Judge Condones Outing of Plame

We have a great system of justice in this country, but it’s not always perfect. We found that out, again, on Thursday.

Just four years ago, Valerie Plame was a dedicated, undercover CIA agent, doing her job to help protect this country — until her husband, Ambassador Joe Wilson, dared criticize President Bush’s planned war in Iraq.

That’s when the Bush attack dogs leaped into action. Top White House officials, with George Bush’s blessing, came up with a plan of getting even with Joe Wilson by going after his wife. 

They leaked her identity to reporters — a federal crime.

Once her cover was blown, they forced her to quit the CIA.

Once out of the CIA, they refused her permission to publish a book about her experience.

And now a Bush-appointed federal judge has ruled that she has no right to sue Dick Cheney, Karl Rove, Scooter Libby or Richard Armitage for destroying her career. Whether what they did was right or wrong, said Judge John D. Bates, by going after Valerie Plame, Bush’s four attack dogs were only acting within their job duties.

Nonsense! It is NOT within their job duty to break the law — which is what they did by revealing the identity of an undercover CIA agent.

Yes, sometimes our system of justice works. This time, it didn’t.