With the shuttle mission and the heat wave dominating the headlines, questions about the Rove-Plame-Wilson coverup have moved below the fold. As usual, the mainstream media is falling down on the job; it’s time for a full-scale investigation by the Fourth Estate into administration insiders' treasonous breach of national security.
Here are a few questions reporters should be asking administration officials:
1) In order to obtain his security clearance, Karl Rove signed a Classified Information Nondisclosure Agreement, accompanied by a booklet specifying that officials signing the agreement can neither release classified information to reporters nor confirm classified information they’ve obtained. Sanctions against officials who "knowingly, willfully, or negligently" disclose classified information include "reprimand, suspension without pay, removal, termination of classification authority, loss or denial of access to classified information, or other sanctions."
Why hasn’t the White House levied such sanctions against Rove?
2) When there is a breach of security that threatens intelligence operations, the CIA usually prepares a “damage assessment ” report.
When does the CIA plan to release its assessment of how outing Plame and the front company where she worked has affected national security?
3) Will Rove have to be indicted before the White House will be willing to dismiss him?
And here are some questions we should be asking reporters:
1) Will Scott McClellan suffer any consequences whatsoever for lying to the press?
2) Is the fact that it’s hot in July really more important than the exposure of a top CIA agent by the administration?
Let the mainstream media know what your news priorities are by contacting them directly:
(NOTE: you'll need to replace "_AT_" with @ for the e-mail addresses to work)
ABC News, Barbara Walters: 2020_AT_abc.com
ABC News, George Stephanopoulos: thisweek_AT_abc.com
ABC News, Ted Koppel: nightline_AT_abc.com
Associated Press (AP), Feedback: feedback_AT_ap.org
Boston Globe, Ellen Goodman: goodman_AT_globe.com
CBS News, 60 Minutes: 60m_AT_cbsnews.com
CBS News, Face The Nation: ftn_AT_cbsnews.com
Chicago Sun-Times, Letters to the Editor: letters_AT_suntimes.com
Chicago Tribune, Ann Marie Lipinski (Editor): ctc-editor_AT_tribune.com
CNN News
CNN, James Carville: crossfire_AT_cnn.com
Fox News, Brit Hume: brit.hume_AT_foxnews.com
Fox News, Hannity & Colmes (Alan Colmes): Colmes_AT_foxnews.com
Fox News, Hannity & Colmes (Sean Hannity): Hannity_AT_foxnews.com
Fox News
Knight-Ridder Newspapers, Charles Hurt (Washington Correspondent): churt_AT_charlotteobserver.com
Knight-Ridder Newspapers, David Goldstein (Washington Correspondent): dgoldstein_AT_krwashington.com
Knight-Ridder Newspapers, Frank Davies (Washington Correspondent): fdavies_AT_krwashington.com
MSNBC, Chris Matthews: hardball_AT_msnbc.com
MSNBC, Joe Scarborough, joe_AT_msnbc.com
MSNBC, Joe Trippi: jtrippi_AT_msnbc.com
NBC News, Dateline: dateline_AT_nbc.com
NBC News, Meet The Press (Tim Russert): mtp_AT_nbc.com
New York Times, Cory Reiss (Washington Correspondent): reissc_AT_nytimes.com
New York Times, Daniel Okrent (Public Editor/Readers' Representative): public_AT_nytimes.com
Newsweek, Howard Fineman:howardfineman_AT_aol.com
Newsweek, Letters to the Editor: Letters_AT_newsweek.com
Reuters America, Lawrence McQuillan: editor_AT_reuters.com
Scripps-Howard News Service, Bill Straub (Washington Correspondent): straubb_AT_shns.com
Scripps-Howard News Service, Jennifer Sergent (Washington Correspondent): sergentj_AT_shns.com
Time, Jay Carney (Deputy Washington Bureau Chief): letters_AT_time.com
U.S. News and World Report, David Gergen (Editor-at-Large): letters_AT_usnews.com
U.S. News and World Report, Gloria Borger (National News Assistant Managing Editor, On Politics Columnist): gborger_AT_usnews.com
USA Today, Karen Jurgensen (Editor-in-Chief): kjurgensen_AT_usatoday.com
USA Today, Kathy Kiely, Congressional Reporter: kkiely_AT_usatoday.com
USA Today, Andrea Stone, Congressional Correspondent: astone_AT_usatoday.com
Washington Post, Letters: letters_AT_washpost.com
Washington Post, Michael Getler (Ombudsman): ombudsman_AT_washpost.com
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Jessica Clark is a writer, editor and researcher, with more than 15 years of experience spanning commercial, educational, independent and public media production. Currently she is the Research Director for American University’s Center for Social Media. She also writes a monthly column for PBS’ MediaShift on new directions in public media. She is the author, with Tracy Van Slyke, of Beyond the Echo Chamber: Reshaping Politics Through Networked Progressive Media (2010, New Press).
