So do Republicans believe that it is not a crime to out a covert CIA agent?

[Toots]

They keep saying there was no underlying crime. I always believed it was a crime to do that. There is no doubt Plame was Covert. Every single offical that has merit has stated it as fact. There is no doubt that Administration officials gave out her identity to the press in hopes it would be published to the world. Why is this not a crime? I grew up believing "Ignorance is no excuse in the eyes of the Law" It shouldn't matter if they knew she was Covert or not. They knew she was CIA and could be covert. "Ignorance is no excuse" Is that true or isn't it. Is it a crime to disclose national secrets or is it not a crime? Republicans seem to think it is not a crime. Does anyone know?

[bryant69]

1. When Republicans commit a crime it isn't a crime

Usually. There are a few exceptions, but for the most part, Republicans are incapable of crime-committing.

It occurs to me that I need to clarify that I am speaking of the Republican mindset not my own.

Bryant
Check it out --> http://politicalcomment.blogspot.com

[Atman]

2. "She wasn't really THAT covert."

I love that excuse. Bill Clinton's lie about a blow job wasn't really THAT much of a lie, either. But they always seem to find a distinction which makes a lie about consensual sex far worse than one involving even national security.

.

[Toots]

5. There was no adverb in front of the word Covert when head of CIA used it

Nor when the special council used it. In fact I don't know anyone that has placed any adverbs in front of the word. Covert is Covert. No adverbs needed. Not slightly covert, not second level covert, not anything covert except Covert. That dog just don't hunt.

[BOSSHOG]

3. Just another series of examples of conservative values

- If there were no underlying crime why did scooter HAVE to lie?
- If she were just a worthless, totally insignificant, absolutely unimportant desk jockey, then why did she have to be outed?

republicans think that getting caught outing a covert agent is a crime. They and their supporters have proven beyond anything resembling reasonable doubt that they have no use for the constitution or the rule of law.

When I was in the Navy, a young Seaman got his ass kicked from bulkhead to bulkhead and had his young career almost ended because he left a "CONFIDENTIAL" message laying on his desk IN A SECURE SPACE" through the lunchhour. An confidential is not as sensitive as Secret. Most likely he was not a republican.

Ignorance is not an excuse but it is a greatly cherished conservative value.

[conscious evolution]

10. Ignorance is not an excuse but it is a greatly cherished conservative value.

That would be a good bumpersticker.

[AX10]

4. Republicans are exempt from the rule of law.

[indepat]

6. the 'pukes' mantra is a 'puke president (his administration) can do whatever the want,

damn the Constitution, damn the law, damn the destruction/deaths caused by war or fiscal and tax policies: it's part of the 'puke sociopathic cult which is void of humanity or reason and hate our constitutional republic, to wit, they have some other type of government and society in mind.

[Toots]

7. Yes that is probably true but it isn't what I'm asking, do they think outing an agent is a crime?

Not important who does the outing. I know they will stick by their guys no matter what, but do they believe this is illegal activity? Just as stated. Is it illegal to out a CIA Covert Agent? Yes or No. Then we can talk about details...

[indepat]

8. It is not illegal for a 'puke president's men to do what the 'puke president wants done eos 'cause

that's their way of thinking and reasoning, i.e., the 'puke president is not above the law, he is the law.

[Igel]

9. ' "Ignorance is no excuse" Is that true or isn't it.'

It isn't. And DU's been over this numerous times.

This is the same as perjury: If you get up and say a falsehood under oath on the witness stand, it *may* be perjury. What makes it perjury? *Knowing* that what you're saying is false; if you honestly believe it it's not perjury. If you don't understand this, it's impossible to understand the "he forgot" defense at Libby's trial--it crucially entailed not knowing is an excuse under the perjury statutes. It's the same with the statute that Fitzgerald cited: Title 50, section 421.

Let's look at part (a) of that law (the rest are similar, so there's no generality lost):
"Disclosure of information by persons having or having had
access to classified information that identifies covert agent
Whoever, having or having had authorized access to classified
information that identifies a covert agent, intentionally discloses
any information identifying such covert agent to any individual not
authorized to receive classified information, knowing that the
information disclosed so identifies such covert agent and that the
United States is taking affirmative measures to conceal such covert
agent's intelligence relationship to the United States, shall be
fined under title 18 or imprisoned not more than ten years, or
both."

Note the words "intentionally" and "knowing". So, yes ... ignorance not only is *an* excuse, it is *the* excuse.

[MasonJar]

11. It is highly likely that agents and their sources died because of Novak

and the Bush slime. That should be investigated as a war crime. It is definite that the company which had been working on WMD for many years (25?) had to disband. That alone is a crime or should be. I still believe that Agent Plame and her cohorts were too close to Cheney and Haliburton weapons' poliferation, possibly in conjunction with the Pakistani nuclear expert; the agents had to be stopped and the attack on Ambassador Wilson was just a bonus and an excuse to get the braindead Stump on board.

[helderheid]

12. Didn't you hear? She wasn't covert because they outed her...or.. something...

:crazy: