Question: How did the Vice President's chief of staff, I. Lewis "Scooter" Libby, get involved? Answer: According to the special prosecutor, Libby found out about Wilson's wife from various government sources in the administration. He disclosed her CIA identity to reporters. But according to the indictment, Libby lied to federal investigators and to the grand jury by claiming that the information about Wilson's wife came from reporters, rather than from government sources. Fitzgerald charged Libby with obstruction of justice, two counts of false statements and two of perjury, Note, however, Fitzgerald, at least so far, filed no charges under the 1982 Intelligence Identities Protection Act. Question: Why? Answer: The statute requires that the "outed" agent must be "covert." The law defines "covert" as an agent operating outside the United States in the last five years. Wilson's wife does not meet the requirement, having worked stateside at CIA headquarters in Langley for well over five years. Question: How serious is lying to a federal investigator? Answer: Ask Martha Stewart. Question: How serious is perjury? Answer: Ask former President Bill Clinton. Question: Why don't some in the mainstream news media raise stronger questions about Wilson's credibility? Answer: Ask someone else. |