Bob Novak Breaks His Silence

The investigation into Robert Novak and his role in the Valerie Plame/CIA case is over, and he is now able to discuss the case freely, which he does in his most recent column in Human Events:

Special Prosecutor Patrick Fitzgerald has informed my attorneys that, after two and one-half years, his investigation of the CIA leak case concerning matters directly relating to me has been concluded. That frees me to reveal my role in the federal inquiry that, at the request of Fitzgerald, I have kept secret.

I have cooperated in the investigation while trying to protect journalistic privileges under the First Amendment and shield sources who have not revealed themselves. I have been subpoenaed by and testified to a federal grand jury. Published reports that I took the Fifth Amendment, made a plea bargain with the prosecutors or was a prosecutorial target were all untrue.

For nearly the entire time of his investigation, Fitzgerald knew — independent of me — the identity of the sources I used in my column of July 14, 2003. A federal investigation was triggered when I reported that former Ambassador Joseph Wilson’s wife, Valerie Plame Wilson, was employed by the CIA and helped initiate his 2002 mission to Niger. That Fitzgerald did not indict any of these sources may indicate his conclusion that none of them violated the Intelligence Identities Protection Act.

[snip]

In my sworn testimony, I said what I have contended in my columns and on television: Joe Wilson’s wife’s role in instituting her husband’s mission was revealed to me in the middle of a long interview with an official who I have previously said was not a political gunslinger. After the federal investigation was announced, he told me through a third party that the disclosure was inadvertent on his part.

Following my interview with the primary source, I sought out the second administration official and the CIA spokesman for confirmation. I learned Valerie Plame’s name from Joe Wilson’s entry in “Who’s Who in America.”

Novak does not reveal his primary source in his column. He is scheduled for two exclusive interviews tomorrow night on Special Report with Brit Hume and Hannity and Colmes. We’ll see if he reveals his primary source then.

Added: Novak’s primary source was not Wilson’s Who’s Who entry. It was a real person who told him Wilson’s wife (unnamed) was a CIA agent. Novak then found Plame’s name in the Who’s Who entry independently.

Flashback: Wizbang’s very own Kevin Aylward blogged about Joe Wilson’s Who’s Who in America entry back in August of 2005.

Others blogging:

Stop the ACLU
Don Surber