HENRY WAXMAN...

is a real patriot. He has been doggedly exposing the lies and corruption of the Bush regime for years and as Americans, we should be greatful that he now has subpoena power. Although this would not be necessary in a more rational political environment, the wingnuts and thier noise machine compel me to add more evidence that Valerie Plame was covert and her status was classified.

This is from Lexis-Nexis¹:

WAXMAN: And we begin that process today.This hearing is being conducted in open session. This is appropriate, but it is also challenging. Ms. Wilson was a covert employee of the CIA. We cannot discuss all of the details of her CIA employment in open session. I have met, personally, with General Hayden, the head of the CIA, to discuss what I can and cannot say about Ms. Wilson's service. And I want to thank him for his cooperation and help in guiding us along these lines. My staff has also worked with the agency to ensure these remarks do not contain classified information. I have been advised by the CIA and that even now, after all that has happened, I cannot disclose the full nature, scope and character of Ms. Wilson's service to our nation without causing serious damage to our national security interests.

But General Hayden and the CIA have cleared these following comments for today's hearing.

During her employment at the CIA, Ms. Wilson was undercover. Her employment status with the CIA was classified information, prohibited from disclosure under Executive Order 12958. At the time of the publication of Robert Novak's column on July 14, 2003, Ms. Wilson's CIA employment status was covert. This was classified information. Ms. Wilson served in senior management positions at the CIA, in which she oversaw the work for other CIA employees and she attained the level of GS-14, Step 6, under the federal pay scale.Ms. Wilson worked on some of the most sensitive and highly secretive matters handled by the CIA. Ms. Wilson served at various times overseas for the CIA.

WAXMAN: Without discussing the specifics of Ms. Wilson's classified work, it is accurate to say that she worked on the prevention of the development and use of weapons of mass destruction against the United States. In her various positions at the CIA, Ms. Wilson faced significant risks to her personal safety and her life. She took on serious risks on behalf of our country. Ms. Wilson's work in many situations had consequence for the security of her colleagues, and maintaining her cover was critical to protecting the safety of both colleagues and others.

The disclosure of Ms. Wilson's employment with the CIA had several serious effects. First, it terminated her covert job opportunities with the CIA. Second, it placed her professional contacts at greater risk. And third, it undermined the trust and confidence with which future CIA employees and sources hold the United States. This disclosure of Ms. Wilson's classified employment status with the CIA was so detrimental that the CIA filed a crimes report with the Department of Justice.

I want to make clear, however, that any characterization that minimizes the personal risk of Ms. Wilson that she accepted in her assignments is flatly wrong. There should be no confusion on this point.

Ms. Wilson has provided great service to our nation and has fulfilled her obligation to protect classified information admirably. And we're confident she will uphold it again today.

Well, that concludes the characterizations that the CIA is permitting us to make today.

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March 16, 2007 Friday

TYPE: COMMITTEE HEARING

LENGTH: 36988 words

COMMITTEE: HOUSE OVERSIGHT AND GOVERNMENT REFORM COMMITTEE

HEADLINE: REP. HENRY A. WAXMAN HOLDS A HEARING ON THE CIA LEAK INVESTIGATION

SPEAKER:
REP. HENRY A. WAXMAN, CHAIRMAN

LOCATION: WASHINGTON, D.C.

WITNESSES:

VALERIE PLAME WILSON, FORMER EMPLOYEE AT THE CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY
MARK ZAID, ATTORNEY
VICTORIA TOENSING, DIGENOVA & TOENSING, LLP
JAMES KNODELL, DIRECTOR, OFFICE OF SECURITY, WHITE HOUSE
BILL LEONARD, DIRECTOR, INFORMATION SECURITY OVERSIGHT OFFICE, NATIONAL ARCHIVES AND RECORDS ADMINISTRATION

BODY:


HOUSE COMMITTEE ON OVERSIGHT AND GOVERNMENT REFORM HOLDS
A HEARING ON THE CIA LEAK INVESTIGATION

MARCH 16, 2007

SPEAKERS:
REP. HENRY A. WAXMAN, D-CALIF.
CHAIRMAN
REP. TOM LANTOS, D-CALIF.
REP. EDOLPHUS TOWNS, D-N.Y.
REP. PAUL E. KANJORSKI, D-PA.
REP. CAROLYN B. MALONEY, D-N.Y.
REP. ELIJAH E. CUMMINGS, D-MD.
REP. DENNIS J. KUCINICH, D-OHIO
REP. DANNY K. DAVIS, D-ILL.
REP. WILLIAM LACY CLAY, D-MO.
REP. DIANE WATSON, D-CALIF.
REP. STEPHEN F. LYNCH, D-MASS.
REP. CHRIS VAN HOLLEN, D-MD.
REP. BRIAN HIGGINS, D-N.Y.
DEL. ELEANOR HOLMES NORTON, D-D.C.
REP. PAUL W. HODES, D-N.H.
REP. CHRISTOPHER S. MURPHY, D-CONN.
REP. BRUCE BRALEY, D-IOWA
REP. PETER WELCH, D-VT.
REP. JOHN YARMUTH, D-KY.
REP. BETTY MCCOLLUM, D-MINN.
REP. JIM COOPER, D-TENN.
REP. JOHN SARBANES, D-MD.
REP. JOHN F. TIERNEY, D-MASS.

REP. THOMAS M. DAVIS III, R-VA.
RANKING MEMBER
REP. DAN BURTON, R-IND.
REP. CHRISTOPHER SHAYS, R-CONN.
REP. JOHN M. MCHUGH, R-N.Y.
REP. JOHN L. MICA, R-FLA.
REP. MARK SOUDER, R-IND.
REP. TODD R. PLATTS, R-PA.
REP. CHRIS CANNON, R-UTAH
REP. JOHN J. "JIMMY" DUNCAN JR., R-TENN.
REP. MICHAEL R. TURNER, R-OHIO
REP. DARRELL ISSA, R-CALIF.
REP. KENNY MARCHANT, R-TEXAS
REP. LYNN WESTMORELAND, R-GA.
REP. PATRICK T. MCHENRY, R-N.C.
REP. VIRGINIA FOXX, R-N.C.
REP. BRIAN P. BILBRAY, R-CALIF.
REP. BILL SALI, R-IDAHO