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Bush, Cheney 'should apologise'
31/10/2005 16:15 - (SA)
Nedra Pickler
Washington - The senate Democratic leader said President George W Bush and vice-president Dick Cheney should apologise for the actions of their aides in the CIA leak case and that presidential adviser Karl Rove should resign.
Rove had not been charged, but he continued to be investigated for his possible involvement in the alleged disclosure of a CIA undercover agent's identity that brought the indictment and resignation on Friday of I Lewis "Scooter" Libby, an adviser to Bush and the top aide to Cheney.
Senate democratic leader Harry Reid said on Sunday he was disappointed that Bush and Cheney responded to the indictment by lauding Libby and suggested they should apologise for the leak that revealed the identity of covert CIA officer Valerie Plame.
Great patriot
Reid said: "First of all, the vice-president issues this very terse statement praising Libby for all the great things he's done.
"Then we have the president come on camera a few minutes later calling him Scooter and what a great patriot he is.
"There has not been an apology to the American people for this obvious problem in the White House."
A grand jury charged Libby on Friday with five felonies alleging obstruction of justice, perjury to a grand jury and making false statements to the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
If convicted, he could face a maximum of 30 years in prison and $1.25m in fines.
Bush to 'fire anyone involved'
Reid said Rove should resign or be fired for even discussing Plame. He recalled that Bush once said he would fire anyone involved in the leak, although he later said he would fire anyone convicted of a crime.
Reid said: "If he's a man of his word, Rove should be history."
Prosecutor Patrick Fitzgerald had not made a decision on whether Rove, Bush's most trusted adviser, gave false testimony during his four grand jury appearances.
Libby was not charged with the crime that the grand jury was created to investigate - specifically, who leaked the name of Plame to reporters in 2003.
Cheney should 'come clean'
Libby and Rove were named by reporters brought before the grand jury, but it was unclear whether they knew that she was a covert agent.
Meanwhile, Democratic senator Chris Dodd said Cheney should "come clean" about his involvement and why he discussed Plame with Libby before Libby spoke to reporters about her.
Dodd asked: "What did the vice-president know? What were his intentions?"
Dodd said: "Now, there's no suggestion the vice-president is guilty of any crime here whatsoever. "But, if our standard is just criminality, then we're never going to get to the bottom of this."
Democrats appearing on Sunday talk shows portrayed Libby's indictment as one of many serious problems surrounding the White House and one of several allegations raising questions about Republican ethics.
- AP
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