Special Prosecutor Patrick Fitzgerald has informed my attorneys that, after two and one-half years, his investigation of the CIA leak case concerning matters directly relating to me has been concluded. That frees me to reveal my role in the federal inquiry that, at the request of Fitzgerald, I have kept secret...
http://www.drudgereport.com/
I'll update as the story develops or defer to the experts here for analysis.
NOVAK: 'I learned Valerie Plame's name from Joe Wilson's entry in 'Who's Who in America'... MORE Special Prosecutor Patrick Fitzgerald has informed my attorneys that, after two and one-half years, his investigation of the CIA leak case concerning matters directly relating to me has been concluded. That frees me to reveal my role in the federal inquiry that, at the request of Fitzgerald, I have kept secret... MORE... My primary source has not come forward to identify himself...
Bill Harlow, the CIA public information officer who was my CIA source for the column confirming Mrs. Wilson's identity. I learned Valerie Plame's name from Joe Wilson's entry in 'Who's Who in America'... I answered questions using the names of
Rove, Harlow and my primary source.
Update:
emptywheel's take
In other words, Novak did something that Cooper and Judy and Russert and Kessler seem not to have done--testified without verifying the validity of these waivers. That suggests that, for a variety of reasons, Novak felt comfortable with the waivers. He says elsewhere that his conversation with (presumably) Armitage admitted he revealed the name unintentionally. And if Waas' reporting accurately reflects the conversations between Novak and Rove, presumably Novak knew what Rove would be comfortable with. (Though I'll come back to this point.)
The timing of Novak's interviews and testimony is fascinating. He was first interviewed on January 14, before anyone else in WH is known to have testified before the grand jury. His second interview came on February 5, after folks like Scottie and Matalin and Adam Levine testified. And he appeared before the grand jury on February 25. We know Rove's first two grand jury appearances were in February. Which suggests (though I'm guessing) that Fitzgerald sandwiched Rove's testimony between Novak's second interview with him and Novak's grand jury appearance. He was checking Novak's story before he checked Rove's.
In his own words
Novak at Human Events Online
I have cooperated in the investigation while trying to protect journalistic privileges under the First Amendment and shield sources who have not revealed themselves. I have been subpoenaed by and testified to a federal grand jury. Published reports that I took the Fifth Amendment, made a plea bargain with the prosecutors or was a prosecutorial target were all untrue.
Full column to be available here tomorrow...