Despite Rove Claims, Plame’s Identity Marked As Secret

There is no longer any question that Karl Rove was one of the members of the Bush Administration who leaked Valerie Plame’s identity. There has been some question as to whether Rove’s action are sufficient for conviction. For example, there have been claims that Rove did not realize that Plame’s CIA connection was secret. Another Rove defense has fallen apart.

The Washington Post reports that Plame’s identity “was clearly marked to show that it contained classified material at the ’secret’ level.” The Post also reports that:

A classified State Department memorandum central to a federal leak investigation contained information about CIA officer Valerie Plame in a paragraph marked “(S)” for secret, a clear indication that any Bush administration official who read it should have been aware the information was classified, according to current and former government officials.