State Dept. Memo Gets Scrutiny in Leak Inquiry on C.I.A. Officer

[Quixote1818]

This "memo" was passed around on Air Force One when they were on their way to Africa. Supposedly, the memo was sent to Powell, and he showed it to everyone on the plane. This might mean most in the Administration knew about the 'Plot" to destroy Wilson. :wow:

http://www.nytimes.com/2005/07/16/politics/16memo.html?ex=1122177600&en=3181420d2890e49b&ei=5059&partner=AOL

WASHINGTON, July 15 - Prosecutors in the C.I.A. leak case have shown intense interest in a 2003 State Department memorandum that explained how a former diplomat came to be dispatched on an intelligence-gathering mission and the role of his wife, a C.I.A. officer, in the trip, people who have been officially briefed on the case said.

Investigators in the case have been trying to learn whether officials at the White House and elsewhere in the administration learned of the C.I.A. officer's identity from the memorandum. They are seeking to determine if any officials then passed the name along to journalists and if officials were truthful in testifying about whether they had read the memo, the people who have been briefed said, asking not to be named because the special prosecutor heading the investigation had requested that no one discuss the case.

The memorandum was sent to Colin L. Powell, then the secretary of state, just before or as he traveled with President Bush and other senior officials to Africa starting on July 7, 2003, when the White House was scrambling to defend itself from a blast of criticism a few days earlier from the former diplomat, Joseph C. Wilson IV, current and former government officials said.

Mr. Powell was seen walking around Air Force One during the trip with the memorandum in hand, said a person involved in the case who also requested anonymity because of the prosecutor's admonitions about talking about the investigation.

Snip:

Continued: http://www.nytimes.com/2005/07/16/politics/16memo.html?ex=1122177600&en=3181420d2890e49b&ei=5059&partner=AOL

[meg]

1. Why do you say it was passed around Air Force One?

The link provided just says Powell walked around with it. Do you have another source?

[Quixote1818]

2. Pat Buchannan mentioned it on MSNBC today.

nt

[TahitiNut]

3. How would anyone know that Powell was walking around with that memo?

How could the distinction be made between any memo or report or, indeed, any papers and that specific memo? The only way someone could identify that specific memo as what was in Powell's hand as he circulated around AF1 is if he'd discussed it or identified it with whomever made such an observation.

I think it's an inescapable conclusion that Powell was spreading it around. If he weren't, then how could anyone take note of the specific nature of what he was carrying???

[Quixote1818]

4. Take a look at Daily KOS

http://www.dailykos.com/