WATSON 1 TOENSING NIL

(FROM THE SAME HEARING I QUOTED FROM BELOW)

WAXMAN: Thank you.I just want to be very clear for the record. I said earlier General Hayden and the CIA have cleared the following comments:

"During her employment at the CIA, Ms. Wilson was undercover. Her employment status with the CIA was classified information, prohibited from disclosure under the Executive Order 12958. And at the time of the publication of Robert Novak's column, on July 14th, 2003, Ms. Wilson's CIA employment status was covert. This was classified information."

I just wanted to repeat it. I don't know if I've misstated or not, but let's no one misunderstand it, and I will just use those words so we'll clarify for the record.

Ms. Watson?


WATSON: Reclaiming my time. You said -- this is your statement from that date -- "Plame was not covert." And my question directly is, do you still maintain that on that date she was not a covert CIA officer?
TOENSING: I was trying to answer, yes, I still maintain that.
WATSON: Yes or no? Yes or no?
TOENSING: I still maintain it, yes.
WATSON: That she was not a covert?
TOENSING: Under the law, completely.
WATSON: OK. Ms. Plame was sworn.
TOENSING: And I'm sworn. I'm giving you my legal interpretation under the law as I know the law, and I helped draft the law. The person is supposed to reside outside of the United States. And let me make one other point...

WATSON: No. Reclaiming my time, because this is being timed and members do have to leave. Did you receive any information directly from the CIA or Ms. Wilson that support your assertion that Ms. Wilson was not a covert officer?
TOENSING: I didn't talk to Ms. Wilson or the CIA.

WATSON: OK. And do you have any information about the nature of Ms. Wilson's employment status that Director Hayden and Ms. Wilson don't have?
TOENSING: I have no idea.