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So, like many of you who concern yourselves with what's happening on the political landscape of this country, I've taken quite an interest in the whole Valerie Plame outing and subsequent scandal. (May I just say I love that word? It's so... scandalous!)
I've read, with appropriate disgust, about Judith Miller's follies and was somewhat relieved when Matthew Cooper was released from avoided prison. But what I can't seem to understand is why these two journalists have taken the fall and Richard Novak--who was the first to report on Plame's identity--has escaped the controversy? Why has Novak not been forced to reveal his sources, whom he named simply as "two senior administration officials?" Am I just ignorant?
Seriously, can someone please email me or comment below and explain this to me? I'll forgive you for making me sound like an idiot, because I certainly feel like one sometimes when trying to understand the mess the media tend to make of things.
Posted by ayelet at October 30, 2005 08:29 PMActually, Matthew Cooper never went to prison. He was going to, but that day his source (Karl Rove) released him from his confidentiality agreement. Judy Miller did, but probably didn't have to.
It is odd that Bob Novak didn't go to jail, and if it were a just world, he'd be in federal pound-me-in-the-ass prison right now.
The LAT addressed this in December. That link is an archive link, and you have to pay to read the whole thing. But I quoted from it at some length in this blog post. In short, the most plausible theories seem to be that Novak was subpoenaed, but either a.) invoked his Fifth Amendment rights, b.) received immunity, or c.) has already testified.
Posted by: Vidiot at October 31, 2005 05:21 PM