February 2002 – At the request of the Central Intelligence Agency, retired diplomat Joseph Wilson travels to Niger to investigate reports that the African nation was selling “yellowcake” – lightly processed uranium ore – to Iraq. He concludes the “yellowcake” reports are without merit.
28 Jan. 2003 – Ignoring reports from Mr. Wilson and the State Department, President George W. Bush says, “Saddam Hussein recently sought significant quantities of uranium from Africa” in his State of the Union address.
6 July 2003 – The New York Times publishes an op-ed by Mr. Wilson revealing there was no Niger-Iraq “yellowcake” connection.
9 July 2003 – Karl Rove discusses the role of Valerie Plame, CIA operative and Mr. Wilson’s wife, in arranging Mr. Wilson’s mission with syndicated columnist Robert Novak.
11 July 2003 – Mr. Rove discusses Ms. Plame, although not by name, with Time magazine report Matt Cooper.
14 July 2003 – Mr. Novak publishes a column revealing Ms. Plame as a CIA operative.
16 Sept. 2003 – White House briefing: Q: “Now, this is apparently a federal offense, to burn the cover a CIA operative. . . . Did Karl Rove do it?” White House Spokesman Scott McClellan: “I said, it’s totally ridiculous.”
29 Sept. 2003 – ABC News producer Andrea Owen asks Karl Rove, “Did you have any knowledge or did you leak the name of the CIA agent to the press?” Mr. Rove answers “No.”
30 Sept. 2003 – Mr. Bush, when asked if Karl Rove had a role in the leak of Ms. Plame’s identity: “Listen, I know of nobody — I don’t know of anybody in my administration who leaked classified information. If somebody did leak classified information, I’d like to know it, and we’ll take the appropriate action. And this investigation is a good thing.”
7 Oct. 2003 – Mr. McClellan: “If someone in this administration leaked classified information, they will no longer be a part of this administration, because that’s not the way this White House operates, that’s not the way this president expects people in his administration to conduct their business….”
31 Aug. 2004 – To CNN’s John King, Mr. Rove says, “Well, I’ll repeat what I said to ABC News when this whole thing broke some number of months ago. I didn’t know her name. I didn’t leak her name.”
10 June 2004 – President Bush is asked if he would “fire anyone found to” have leaked the agent’s name. Mr. Bush says, “Yes.”
18 July 2005 – Mr. Bush: “It’s best people wait until the investigation is complete before you jump to conclusions. I don’t know all the facts. I want to know all the facts. I would like this to end as quickly as possible so we know the facts. And if someone committed a crime, they will no longer work in my administration.”
21 July 2005 – Mark Floegel ignores the attempt by the Bush administration to distract attention by announcing the nomination of John Roberts to the Supreme Court, writes about the Rove scandal again.
19 Aug. 2005 – Karl Rove is indicted by special prosecutor Patrick Fitzgerald, not for revealing the identity of a covert CIA operative, but for violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 641, which prohibits use of government records and information for non-governmental purposes. Mr. Rove is also charged with perjury for lying about what he knew about Ms. Plame.
Mr. Rove retains his White House position. At a press briefing, Scott McClellan says, “I’d like to remind you that under the Constitution, everyone is innocent until proven guilty.”
5 Feb. 2006 – After an eight-week trial, Mr. Rove is found guilty and is sentenced to a year in prison and fined $4,500. He remains free on bail – and a White House employee – while appealing the conviction. Mr. McClellan says, “We think the case against Karl was very weak. We’re confident he’s innocent and his conviction will be overturned.”
22 April 2007 – Mr. Rove loses his appeal before a three-judge panel of the Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit by a two-to-one margin. Mr. Bush says, “We’re going to keep Karl around for now. The court’s decision was not unanimous. See, I think that says something. We need to take a closer look at this.” The dissenting judge was appointed by Mr. Bush to replace John Roberts, who was appointed to the Supreme Court in 2005.
29 June 2008 – The Supreme Court refuses to review Mr. Rove’s appeal. Mr. Bush immediately issues a presidential pardon and promotes him to chief of staff. He says, “Karl and I share a deep faith and a mainstay of that faith is an appreciation of the value of forgiveness.”
15 Nov. 2008 – President-elect Jeb Bush appoints Karl Rove as White House chief of staff. White House spokesperson Katherine Harris says Mr. Bush “will not be bound by the misguided policies of a former administration.”
Chronology of a Crime
February 2002 – At the request of the Central Intelligence Agency, retired diplomat Joseph Wilson travels to Niger to investigate reports that the African nation was selling “yellowcake” – lightly processed uranium ore – to Iraq. He concludes the “yellowcake” reports are without merit.
28 Jan. 2003 – Ignoring reports from Mr. Wilson and the State Department, President George W. Bush says, “Saddam Hussein recently sought significant quantities of uranium from Africa” in his State of the Union address.
6 July 2003 – The New York Times publishes an op-ed by Mr. Wilson revealing there was no Niger-Iraq “yellowcake” connection.
9 July 2003 – Karl Rove discusses the role of Valerie Plame, CIA operative and Mr. Wilson’s wife, in arranging Mr. Wilson’s mission with syndicated columnist Robert Novak.
11 July 2003 – Mr. Rove discusses Ms. Plame, although not by name, with Time magazine report Matt Cooper.
14 July 2003 – Mr. Novak publishes a column revealing Ms. Plame as a CIA operative.
16 Sept. 2003 – White House briefing: Q: “Now, this is apparently a federal offense, to burn the cover a CIA operative. . . . Did Karl Rove do it?” White House Spokesman Scott McClellan: “I said, it’s totally ridiculous.”
29 Sept. 2003 – ABC News producer Andrea Owen asks Karl Rove, “Did you have any knowledge or did you leak the name of the CIA agent to the press?” Mr. Rove answers “No.”
30 Sept. 2003 – Mr. Bush, when asked if Karl Rove had a role in the leak of Ms. Plame’s identity: “Listen, I know of nobody — I don’t know of anybody in my administration who leaked classified information. If somebody did leak classified information, I’d like to know it, and we’ll take the appropriate action. And this investigation is a good thing.”
7 Oct. 2003 – Mr. McClellan: “If someone in this administration leaked classified information, they will no longer be a part of this administration, because that’s not the way this White House operates, that’s not the way this president expects people in his administration to conduct their business….”
31 Aug. 2004 – To CNN’s John King, Mr. Rove says, “Well, I’ll repeat what I said to ABC News when this whole thing broke some number of months ago. I didn’t know her name. I didn’t leak her name.”
10 June 2004 – President Bush is asked if he would “fire anyone found to” have leaked the agent’s name. Mr. Bush says, “Yes.”
18 July 2005 – Mr. Bush: “It’s best people wait until the investigation is complete before you jump to conclusions. I don’t know all the facts. I want to know all the facts. I would like this to end as quickly as possible so we know the facts. And if someone committed a crime, they will no longer work in my administration.”
21 July 2005 – Mark Floegel ignores the attempt by the Bush administration to distract attention by announcing the nomination of John Roberts to the Supreme Court, writes about the Rove scandal again.
19 Aug. 2005 – Karl Rove is indicted by special prosecutor Patrick Fitzgerald, not for revealing the identity of a covert CIA operative, but for violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 641, which prohibits use of government records and information for non-governmental purposes. Mr. Rove is also charged with perjury for lying about what he knew about Ms. Plame.
Mr. Rove retains his White House position. At a press briefing, Scott McClellan says, “I’d like to remind you that under the Constitution, everyone is innocent until proven guilty.”
5 Feb. 2006 – After an eight-week trial, Mr. Rove is found guilty and is sentenced to a year in prison and fined $4,500. He remains free on bail – and a White House employee – while appealing the conviction. Mr. McClellan says, “We think the case against Karl was very weak. We’re confident he’s innocent and his conviction will be overturned.”
22 April 2007 – Mr. Rove loses his appeal before a three-judge panel of the Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit by a two-to-one margin. Mr. Bush says, “We’re going to keep Karl around for now. The court’s decision was not unanimous. See, I think that says something. We need to take a closer look at this.” The dissenting judge was appointed by Mr. Bush to replace John Roberts, who was appointed to the Supreme Court in 2005.
29 June 2008 – The Supreme Court refuses to review Mr. Rove’s appeal. Mr. Bush immediately issues a presidential pardon and promotes him to chief of staff. He says, “Karl and I share a deep faith and a mainstay of that faith is an appreciation of the value of forgiveness.”
15 Nov. 2008 – President-elect Jeb Bush appoints Karl Rove as White House chief of staff. White House spokesperson Katherine Harris says Mr. Bush “will not be bound by the misguided policies of a former administration.”
© Mark Floegel, 2005