WASHINGTON, Sept. 29 (UPI) -- The Bush administration is promising to cooperate with an investigation into a news leak that revealed the name of a CIA undercover operative.
However, Democrats don't believe the administration can credibly investigate itself despite promises from presidential aides to cooperate with the Justice Department inquiry. The Democrats say an independent investigation is needed.
White House officials told the Post Bush has no plans to ask his staff members whether they played a role in revealing the name of the undercover officer who is married to former ambassador Joseph Wilson IV, an outspoken critic of Bush's handling of intelligence about Iraq.
An administration official told the Post two White House officials leaked the information to selected journalists to discredit Wilson. The leak could constitute a federal crime, and might have endangered confidential sources who had aided the operative throughout her career. CIA Director George Tenet has asked the Justice Department to investigate how the leak occurred.
