House Hearing on How the White House Handles Highly Classified Informantion

To listen to todays historic House hearing on the White House leaking of highly classified information link here to the real player broadcast. This is a four hour broadcast, so if you cannot listen to it all in one sitting, please just put it in your favorites and go back to it when you have the time. Here is the link: rtsp://video.c-span.org/project/iraq/iraq031607_plame.rm

In June-July 2003, one of the nation's most carefully guarded secrets, the identity of a covert CIA agent's , Valerie Plame Wilson, was repeatedly revealed by White House officials to members of the media. This was an extraordinarily serious breach of our national security.

President George W. Bush's father, the former President George Bush said, and I quote, "I have nothing but contempt and anger for those who expose the names of our sources. They are in my view, the most insideous of traitors"

Today we will be asking three questions:

1. How did such a serious breach of our national security occur?

2. Did the White House take the appropriate disciplinary and investigative steps after the
breech occured?

3. What changes in White House procedures are necessary to prevent future breeches in our
security from occuring again

This hearing is the follow up to the Libby trial and what was disclosed there about the White House's direct involvement in leaking highly classified information. Remember, this started out with the administration claiming Fitzgerald was on a witch hunt. After listening to this broadcast, you can judge for yourself.