Supreme Court Refuses to Hear Reporters' Appeal Over Subpoenas

So tell me how come Robert Novak is untouched?


Associated Press
June 27, 2005 10:11 a.m.

WASHINGTON -- The Supreme Court rejected appeals Monday from two journalists who have refused to testify before a grand jury about the leak of an undercover CIA officer's identity.

The cases asked the court to revisit an issue that it last dealt with more than 30 years ago -- whether reporters can be jailed or fined for refusing to identify their sources.

The justices' intervention had been sought by 34 states and many news groups, all arguing that confidentiality is important in news gathering.

Time magazine's Matthew Cooper and the New York Times' Judith Miller, who filed the appeals, face up to 18 months in jail for refusing to reveal sources as part of an investigation into who divulged the name of CIA officer Valerie Plame.

Ms. Plame's name was first made public in 2003 by columnist Robert Novak, who cited unidentified senior Bush administration officials for the information. The column appeared after Ms. Plame's husband, former Ambassador Joseph Wilson, wrote a newspaper opinion piece criticizing the Bush administration's claim that Iraq sought uranium in Niger.

Disclosure of an undercover intelligence officer's identity can be a federal crime and a government investigation is in its second year. No charges have been brought.

Copyright © 2005 Associated Press

http://online.wsj.com/article/0,,SB111988135319170428,00.html?mod=article-outset-box

we need to bring it back to life; these assholes need to be punished for this.

Maybe Howard Dean will bring it up

Nope. It's been on hold. And you are absolutely correct that we should work to bring it to the public's attention.

my problem is that I lost all faith in the media and the will of the American people to actually pay attention. This is a huge scandal that shows just how far the white house will go to destroy someone that disagrees with them; yet, most of this country doesn't even know about this story or simply doesn't care.

I also blame the democratic party for not making an issue of it. And I blame the House for not investigating this, as the constitution makes clear they should.

I think that democrats and other people of good will, who are at the grass roots level, have an obligation to create publicity for the crime, and for the investigation.

if you have to be accountable under the law? geez, judy is every bit as good a steno as sue schmidt at wapo, but what good did it do her? in bush world loyalty is a one way street for big buck donors. maybe a contribution to tom delay's defense fund would get her some slack.

I have never understood this. Is Novak not the one who revealed the name of the agent? Why is he not being charged or threatened if he does not reveal his source. Why was he never charged for revealing the agent's name?

The person(s) who revealed Plame's identity to the media broke the law. The two reporters who are refusing to testify are also breaking the law.

but for some reason noone asked him to stand before the court and refuse to answer.

Im sorry but reporters should not be able to cover up a crime by claiming privilege.

This is a Grand Jury investigation of a Felony.

Tell me how you know that Novak hasn't testified to the grand jury? Exactly what source(s) do you have?

was certainly offensive, he is not the one who released Plame's identity. His article reported information supplied by those who did.

more witnesses before issuing warrants.

Another theory:

Novak may have the name of one of the leakers, but only hearsay on the other. Maybe the others may know for sure who the other guilty party is.

so it is fess up or go to jail. Not sure if I like this, but I do want this case to be solved.

That is my recollection.

Could it be that he negotiated something after that. :shrug:

It wouldn't apply.

I don't remember him pleading the 5th.

the White Houses sources leaked it to a reporter, it is a crime. It makes absolutely no difference if the reporter then puts it in a story or not. Hence, it was just as much a crime to tell Judith Miller as it was to tell Bob Novak. This is why each of the seven reporters who was given the information on Plame were called before the grand jury. Only two have refused to cooperate.