BREAKING
Former White House press secretary Ari Fleischer testified Monday that then-colleague I. Lewis “Scooter” Libby told him over lunch that the wife of a prominent war critic worked at the CIA.
abc7 news reports:
Fleischer said the conversation happened June 7, 2003, days before Libby told investigators he was surprised to learn about the CIA operative from a reporter. That discrepancy is at the heart of Libby’s perjury and obstruction trial.
Fleischer, who was the chief White House spokesman for the first 2½ years of President Bush’s first term, said Monday that Libby invited him to lunch to discuss Fleischer’s planned departure from the White House. He said it was the first time he and Libby had eaten lunch together.
They talked about Fleischer’s career plans and their shared interest in the Miami Dolphins football team, Fleischer testified. He can’t remember who brought it up but he said the conversation then turned to the growing controversy over former Ambassador Joseph Wilson, who accused the White House of ignoring prewar intelligence on Iraq.
“Ambassador Wilson was sent by his wife,” Fleischer recalled Libby saying. “His wife works for the CIA.”
Fleischer said Libby also used the woman’s name, Valerie Plame, and told him it was “hush hush.”
“My sense is that Mr. Libby was telling me this was kind of newsy,” Fleischer said.
From the Left 
This trial is an incredible glimpse into the abuse of presidential and executive branch power, as used to retaliate against an imagined political enemy.
The question now remains: Who told Lewis “Scooter” Libby about Valerie Plame Wilson’s CIA status?
Only one person comes to mind. Dick Cheney. Cheney is looking more and more like a cornered rat.
Looking out long ranch, I would guess Cheney is Fitzgerald’s target. Everything is leading up to getting Cheney on a noose.
For our VP .. Let us Pray
http://afterechoes.wordpress.com/2007/01/25/our-cheney-who-art-if-office/
From all that I’ve read about this administration, the two biggest gossips were Scooter Libby and Richard Armested — neither of whom are working for Bush any longer. Curious, eh? I have to wonder what sort of American would jeopardize a CIA agent working covertly on Middle East terrorism in order to punish her husband? These are not Americans. People like this are denizens of a 3rd rate banana republic in South America.
Power whores. That’s all these bastards are. Power whores who think the rule of law doesn’t apply to them.
Haha, boy are they in for a surprise.
Rachel, I read the same thing about Armested. He was known to be such a shameless gossip that administration officials limited what information he was told. Unless they wanted a story spread all over Washington. Then it was known as “Tele-Armested.”
Larry Johnson at No Quarter has a good write up on the topic of consequences for outing the identity of a CIA agent.
The Law is On the Side of Valerie Plame
http://noquarter.typepad.com/my_weblog/2005/10/the_law_is_on_t.html
Despite claims to the contrary, the Identity Protection Act spells trouble for White House officials. Republican talking points have achieved some success in muddying the waters by insisting that Robert Novak’s outing of CIA clandestine officer, Valerie Plame, was not a violation of the law. The typical presentation of this red herring was bandied about most recently in an October 10, 2005 article by Washington Times reporter, Joseph Curl.
Make sure you scroll to the bottom for the legal aspects of disclosing a CIA agent’s identity. It’s fascinating stuff.
Tomorrow the trial will be graced by none other than Judy Miller of NYT’s fame! The witness list is a veritable who’s who of GOP filth! LMAO!!!
Some of the press coverage makes me think other Bush regime officials should be prosecuted, now that Libby is talking.