Why does Rove still have a security clearance?

Jonathan Alter of Newsweek asks "Is Rove a Security Risk?"

Scooter Libby's indictment reveals that Official A discussed Valerie Wilson's covert status with reporters. Official A is now known to be Karl Rove.

So far, Rove has escaped indictment for his role in the Plame leak. However, as Alter explains, security clearances can be revoked for negligent disclosures as well as deliberate leaks:

Under Executive Order 12958, signed by President Clinton in 1995, such a disclosure [as Rove's] is grounds for, at a minimum, losing access to classified information.

Section 5.1 of Clinton’s executive order prohibits “any knowing, willful or negligent action that could reasonably be expected to result in an unauthorized disclosure of classified information.” While the law against revealing the identity of a CIA operative requires that the perpetrator intentionally disclosed such classified information (a high standard, which may be one reason Fitzgerald did not indict on those grounds), the executive order covers “negligence,” or unintentional disclosure.

It's hard to imagine how the conduct of Official A could be consistent with ongoing security clearance.

Rove certainly wouldn't be the first official to have his security clearance revoked for such an infraction.

The onus is on the White House to explain why Rove is allowed to continue to occupy his privileged position, given the grave suspicions surrounding his conduct in the Plame case.

Comments

[thejtrain]

I've been wondering about this since the whole thing happened. It seems to me that if someone is even being investigated for a security leak, the first order of business should be revoking clearance.

[almostinfamous]

thejtrain, do i need to remind you that you are part of the reality-based community?

these people make their own reality remember?

[steve duncan]

May I please be proven wrong, but I think this is where Bush draws a line in the sand. Bush losing Rove is like Ron Jeremy losing his dick. It would involve defeat, concessions, comeuppance and confusion on so many levels he just couldn't continue to function. "Karl's staying put and you can ALL go to hell!" I can hear it now............

[ol cranky]

let's be honest, revoking Rove's security clearance wouldn't preclude the Bushies sharing classified information with him. These are people from a party that thinks it's perfectly OK for them to share classified info via gossip with anyone they so choose regardless of clearance level, despite the fact that doing so is a clear and direct violation of regulations about the handling of classified material (something that is also delinieated in the non-disclosure agreement those with clearance must sign).

[1984 Was Not a Shopping List]

>May I please be proven wrong, but I think this is where Bush draws a line in the sand. Bush losing Rove is like Ron Jeremy losing his dick.

Yet, of course, we all know you won't be proven wrong. Bush passed the "bridge out" sign quite a while back, and still seems to be grinning and accelerating. After the Katrina disaster, when Bush made his "mistakes were made" speech, we had hopes that it meant, "yes, this is the answer to the question: 'Mr. Bush, can you think of any mistakes that you've made?'"

But Rove followed that speech quickly with a statement to the effect that, "the only mistake we made was in not being more insistent with the Louisianans that we weren't mistaken about anything!"

[battiste]

In reponse to thejtrain, security is the most important issue. Especially when it comes from such an high profile figure. If nothing is done about it, it shows weackness and mistakes from other security agents will follow.
www.homeremovalservices.com

[The Phantom]

Rove is clearly one of the good guys, but he should not still have a security clearance.