Waxman Digs Into McClellan's Accusations on Valerie Plame Case

Chairman of House Government Reform Committee Asks Attorney General Michael Mukasey for Unredacted Copies of FBI Interviews with McClellan, Others

By John Eggerton -- Broadcasting & Cable, 6/3/2008 5:46:00 AM MT

There was more fallout Tuesday from former White House Press Secretary Scott McClellan's book-tour media blitz and his revelations about how the administration instructed him to relay information and alleged misinformation to the news media and the public.

Rep. Henry Waxman (D-Calif.), chairman of the House Government Reform Committee, asked Attorney General Michael Mukasey for unredacted copies of FBI interviews with McClellan and others over the leak of the name of CIA employee Valerie Plame Wilson.

"New revelations by former White House Press Secretary Scott McClellan raise additional questions about the actions of the president and the vice president," Waxman wrote. "Mr. McClellan has stated that 'the president and vice president directed me to go out there and exonerate Scooter Libby.' He has also asserted that 'the top White House officials who knew the truth -- including Rove, Libby and possibly Vice President Cheney -- allowed me, even encouraged me, to repeat a lie.' It would be a major breach of trust if the vice president personally directed Mr. McClellan to mislead the public.”

The committee already received copies of McClellan's FBI interviews, but his discussions with the president and vice president were redacted (blacked out).

"There are no sound reasons for you to withhold the interviews with the president and the vice president from the committee or to redact passages like Mr. McClellan’s discussions with the president and the vice president," Waxman asserted, adding, "[Special counsel Patrick] Fitzgerald’s investigation is closed and he has indicated that it would be appropriate to share these records with the committee."

Waxman also said the White House had not asserted executive privilege.