Loose Lips - The Plame Affair

Rick Klau says he'll "leave coverage of the Plame affair to the experts (TPM, Atrios, This is Not Funny, Daily Kos)" but then says he did find the following to be "an exceptionally odd coincidence:

• Bob Novak’s original article in which Valerie Plame’s coverage was blown. Dateline: July 14.


• Ari Fleischer’s last press conference. Dateline: July 14."

Rick then inquires: "You don’t think Ari and Bob had a chat the week before Ari left, do you?"

It is certainly an interesting coincidence. Is it possible that Fleischer was the source? Only Novak would know and he's not going to talk without being compelled.

Law Professor and First Amendment expert Eugene Volokh took up the question of whether Robert Novak could be compelled to testify about who leaked the Plame information to him (assuming that someone did). Volokh concluded, more or less, that Novak could be so compelled. Glenn Reynolds, another intelligent and well-informed law professor agrees with Volokh.

Maybe Novak will refuse and go to jail to protect his putative source. I'm not a big fan of Novak, but he's clearly not the one that should go to jail. I doubt the real culprit will ever be held accountable.