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What About Novak?

But What About Novak? Amy Sullivan (6:28PM) link Time magazine reporter (and Washington Monthly alum -- we're proud, Matt) Matt Cooper has been held

By John Amato
08/09/04 09:54 am

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Time magazine reporter (and Washington Monthly alum -- we're proud, Matt) Matt Cooper has been held in contempt by a federal judge for refusing to testify before a grand jury about "alleged conversations...with a specified executive branch official." That's the grand jury looking into how Valerie Plame's name made it into a Robert Novak column and whether Scooter Libby...er, an unnamed executive branch official...had anything to do with it.

I have to admit I haven't followed this story terribly closely, mostly because guys like Josh Marshall have been all over every inch of it. But I am surprised that I haven't heard about any repercussions so far for Novak and yet now Matt is at risk of facing jail and/or extensive fines unless he gives up his source.

Of course, all of this leaves rather a mystery about why Fitzgerald is picking on Cooper and Russert, while not putting the same screws to Robert Novak -- the man who clearly could give the most salient and probative testimony in this case and who, let's be frank, most deserves to be put in this position.

He, after all, is the one who actually chose to report the leak and become the hand-maiden of the bad act.

-- Josh Marshall
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