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Opponents of President's Bush [[invasion of Iraq]], particularly Democrats, accused the White House of "outing" Plame in retaliation for her husband's statement undercutting Bush's invasion rationale.

Opponents of President's Bush [[invasion of Iraq]], particularly Democrats, accused the White House of "outing" Plame in retaliation for her husband's statement undercutting Bush's invasion rationale.

Much of the controversy of the affair centered on disputes over what her precise relationship was to the CIA, and whether any laws were broken when Novak and Armitage revealed the fact of her employment. Perhaps the key issue was whether anyone in the Bush administration deliberatly revealed it as a way of retaliating against (or discrediting) Wilson.  

Much of the controversy of the affair centered on disputes over what her precise relationship was to the CIA, and whether any laws were broken when Novak and Armitage revealed the fact of her employment. Perhaps the key issue was whether anyone in the Bush administration deliberately revealed it as a way of retaliating against (or discrediting) Wilson.  

Bush opponents have regularly taken the position that all these matters are beyond dispute and that Karl Rove, someone else close to the president, or the president himself is guilty - either of a crime or at least of a severe lapse of ethics.  

Bush opponents have regularly taken the position that all these matters are beyond dispute and that Karl Rove, someone else close to the president, or the president himself is guilty - either of a crime or at least of a severe lapse of ethics.  

Others have taken the contrary position, asserting that her CIA status either remains unclear or that she was never covered by the Idinties Act; that no one who revealed her identity broke any law by doing so; that there was no political motivation on the part of administration insiders (or supporters) to harm Plame or Wilson.

Others have taken the contrary position, asserting that her CIA status either remains unclear or that she was never covered by the Idintiites Act; that no one who revealed her identity broke any law by doing so; that there was no political motivation on the part of administration insiders (or supporters) to harm Plame or Wilson.

At the time of her outing, Valerie Plame was a "covert CIA employee for whom the CIA was taking affirmative measures to conceal her intelligence relationship to the United States." <ref>[http://www.salon.com/news/primary_sources/2007/05/30/plame/ Unclassified Summary of Valerie Wilsons CIA Employment And Cover History]</ref>  

Then-Attorney General John Ashcroft was the head the initial investigation.  Justice Department and FBI officials requested a special prosecutor be named over concerns of the veracity of interviews with Karl Rove.  Attorney General Ashcroft, having connections to Karl Rove, recused himself from the case and Acting Attorney General James Comey appointed special prosecutor [[Patrick Fitzgerald]] to investigate the leak.  

 

At the time of the Novak column, Valerie Plame was a "covert CIA employee for whom the CIA was taking affirmative measures to conceal her intelligence relationship to the United States." <ref>[http://www.salon.com/news/primary_sources/2007/05/30/plame/ Unclassified Summary of Valerie Wilsons CIA Employment And Cover History]</ref>  

Then-Attorney General [[John Ashcroft]] was the head the initial investigation.  Justice Department and FBI officials requested a special prosecutor be named over concerns of the veracity of interviews with Karl Rove.  Attorney General Ashcroft, having connections to Karl Rove, [[recused]] himself from the case and Acting Attorney General [[James Comey]] appointed special prosecutor [[Patrick Fitzgerald]] to investigate the leak.  

Robert Novak wrote:

Robert Novak wrote:

*Zealous foes of [[George W. Bush]] ... cannot fit Armitage into the left-wing fantasy of a well-crafted White House conspiracy to destroy Joe and Valerie Wilson. The news that he, and not [[Karl Rove]], was the leaker was devastating for the left. [http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/09/13/AR2006091301572.html]

*Zealous foes of [[George W. Bush]] ... cannot fit Armitage into the left-wing fantasy of a well-crafted White House conspiracy to destroy Joe and Valerie Wilson. The news that he, and not [[Karl Rove]], was the leaker was devastating for the left. [http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/09/13/AR2006091301572.html]

In May 2007, Senator Kit Bond, vice chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee asked Plame to explain differences in the various accounts Plame gave to investigators in the Plame Affair.

In May 2007, Senator [[Kit Bond]], vice chairman of the [[Senate Intelligence Committee]] asked Plame to explain differences in the various accounts Plame gave to investigators in the Plame Affair.

*Plame told the CIA's inspector general in 2003 or 2004 that she had suggested Wilson.

*Plame told the CIA's inspector general in 2003 or 2004 that she had suggested Wilson.