Novak Caught Lying about Murray Waas

Huffington Post
John Amato
Novak Caught Lying about Murray Waas

Robert Novak lied about Murray Waas and says that Newsday misquoted him when he appeared as a guest on Hannity & Colmes last night. (see video) He claimed that no other news agency picked up the story that Novak told Rove he wouldn't identify him to Patrick Fitzgerald.

Yesterday Novak said:

COLMES: So you're saying "Newsday" was wrong in this report, and Murray Waas, "National Journal," was wrong...

NOVAK: Absolutely.

COLMES: ... and these people have purposefully misrepresented you?

NOVAK: I never give motives, but I know that the Murray Waas piece in the "National Journal," which interestingly was not picked up by anybody, was totally wrong and a total lie,...

Murray Waas wrote this back on

May 25, 2005

Rove testified to the grand jury that during his telephone call with Novak, the columnist said words to the effect: "You are not going to get burned" and "I don't give up my sources," according to people familiar with his testimony.

This should refute Novak's claim all by itself-via Bloomberg:

Syndicated columnist Robert Novak assured presidential adviser Karl Rove that he wouldn't identify him to prosecutors investigating the disclosure of a CIA agent's name, a person familiar with the matter said.

Rove told a grand jury that Novak called him shortly after the Central Intelligence Agency asked the Justice Department to investigate who leaked the name of operative Valerie Plame to Novak and other reporters, the person, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, said. Novak revealed Plame's name in a July 14, 2003, column, citing unnamed administration officials. The National Journal, which reported earlier today on the Sept. 29, 2003, conversation between Rove and Novak, said Justice Department prosecutors were concerned that Rove and Novak may have been working on a cover story to protect Rove. The report, citing people familiar with the grand jury testimony of both men, said then-Attorney General John Ashcroft was briefed on the matter.

However, MSNBC also carried the story on May 25th :

Sources close to Karl Rove are now confirming a story first reported in the National Journal that Rove, who was a source for columnist Bob Novak, later had a separate conversation with Novak after the investigation began.

Former federal prosecutors are convinced Fitzgerald has explored whether Rove and Novak coordinated their testimony.

It's no secret that Novak and Rove are old pals which led to Rove being fired by Bush #41. The NY Times (reg req):
Rove and Novak, a 20-Year Friendship Born in Texas

In 1992 in an incident well known in Texas, Mr. Rove was fired from the state campaign to re-elect the first President Bush on suspicions that Mr. Rove had leaked damaging information to Mr. Novak about Robert Mosbacher Jr., the campaign manager and the son of a former commerce secretary."

Need I say more? Novak also said he would reveal all his sources on CNN:

NOVAK: Well, that's what I can't reveal until this case is finished. I hope it is finished soon. And when it does, I agree with Mr. Safire, I will reveal all in a column and on the air.

Now he is refusing to do so which makes the case stronger that Novak cannot be trusted, Will the media hold him accountable?


(John Amato is the proprietor of Crooksandliars.com)