White House
20 June 2008
A former White House spokesman says Americans have lost trust in U.S.President George Bush, because he is refusing to reveal hisadministration's involvement in leaking the identity of apreviously-covert CIA operative. VOA White House Correspondent ScottStearns reports, the Bush administration dismisses the allegations,saying the former spokesman is misinformed.
Former White HouseSpokesman Scott McClellan says then Chief of Staff Andrew Card told himthat President Bush and Vice President Dick Cheney wanted him to tellreporters that the Vice President's chief of staff was not involved inleaking the name of a CIA operative.
That Chief of Staff, LewisLibby, was later convicted of obstructing the investigation into theleak of CIA operative Valerie Plame's identity. Her husband, a formerU.S. ambassador, was a vocal critic of the president's justificationfor invading Iraq.
McClellan told the House Judiciary CommitteeFriday that White House officials leaked Plame's identity to get backat her husband.
"I do not know whether a crime was committed byany of the administration officials who revealed Valerie Plame'sidentity to reporters, nor do I know if there was an attempt by anyperson or persons to engage in a cover-up during the investigation," hesaid. "I do know that it was wrong to reveal her identity because itcompromised the effectiveness of a covert official for politicalreasons. I regret that I played a role, however unintentionally, inrelaying false information to the public about it."
Asked aboutMcClellan's testimony, the current White House Deputy Spokesman TonyFratto said McClellan has probably already told everyone everything hedoesn't know, so Fratto does not think anyone should expect him to sayanything new.
Judiciary Committee Chairman Democrat John Conyerssays McClellan's allegations are the most important matter Congresscould examine in its oversight of the administration.
"WhenWhite House insiders leak classified information, manipulate mediacoverage and otherwise employ their immense power to punish dissenters,Congress does not have any other option," he said. "It has aConstitutional duty to check and balance an errant Executive Branch."
Theranking Republican on the Judiciary Committee, Texas Congressman LamarSmith, questioned McClellan's motivation for writing a book thatcontradicts everything he said and did as White House Spokesman.
"ScottMcClellan alone will have to wrestle with whether it was worth sellingout the president and his friends for a few pieces of silver," he said.
McClellansays he wrote the book, in part, because he was prohibited fromdiscussing the matter in 2005 due to the criminal investigation. Hesays he made a commitment to share with the public what he knew as soonas possible and believes President Bush could restore much of the trustMcClellan says he has lost by doing the same.
"The continuingcloud of suspicion over the White House is not something I can removebecause I know only one part of the story," he added. "Only those whoknow the underlying truth can bring this to an end. Sadly, they remainsilent."
President Bush commuted Libby's two-and-a-half yearprison sentence, sparing him from serving time. McClellan says that wasspecial treatment that further undermined the president's commitment tojustice.
Current White House Spokeswoman Dana Perino says it issad that McClellan is so disgruntled about his experience. She saysthose who supported McClellan before, during, and after he was presssecretary are puzzled because this is not the man they thought theyknew.