Global Security Newswire

WASHINGTON — U.S. President George W. Bush said yesterday that he hoped a current Justice Department investigation into the leak of the identity of a CIA operative would help ward off future leaks of such information (see GSN, Oct. 6).

The department is currently investigating the leak of the identity and CIA status of the wife of former U.S. Ambassador Joseph Wilson, who had previously criticized some of the evidence offered by the Bush administration to justify Operation Iraqi Freedom. 

During a joint White House press conference with Kenyan President Mwai Kibaki yesterday, Bush reiterated his pledge to fully cooperate with the leak investigation.

“I have told my staff I want full cooperation with the Justice Department. And when they ask for information, we expect the information to be delivered on a timely basis. I expect it to be delivered on a timely basis. I want there to be full participation, because … I am most interested in finding out the truth,” Bush said.

USA Today reported today that White House staff members have until 5 p.m. today to turn over materials that might be relevant to the investigation or to sign a statement saying they had no such materials. The paper quoted White House press secretary Scott McClellan as saying that “several hundred” staffers had already done so by last night. 

McClellan promised again yesterday that whoever was responsible for the leak would be punished.

“I think I made that very clear last week. The topic came up, and I said that if anyone in this administration was responsible for the leaking of classified information, they would no longer work in this administration,” McClellan said during a White House press briefing.

Congressional Democrats have called for the appointment of a special counsel to oversee the investigation due to possible conflicts of interest between Justice and the White House. Bush yesterday, however, said he was confident that the department was the proper agency to handle the leak investigation.

“I’ve got all the confidence in the world the Justice Department will do a good, thorough job. And that’s exactly what I want them to do, is a good, thorough job,” Bush said.

An investigation is also currently being held as to whether the leak of Wilson’s wife’s identity had an impact on national security, McClellan said yesterday.  Bush said that he hoped the Justice investigation into the leak would help prevent further unauthorized releases of sensitive information.

“There’s a lot of leaking in Washington, D.C. It’s a town famous for it,” Bush said. “This investigation in finding the truth, it will not only hold someone to account who should not have leaked — and this is a serious charge, by the way. We’re talking about a criminal action, but also hopefully will help set a clear signal we expect other leaks to stop, as well. And so I look forward to finding the truth,” he added.