LIBBY'S Indictment - Timeline & Analysis

SCOOTER LIBBY’S 2 PRONGED ADVISORY ROLL TO VICE PRESIDENT CHENEY
20 JANUARY 2001 – PRESENT
1. Chief of Staff
2. National Security Advisor

LIBBY’S EMPLOYMENT & RESPONSIBILITIES:
1. Access
a. To classified information
b. Intelligence community officials
c. National security matters

2. Clearances
a. Entitle access to classified information
b. Obligated
i. Not to disclose classified information to unauthorized persons
ii. Safeguard classified information against unauthorized disclosure
c. Signed “Classified Information Nondisclosure Agreement”
i. “I understand and accept that by being granted access to classified information, special confidence and trust shall be placed in me by the United States Government”
ii. “I have been advised that the unauthorized disclosure, unauthorized retention, or negligent handling of classified information by me could cause damage or irreparable injury to the United States or could be used to advantage by a foreign nation.”


CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY (CIA)
1. Mission
a. Collect, produce & disseminate intelligence and counter intelligence information to officers and departments of the United States Government, including the President, National Security Council & Joint Chiefs of Staff

2. Secrecy
a. Certain CIA employee responsibilities require association with CIA be kept secret
b. Disclosure may
i. Potentially to damage National Security
ii. Impede covert capacity
iii. Compromise intelligence gathering methods & operations
iv. Endanger safety of CIA employees & those associated with them

JOSEPH WILSON & VALERIE PLAME WILSON
1. Joseph Wilson (Wilson)
a. February 2002 – sent on CIA inquiry to Niger - Sent to Niger by the CIA to investigate allegations Iraqi officials tried to acquire yellow cake – uranium ore – the inquiry was the result of an investigation by the Vice President concerning “certain” intelligence reporting – In other words, the Office of the Vice President requested an inquiry; the CIA sent Wilson to investigate on the CIA’s initiative – The Vice President did not know at the time who the CIA would send to Niger – by Government Operating Procedure – Wilson thought the Office of the Vice President requested the investigation – a correct assumption
b. Former State Department Official
c. Former United States Ambassador
d. Married to Valerie Plame Wilson

2. Valerie Plame Wilson (Wilson’s wife, Valerie Wilson)
a. Married to Joseph Wilson
b. Employed by the CIA
c. Prior to the July 14 - Valerie Plame Wilson’s affiliation with the CIA was not common knowledge outside of the intelligence community
d. Covert status - CLASSIFIED


STATE OF THE UNION ADDRESS
1. 28 January 2003 – President Bush’s State of the Union Address which includes the “sixteen words”: “The British Government has learned that Saddam Hussein recently sought significant quantities of uranium from Africa.”

TIMELINE
1. 6 May 2003 – New York Times column by Nicholas Kristof disputes accuracy of “sixteen words”; unequivocally wrong & based on forged documents

2. 12 June 2003
a. Walter Pincus contacts Office of the Vice President in connection with a story he was writing about the trip
b. LIBBY participates in discussions in the Office of the Vice President concerning how to respond to Pincus
c. LIBBY advised by Vice President "Wilson’s wife worked at the CIA in the Counterproliferation Division" – The Vice President learned this information from the CIA
d. Washington Post publishes article by Walter Pincus. The article reported:
i. Wilson’s trip to Niger
ii. Identified Wilson not by name but by “retired ambassador”
iii. CIA sent Wilson to Niger after an aide to the Vice President raised questions about Iraqi efforts to acquire uranium
iv. Questioned accuracy of the “sixteen words”
v. Wilson reported to the CIA the uranium purchase story was false

3. 14 June 2003
a. LIBBY met with CIA Briefer – conversation included:
i. LIBBY’S displeasure with CIA officials who were making comments to the press critical of the Vice President’s Office
ii. Joe Wilson
iii. Valerie Wilson
iv. Context of Wilson’s trip

4. 19 June 2003
a. The New Republic published “The First Casualty: The Selling of the Iraq War”. The article:
i. Questioned the “sixteen words”
ii. Stated after the CIA received a request from the Vice President’s Office for an inquiry into yellow cake in Africa – the CIA sent an “unnamed ambassador” to Niger to investigate allegations
iii. “Unnamed ambassador” alleged the administration knew the Niger story was a “flat out lie”
iv. Critical of how the administration used intelligence regarding Iraqi capabilities/WMDs
v. Accused the administration of suppressing dissent from intelligence agencies on Iraqi WMDs

b. LIBBY spoke to his then Principal Deputy and discussed:
i. “The First Casualty” article
ii. Principal Deputy asks if information on Wilson can be shared with the Press to rebut claims the Vice President sent Wilson to Niger
iii. LIBBY said there would be “complications with the CIA if such information was made public”
iv. LIBBY won’t discuss further because they were talking on a “non secure telephone line”

5. 23 June 2003
a. LIBBY meets with Judith Miller – LIBBY talks to Miller about:
i. Criticizes CIA
ii. Blames CIA of “selective leaking” on intelligence matters
iii. Wilson’s trip to Niger
iv. Wilson’s wife might work at the CIA

6. 6 July 2003
a. Wilson takes on the media:
i. New York Times Op-Ed entitled “What I didn’t Find in Africa” published
ii. Washington Post published an article based in part on an interview with Wilson
iii. Wilson appears on “Meet the Press”
iv. All media contact maintains following themes:
1. Went to Niger as the result of CIA request in February 2002 to investigate Iraqi/WMB/yellow cake allegations
2. Doubted Iraq obtained uranium “recently”
3. Believed based upon his understanding of government procedures the Office of the Vice President was “advised of the results” of his trip

LIBBY’S Actions following 6 July 2003
1. 7 July 2003
a. LIBBY had lunch with then White House Press Secretary (Ari Fleicher) discussed:
i. Wilson’s wife worked for the CIA
ii. Noted aforementioned information “not widely known”

2. 8 July 2003
a. LIBBY meets again with Judith Miller of the New York Times; discussed:
i. Joseph Wilson
ii. Asked discussions with Miller be attributed to “former Hill staffer” rather than “senior administration official”
iii. Wilson’s trip
iv. Criticized the CIA on reporting of Wilson’s trip
v. Wilson’s wife works for CIA

3. No earlier than June 2003, but on or before 8 July
a. LIBBY met with Assistant to Vice President on Public Affairs and another government official
i. Discussed Wilson’s wife worked for CIA
ii. LIBBY was “advised” of the aforementioned information

4. 10 July 2003
a. LIBBY meets with Counsel to Vice President
i. Asked counsel what paperwork may be available at CIA if an employee spouse undertook an overseas trip

b. LIBBY spoke to Tim Russert
i. LIBBY complains about press coverage by an MSNBC reporter
ii. LIBBY did NOT discuss Wilson’s wife with Russert

5. 10 or 11 July 2003
a. LIBBY spoke to senor official in White House – Official A (Karl Rove?)
i. Official A tells LIBBY of a conversation Official A had earlier in the week with Robert Novak
1. Wilson’s wife was discussed in conversation Official A had with Robert Novak
2. Novak writing an article on Wilson’s wife

6. 12 July 2003
a. LIBBY flew with Vice President and others to and from Norfolk, VA on Air Force Two
i. Aboard Air Force Two – LIBBY and other officials discussed what LIBBY should say in response to questions media, including Matthew Cooper of Time Magazine
ii. LIBBY spoke to Cooper via telephone later that afternoon
1. Cooper asked LIBBY if Wilson’s wife worked for the CIA
a. LIBBY confirmed he had heard Wilson’s wife worked for the CIA
b. LIBBY did not elaborate
c. LIBBY did not qualify
d. Later that afternoon, LIBBY spoke by telephone to Judith Miller
e. Discussed Wilson’s wife and that she worked at the CIA

7. 26 September 2003
a. Department of Justice (DoJ) authorized by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) began a criminal investigation into the possible unauthorized disclosure of classified information (Valerie Wilson’s affiliation with CIA) to reporters in the Spring of 2003

8. 14 October & 26 November 2003
a. LIBBY interviewed by FBI
i. False statements 1:
1. Russert asked LIBBY if LIBBY was aware Wilson’s wife worked for CIA
2. LIBBY responded he did not know
3. Russert replied “all the reporters knew it”
4. LIBBY was “surprised” by the aforementioned statement
5. LIBBY “did not recall” he had previously learned about Wilson’s wife from the Vice President
ii. False statements 2:
1. LIBBY told Cooper “reporters were telling the administration Wilson’s wife worked for the CIA”
2. LIBBY told Cooper he “did not know” if the aforementioned statement was true
iii. False statements 3:
1. LIBBY “did not discuss Wilson’s wife” with Judith Miller during a meeting on or about 8 July 2003