Bush Hopes Criminal Probe Deters Future Security Leaks

Bush Hopes Criminal Probe Deters Future Security Leaks

By Mike Allen
Washington Post Staff Writer
Tuesday, October 7, 2003; Page A08


President Bush said yesterday that he hopes would-be leakers in Congress and the executive branch will be deterred by the criminal investigation into the disclosure of a CIA operative's identity.

Bush said he complained in the past "about leaks of security information, whether the leaks be in the legislative branch or in the executive branch." He said the current investigation "will not only hold someone to account who should not have leaked . . . but also hopefully will help set a clear signal we expect other leaks to stop, as well."

"I take those leaks very seriously," he said at a news conference with Kenyan President Mwai Kibaki. "I look forward to finding the truth."

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At a televised briefing, White House press secretary Scott McClellan declined to discuss reports that Bush's senior adviser, Karl Rove, described the operative to at least one journalist as "fair game."

"The subject of this investigation is whether someone leaked classified information," McClellan said. Partisan opportunists, he said, were "talking about all sort of other issues."

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President Bush said yesterday that he hopes would-be leakers in Congress and the executive branch will be deterred by the criminal investigation into the disclosure of a CIA operative's identity.

"would-be leakers" were already "deterred" when Plame's CIA status was leaked

because it backfired and is now making an ass out of him and his administration more than he ever could have. His boys at FOX don't even have enough liter in the cat box to cover this crap up.