Who in the White House leaked a CIA agent's identity to the press? That's what federal investigators want to know. On Tuesday, U.S. Attorney General John Ashcroft ordered a formal criminal investigation. It is illegal to reveal a CIA spy's name.
Newspaper columnist Robert Novak wrote that Valerie Plame worked for the CIA (Central Intelligence Agency), in a story published on July 14. Last week, Novak wrote that the information came from two Bush administration officials and that it was not "much of a secret."
Plame's husband, Joseph C. Wilson, had criticized the administration in a New York Times article. Did someone in the White House give away Plame's secret to punish her husband?
The White House staff has been ordered to keep any documents from February 1, 2002, or later, such as phone logs, memos and notes, that refer to Wilson. "I want to know who the leakers are," said President George W. Bush. He added that he is confident that the FBI and the Justice Department can conduct a fair investigation.
Some Democrats want Ashcroft to appoint an outside lawyer, or special counsel, to look into the matter. "This is not just a leak," said New York Senator Charles Schumer. "This is a crime."