Scooter and the War Gang
press release by Congressman Maurice Hinchey Posted on 4-6-06

Hinchey Statement On Revelation That President Bush Authorized Leak
Of Classified Information To Bolster Administration's Public Case For War

Washington, DC -- Congressman Maurice Hinchey (D-NY) today released the following statement in response to news reports that President Bush authorized Vice President Cheney's former chief of staff, I. Lewis "Scooter" Libby, to disclose highly classified information regarding Iraq intelligence.

"If what Scooter Libby said to the grand jury is true, then this latest development clearly reveals yet again that the CIA leak case goes much deeper than the disclosure of a CIA agent's identity to the press.  The heart and motive of this case is about the deliberate attempt at the highest levels of this administration to discredit those who were publicly revealing that the White House lied about its uranium claims leading up to the war.  The Bush Administration knew that Iraq had not sought uranium from Africa for a nuclear weapon, yet they went around telling the Congress, the country, and the world just the opposite.  When Ambassador Joseph Wilson, Valerie Wilson's husband, publicly spoke out with proof that the administration was not telling the truth on uranium, the administration engaged in an orchestrated plot, which now reportedly includes President Bush, to discredit Ambassador Wilson and dismiss any notion that they had lied about pre-war intelligence.

"It is an absolute disgrace to the institution of the presidency that President Bush authorized members of his administration to disclose select parts of highly classified information from a National Intelligence Estimate in order to make political advances and gain public support.  How dare President Bush and Vice President Cheney say they want to prosecute those who leaked the NSA domestic surveillance program when they themselves authorized the disclosure of information from some of the most highly sensitive documents in the government.  The White House opposes leaks when the disclosed information hurts them politically, but supports leaks when information advances their political cause.

"Special Counsel Patrick Fitzgerald recently responded to my request for him to expand his investigation to include the motive behind the leak, which I believe was to discredit Ambassador Wilson's revelation that Iraq never sought uranium from Africa.  If so, President Bush and other top members of his administration knowingly lied about uranium to the Congress, which is a crime.  It is my belief, as well as the belief of my 39 House colleagues who signed my original letter to Special Counsel Fitzgerald, that he has the authority and obligation to expand his investigation to investigate the lies about uranium, which are the true heart of this case.

"Scooter Libby's camp is currently engaged in a legal proceeding to remove Patrick Fitzgerald from his post and have the case dismissed.  This is just further evidence that Scooter Libby doesn't have a leg to stand on.  I'm confident that the latest Libby motion will be rejected and that the case will move forward.  As such, I am formulating a response to Patrick Fitzgerald's letter to me and will aggressively pursue every avenue needed to ensure that an investigation is conducted into the administration's uranium lies.  The heart of the CIA leak case cannot and must not be ignored."

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