It may not be bigger news than O'Connor, but it's certainly better:
I revealed in yesterday's taping of the McLaughlin Group that Time magazine's emails will reveal that Karl Rove was Matt Cooper's source. I have known this for months but didn't want to say it at a time that would risk me getting dragged into the grand jury.
...
Since I revealed the big scoop, I have had it reconfirmed by yet another highly authoritative source. Too many people know this. It should break wide open this week. I know Newsweek is working on an 'It's Rove!' story and will probably break it tomorrow.
That's Lawrence O'Donnell talking, and he's plugged in enough to break something like this. I wish it wasn't coming over 4th of July weekend and right on the heels of a Supreme Court vacancy, but what can you do? Moreover, if the timing is bad for us, it's worse for Rove. Having a story about his vindictive deshrouding of a CIA agent hit at a time when all news organizations will still introduce him as, "Karl Rove, who was just in the news for questioning Democrats' on their behavior in the War on Terror" is probably not his optimal scenario. And getting tried for perjury, the same "crime" that, when applied to mere adultery got Clinton impeached, will prove particularly hard to worm out of:
As the Wapo article suggests, the investigation has moved from one involving the identity of the White House official to one involving perjury - i.e., a cover-up. The source may have been questioned in front of the grand jury and lied.
Knowing the identity of the source is not enough for a perjury conviction. There must be two witnesses to the perjurious statement. Telephone records would not be enough, because they only provide the number dialed, not the identity of the person speaking. Matthew Cooper's and Judith Miller's e-mails and notes may provide that corroboration.
Man, all these fireworks and it's only July 2nd. Gonna be an interesting Summer...
