Rove and Libby's accounts don't jibe with reporters'

Karl Rove and Lewis "Scooter" Libby told special prosecutor Patrick Fitzgerald that they learned of CIA agent Valerie Plame's identity from reporters. But their accounts conflict with the reporters' testimony in the investigation, Bloomberg news service reports today.

Citing anonymous sources who are "familiar" with the case, reporter Richard Keil writes that Rove and Libby claimed to have learned Plame's identity from conservative columnist Robert Novak and "Meet the Press" host Tim Russert, respectively. But Novak has given a "somewhat different account," while Russert has denied providing Plame's identity to Libby, who is the chief of staff for Vice President Dick Cheney.

Today's news offers the latest indication that Fitzgerald's investigation may be focusing on whether anyone in the White House perjured himself or obstructed justice during the course of the inquiry. It also goes to show that if you're a high-level politician, you should never put a lot of power and responsibility in the hands of a guy whose nickname is "Scooter."