Coming Clean on the Leak

Coming Clean on the Leak

April 12, 2006

As more information is released regarding the leak of classified information surrounding Joe Wilson, Valerie Plame and the war in Iraq, the need for clarifications from the White House is even more urgent. We now know that the President was directly involved in authorizing the leaking of information to select reporters about African uranium sales. We also know that this information was known to be false when it was leaked. What we need to know is exactly how involved President Bush and Vice President Cheney were in this scandal. And the easiest way for us to figure that out is for them to come clean to the American people.

• An anonymous source confirmed that Bush authorized the leak. In the irony of all ironies, the White House confirmed — through an anonymous source — that President Bush did indeed give the order to leak information. The information leaked was known to be false by the administration, but they choose to cherry pick what they released in order to bolster their arguments against Joe Wilson.
  
  
• After two and a half years of spinning this story, Scott McClellan’s credibility is in shambles. In defending the White House over the past years, Scott McClellan has lost all credibility with the American people. He has said that Scooter Libby and Karl Rove were not involved in the leak case and that anyone involved in the leak would be fired — neither of which has happened.
  
  
• President Bush and Dick Cheney must come clean on their roles in the CIA leak. The president and vice president have had three years to come clean to the American people — they have yet to do so. The quickest way to clear up the confusion around what they did and didn’t know is for them to speak publicly about it. The American people deserve as much. As long as the White House continues to operate in a cone of silence, they will never be free from questions.