Novak Risks National Security For White House Smear
While journalists are protected from prosecution, Robert Novak, the conservative columnist who made the information public in July, violated journalistic standards requiring such a breach of national security only occur if the information is integral to an important story. In so doing, he helped the Bush administration smear Wilson and his family, intimidating others from speaking the truth.
Call on the Chicago Sun-Times and CNN to fire Novak for choosing politically-motivated smear over national security. Call the New York Post to ask them to stop syndicating Novak's column.
CONTACT:
Chicago Sun-Times
Steve Huntley, Editorial Page
(312) 321-2510
CNN News
Jim Walton, Chairman and CEO
(404) 878-1720
New York Post
Bob McManus, Editorial Page
(212) 930-8536
Revealing an undercover operative ruins a lifetime of investigating, forming networks, and building trust with informants. When Novak revealed Plame as a CIA operative on weapons of mass destruction, he endangered her and her informants and he undermined efforts to track down parties trying to buy and sell WMDs.
Journalistic duty prohibits exposing an undercover agent unless there is a compelling need. Yet Novak's inclusion of Plame's identity served no such need.
Instead, Plame was outed to intimidate her husband, Ambassador Joe Wilson, and others who would dare dispute the Bush administration's claims. In early July, Wilson declared that President Bush's State of the Union assertion that Saddam had tried to obtain uranium in Africa was based on disproven intelligence.
A week later, "two senior administration officials" leaked to Novak that Wilson's wife was a CIA operative. Novak admits that when he called the CIA to confirm the reports, he was asked not to reveal her name publicly. But on July 14, he did precisely that.
What Novak did is a threat to national security without good cause. Moreover, he cooperated fully with the Bush administration's efforts to intimidate those who speak out about the Administration's deceptions.
ACTION: Call the Chicago Sun-Times and CNN (where Novak co-hosts Crossfire and The Capital Gang) to demand that Novak be fired for endangering national security and joining the Administration's intimidation campaign. Call the New York Post to tell them to stop syndicating Novak's column.
While this is upsetting, please remain polite and professional. Otherwise, your comments are taken less seriously.
Chicago Sun-Times
Steve Huntley, Editorial Page
(312) 321-2510
CNN News
Jim Walton, Chairman and CEO
(404) 878-1720
New York Post
Bob McManus, Editorial Page
(212) 930-8536
If Novak's column appears in your local papers, call and ask them to stop carrying it.
REPORT YOUR CALLS:
After you call, please let us know what you said at:
http://moveon.org/mediacorps/novak_dash.html?id=1716-2137451-qvkhQ0zkdI18pgb6otWIsA
Your action will be registered on your Media Corps dashboard page:
http://moveon.org/mediacorps/dshbd.html?id=1716-2137451-qvkhQ0zkdI18pgb6otWIsA
Sincerely,
--Noah T. Winer
MoveOn.org
October 1, 2003
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------