When the Jane Harman story first broke, I thought the most interesting question might very well be, Who leaked it? The more I read about it, the more I’m beginning to think I was right. Here’s the latest from CQ:
Intelligence officials, angry that former Attorney General Alberto Gonzales had blocked an FBI investigation into Democratic Rep. Jane Harman’s interactions with a suspected Israeli agent, tipped off Nancy Pelosi, the House Democratic leader, that Harman had been picked up on a court-ordered National Security Agency wiretap targeting the agent.
In doing so, the officials flouted an order by Gonzales not to inform Pelosi, three former national security officials said.
….A well-placed source said an official from the CIA had gone around Gonzales to inform Pelosi about Harman being picked up on the wiretap….”She knew. We made sure she knew,” said one of the former officials, chuckling.
It’s not at all clear that Harman did anything wrong here. (Though it’s not clear that she didn’t either.) What is clear is that the CIA is engaged in some pretty serious message sending against people they don’t like. My guess: I don’t know how Harman is going to weather all this, but I don’t think it’s going to turn out well for the CIA. They may have gone a couple of steps too far this time.
