  • Any reaction he had to Nicholas Kristof's New York Times' article about the Wilson visit at the time the article was published.
  • Whether he discussed the Wilson situation with George Tenet at their meeting on June 10, 2003.
  • Who he spoke to about Joe Wilson's July 6, 2003 editorial (he did remember speaking to someone, but not who it was).
  • What happened to the Joe Wilson op-ed after he wrote on it suggesting that Valerie Plame Wilson had sent Joe Wilson on a "junket," and put it in his outbox.
  • Any specific advice he gave his press people in the May-June 2003 timeframe regarding the Wilson trip to Niger.
  • Whether he discussed the Wilson situation with Eric Edelman, one of his national security advisers.
  • Whether Cathie Martin, his press secretary, entered his office while both he and Scooter Libby were present and advised both of them that Joe Wilson's wife was employed by the CIA.
  • Discussing Joe Wilson or Wilson's wife with his former press secretary Mary Matalin, although he said it was possible.
  • Ever discussing Valerie Plame Wilson with Libby prior to the publication of Novak's column.
  • Whether Scooter Libby knew about Valerie Plame Wilson on July 12, the day before the publication of the Novak column.
  • If Libby ever told Cheney he had independent knowledge of Valerie Plame Wilson's covert identity
  • Dictating notes to Libby on July 12, 2003 that Cheney said looked and sounded like something he might have dictated to Libby.
  • Discussing the Novak column or any of its contents with anyone at the time it was published.
  • Whether he discussed the Wilson trip with Libby as a sort of "boondoggle" or "junket," although he believed it possible that he had such a conversation.
  • If Libby told him that Libby was not Novak's source.
  • Libby telling him how he first learned that Valerie Plame Wilson was a covert CIA operative.
  • Whether he told Libby that Valerie Plame Wilson was a covert CIA operative.
  • Waving off Libby when Libby offered to tell him everything he knew about the Wilson matter.
  • Anyone on his staff, including Libby, ever meeting with Judith Miller during the week of July 7, 2003.
  • Having a conversation with Libby during which Libby said he wanted to share the judgments of the National Intelligence Estimate with Judith Miller.
  • Whether Libby told him that certain material in the NIE had to be declassified before it could be shared.

Marcy at Empty Wheel points out this passage, showing that Cheney refused to release the journalists he had spoken with of confidentiality:

After the Vice President again mentioned that he was pressed for time, two separate requests were made to Vice President Cheney in an effort to assist the DOJ/FBI investigation into this matter. First, an FBI waiver form was presented to the Vice President and copies were given to his attorneys. It was explained to Vice President Cheney that his signature was being sought on the waiver form in order to release any reporters with whom the Vice President may have had conversations about the subject matter of this investigation, from promises of confidentiality arising from any such conversations. Vice President Cheney acknowledged receipt of the FBIs waiver form but declined to sign until his attorneys have had sufficient time to review it.

Marcy notes Cheney did not deny speaking with Bob Woodward and Andrea Mitchell, but did not acknowledge speaking with Bob Novak, Judy Miller, Matt Cooper or other journalists.

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  • Display: Sort:
    Succinct, to the point (5.00 / 1) (#2)
    by caseyOR on Fri Oct 30, 2009 at 10:20:10 PM EST
    and accurate commentary on Dick Cheney.

    y'all are being a bit harsh (5.00 / 2) (#9)
    by cpinva on Sat Oct 31, 2009 at 05:30:40 AM EST
    on former vp cheney. he was, after all, the vice president, charged with doing all kinds of vice presidency things, whatever those may be.

    expecting him to remember stuff he said and did, and who he said and did it with falls, i think, outside the perameters of his vice presidency responsibilities, while he was doing those vice presidency things, whatever they were.

    part of which included shooting people in the face, i think.

    If you believe him, I have a bridge... (5.00 / 1) (#10)
    by mmc9431 on Sat Oct 31, 2009 at 07:32:01 AM EST
    I find it amazing that someone with that terrible of a memory could have risen to such heigths!  It's a wonder he could remember the way to the Oval Office.

    I can think of one more (none / 0) (#3)
    by talesoftwokitties on Fri Oct 30, 2009 at 10:33:47 PM EST
    but it is not allowed on this site!

    Probably my one (none / 0) (#4)
    by CoralGables on Fri Oct 30, 2009 at 10:39:23 PM EST
    I didn't see the need for three.

    Parent
    Of course (none / 0) (#5)
    by CoralGables on Fri Oct 30, 2009 at 10:41:04 PM EST
    those three could be used as adjectives followed by my noun making a total of four.

    Parent
    I never understood (none / 0) (#6)
    by richj25 on Fri Oct 30, 2009 at 11:55:18 PM EST
    why Richard Armitage wasn't charged.

    Insufficient evidence of intent (none / 0) (#7)
    by Steve M on Sat Oct 31, 2009 at 12:34:02 AM EST
    Oh, and he wasn't a "neocon" (none / 0) (#8)
    by dualdiagnosis on Sat Oct 31, 2009 at 12:42:25 AM EST
    Hahahaha (5.00 / 0) (#11)
    by Steve M on Sat Oct 31, 2009 at 09:07:34 AM EST
    Uh, Richard Armitage wasn't a neocon?  He certainly was!  I know the idea that the whole thing was a liberal witchhunt is reassuring, but facts are stubborn things.

    Not only did Armitage sign the PNAC letter, he was in Iran-Contra, for heaven's sake. Believe me, if Patrick Fitzgerald's whole purpose was to get a scalp for the liberals - never mind how crazy that theory sounds to normal people - we most certainly would have accepted Armitage!

    Parent