Lawyers involved in Plame negotiations identified Stephen Hadley as the insider who leaked Plame’s identity for the first time, at least so far as we know.
A spokeswoman for the National Security Council (NSC) denied that Hadley was the journalist’s source. However, in South Korea on Friday during an official visit with President George W Bush, Hadley dodged the question.
“I’ve also seen press reports from White House officials saying that I am not one of his sources,” Hadley said with a smile. Asked if this was a yes or no he replied: “It is what it is.” [aren’t we a coy little cherub – ed.]
A White House official said the national security adviser’s ambiguity was unintentional and repeated that Hadley was not Woodward’s source. But others close to the investigation insisted that he was.
If so, according to Woodward’s timeline, he will have disclosed the information in mid-June 2003, roughly a week before Libby talked to other reporters on June 23. Supporters of Cheney’s disgraced aide are jubilant that this casts doubt on special prosecutor Patrick Fitzgerald’s contention that Libby was the first to spread the word about Plame.
It looks as though Fitzgerald’s brand new Grand Jury will have more than just reading homework to keep themselves busy.
In other news, People Magazine named Fitzgerald one of the sexiest men alive. It’s a shame they don’t have Congressional nomination hearings for that.