SCOOTER
Let's try to figure this out. Robert Novak wrote a column a few years ago in which he mentioned that Valerie Plame was a CIA agent. Ms. Plame's husband, Joseph Wilson, was appointed by the Bush administration to investigate whether or not Saddam Hussein attempted to buy nuclear yellow cake from Niger. Mr. Wilson concluded there was no Niger-Iraq connection, but neglected to report that Saddam did make inquiries as to whether there was nuclear material available. Instead of keeping this information privileged for his employer, the United States Government and the President, Mr. Wilson wrote an Op Ed piece for the New York Times about what he didn't find in Niger. So much for confidentiality of public officials. He then claimed that his wife was "outed" by the Bush Administration as punishment for the Op Ed piece. There is a statute which prevents the outing of our secret agents, but it is highly technical in nature, and involves actual intent. So the Justice De