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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: July 26, 2005

SCHUMER URGES WHITE HOUSE TO FILL IN BLANKS, CARD SHOULD DISCLOSE HIS CONVERSATIONS WITH STAFF AFTER NOTIFICATION OF CIA LEAK INVESTIGATION

Andy Card Needs to Explain 12 Hour Gap and Disclose Whether Or Not He Called Rove, Libby, or Anyone Else Before Official Notice of Investigation Went to All White House Staff

White House Needs To Prove It Preserved ALL Documents Prior To Beginning of Fitzgerald Investigation

Today U.S. Senator Chuck Schumer sent a letter to White House Chief of Staff Andrew Card asking for an explanation of the so called “12 hour gap” between the time then White House Counsel Alberto Gonzales told Card that White House staff were instructed to preserve all documentary evidence that may relate to the Plame leak investigation and the time that Gonzales gave the rest of the White House staff the same directive.

Schumer, who originally called for an investigation into this national security breach, initially praised the White House for pledging to get to the bottom of this terrible leak, but has been puzzled by the Administration’s recent statements that it will no longer comment on the investigation or Karl Rove’s potential link to the incident.

“When I first called for the investigation into the leaking of Valerie Plame’s name, the White House seemed to be fully cooperative, but now they are stonewalling.” Schumer said. “The time has come for the White House to shed some light on what happened at the very beginning of the Fitzgerald investigation. At every recent twist and turn in this investigation there seems to be another evasion from the White House. Andy Card ought to simply tell the American people whether or not he gave Karl Rove, Scooter Libby, or anyone else advance warning about the document request from the Department of Justice.”

Schumer’s letter asked Card to “immediately disclose whether, at any time between when you were informed that evening and when the official document request was communicated to all White House staff, you informed Mr. Rove, Mr. Libby, or anyone else that an official order to preserve any possible evidence related to the investigation was coming.”

Schumer last week released a letter to Deputy Attorney General James Comey, which asks about the standards under which security clearance is granted to the President’s top advisors, including the Deputy Chief of Staff, and more importantly, the standards under which security clearance is suspended or revoked.

Click here to view letter to Card.

Click here to view last week's letter to Comey.

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