Now that the Newsday article — discussed below — has provided a new hook for the Plame story, it’s really time for some member of the White House press corps to pose the 5th amendment question to Scott McClellan.
The question has two parts.
First: Does the White House know whether any White House appointees or employees have invoked their fifth amendment rights in the Plame investigation?
Second: Is the president’s order to his staff to cooperate with the investigation consistent with his aides or appointees invoking their fifth amendment rights while remaining on the White House payroll?
The first question probably won’t generate much of an answer because he may well not know. And he could credibly say that he has no way or knowing what’s going on in confidential interviews and grand jury sessions.
But the second question should clarify just how much cooperation the president is calling for.
