Post's Woodward Testifies in CIA Leak Investigation

So turns out Bob Woodward, The Washington Post’s man with the golden sources, might have been the first reporter to learn about Valerie Plame’s job with the CIA and Scooter Libby was not the first government official to reveal the position of Joe Wilson’s wife. Woodward says he learned about Plame’s CIA gig in mid-June 2003. Rove’s spokesman denies that Bush’s right-hand man was Woodward’s source.

One interesting aspect of this is the fact that Woodward, the man who kept the identity of Deep Throat secret for 30 years spoke to a grand jury about another source for the first time in his illustrious career.

Second, while he might have shared this information with at least one other reporter at the Post, Woodward did not tell Executive Editor Leonard Downie Jr. until last month. I’m sure the bosses at the Post are not too thrilled about this, but I’m certain they’ll stand by their most well-known staffer. Even though he, like New York Times scapegoat Judith Miller, is a driven reporter who sometimes likes to follow his own path.

One interesting parallel. A key complaints about Miller coming from the New York Times was that she was too close to some of her sources. Well, Deep Throat was former number-two at the FBI W. Mark Felt, who was almost a mentor to Woodward even before he became a reporter. But I digress.

Anyway, this sure is an interesting wrinkle in the investigation by Special Counsel Patrick J. Fitzgerald, changing the chronology he had previously presented. Story developing.

One more thing, and forgive the name-dropping. Woodward is one of the most pleasant people I met at the Post and had always bought Ben & Jerry's ice cream for the staffers when he was in charge of the weekend edition.

TWP: Woodward Testifies In CIA Leak Case
Statement of Bob Woodward (PDF)
NYT Editor: Suffering from Serious Case of Judy Miller Fatigue