The Karl Rove Scandals:Leaks, Lies and Coverups (3)

Press-conferencing this morning with Indian Prime Minister Singh, GWB raised the bar for removing Rove. Now it's got to be proved that he's committed a crime.

Um. Not so fast, George.

On Friday Rep. Henry Waxman, who just happens to be the ranking member of the House Committee on Government Reform, issued a memorandum on Karl Rove's Non-Disclosure Agreement. The NDA states in part, "Before...confirming the accuracy of what appears in the public source, the signer of the SF 312 must confirm through an authorized official that the information has, in fact, been declassified. If it has not...confirmation of its accuracy is also an unauthorized disclosure."

...the nondisclosure agreement and the executive order ["Executive Order 12958 governs how federal employees are awarded security clearances in order to obtain access to classified information"] require sanctions against security clearance holders who “knowingly, willfully, or negligently” disclose classified information...The sanctions for such a breach include “reprimand, suspension without pay, removal, termination of classification authority, loss or denial of access to classified information, or other sanctions.”

In other words, once Rove acknowledged that Wilson's wife was a CIA operative, it did not matter where he got the information, nor whether he "knew" she was covert. At the very least he was guilty of negligence, thus violating his NDA. And the White House had and has an affirmative requirement to investigate and take appropriate action.

Tim Russert, showing some unaccustomed backbone, queried Kenneth "Lie a Minute" Mehlman about the NDA yesterday on Meet the Press. He actually managed to slow Mehlman down, if only for a heartbeat. Liberal Oasis has the exchange.