September 29, 2003   LIEBERMAN DEMANDS WHITE HOUSE PRESERVE RECORDS AND COOPERATE FULLY WITH INVESTIGATION INTO DISCLOSURE OF CIA AGENT'S IDENTITY Announces Plans to Introduce Independent Counsel Act   WASHINGTON – Senate Governmental Affairs Committee Ranking Member Joe Lieberman, D-Conn., Monday announced his intention to re-introduce the Independent Counsel Reform Act in the coming days and issued the following statement regarding the Justice Department’s investigation into the disclosure of a CIA agent’s identity. “The alleged disclosure by the White House of the identity of a covert government operative is not just an outrage and an embarrassment to our government. It is also likely a crime. It must be investigated - immediately and independently. “I call upon the President’s Chief of Staff, Andrew Card, to show that the White House understands the serious nature of this offense and to do everything in his power to ensure that investigators have the full cooperation of the White House. The Administration's condemnation of this serious breach so far has been half-hearted and underwhelming. “Mr. Card must: “Direct all White House personnel to maintain all records, phone logs, e-mails, correspondence - including personal records, e-mails, and phone logs - and anything else that may relate to these events and make clear that anyone destroying or otherwise tampering with these records will be fired. This direction should include a mandate to the White House’s archivists and information technology personnel to ensure that any paper or electronic records dating to the relevant time period will be maintained and are ready to be turned over to the Justice Department. “Instruct all White House personnel to cooperate with any request from those investigating the matter - whether that request is for interviews, government records or personal phone logs or email accounts, and make clear that lack of cooperation will be grounds for immediate dismissal.” “Immediately make clear to the public and to his staff that disclosing this information was unacceptable, that anyone who is found to have disclosed it will be immediately fired, and that any relevant information will be turned over to the investigatory authority.” “I also intend to reintroduce the Independent Counsel Reform Act - which I and several colleagues introduced in 1999 – to reassure a skeptical public that criminal investigations of those at the highest levels of power will be insulated from the political influence of the very people under suspicion.”   ###   Printable Version   « previous Press Release next Press Release »   1998 - 1999 - 2000 - 2001 - 2002 - 2003 - 2004 - 2005 - 2006 - 2007 - 2008 September 2003 Press Releases   September 30 - GAC Democrats Seek Directive to Prevent Cover-Up in Investigation Surrounding Disclosure of CIA Agent's Identity   September 29 current Press Release   September 24 - Administration Unwilling to Fight for Homeland Resources   September 24 - Lieberman Seeks White House Contacts Regarding Global Warming Lawsuit   September 23 - Lieberman, Lautenberg Seek Hearings on No Bid Contracts   September 22 - Lieberman Calls Revised Cost-Benefit Guidelines Immoral Tool to Block Tougher Environmental Protections   September 17 - Lieberman Says Listen to the Mayors: Insufficient Funds are Reaching the Front Lines   September 17 - “US Postal Service: What Can Be Done to Ensure Its Future Viability?”   September 17 - Lieberman Says Homeland Security Will be Forced to Skimp   September 16 - Lieberman Welcomes Terrorist Screening Center Despite Two-Year Delay   September 15 - Lieberman Applauds Overdue Appointment Of Cyber Security Chief   September 12 - Lieberman Calls on Bush To Ensure Fair Bidding on Iraqi Contracts   September 12 - Postal Service Should Assess Security Needs Before Eliminating Security Officers   September 10 - Dodd, Lieberman Announce New London Firefighters to Receive Over $100,000   September 10 - Lieberman Refutes Bush Boast of Greater Homeland Security   September 4 - Lieberman Welcomes DOE Investigation into Spiking Gas Prices   September 4 - Senators Question DHS Decision to Throw Open Vital Immigration Functions to the Lowest Bidder
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