Napolitano made the false -- and absurd -- claim that Wilson listed Plame's CIA employment in Who's Who entry
Summary: Fox News' Andrew P. Napolitano claimed that former ambassador Joseph C. Wilson IV "told Who's Who in America to put that his wife was a CIA operative." In fact, Wilson's entry in Who's Who mentioned his wife's name -- Valerie Elise Plame -- but not her occupation.
On the July 12 edition of Fox News' Fox & Friends First, Fox News senior judicial analyst Andrew P. Napolitano, a former New Jersey superior court judge, claimed falsely -- and absurdly -- that former ambassador Joseph C. Wilson IV "told Who's Who in America to put that his wife was a CIA operative." In fact, Wilson's entry in Who's Who mentioned his wife's name -- Valerie Elise Plame -- but not her occupation, the disclosure of which gave rise to the appointment of special counsel Patrick J. Fitzgerald to investigate.
Later, on that day's edition of Fox & Friends, both Fox News host Brit Hume and Fox & Friends co-host E.D. Hill contradicted Napolitano's suggestion; Hume stated that Who's Who "didn't tell him [syndicated columnist Robert D. Novak] where she worked," while Hill said that "of course, it [the entry] didn't say 'CIA agent.' "
From the July 12 edition of Fox News' Fox & Friends First:
DOOCY: Robert Novak is speaking out. He's got a column today, and tonight he's going to be speaking to Brit [Hume] and also Hannity & Colmes. And here's what we know. He says that after two and a half years of being investigated by the special prosecutor, Mr. Fitzgerald has made it clear that he, Mr. Ro -- Mr. Novak is in the clear and now he can talk.
NAPOLITANO: And he has indicated that he learned who Valerie Plame was from her husband's listing in Who's Who in America.
DOOCY: Wait a minute. A book that anybody could just check out of the library? That's where her name came from?
NAPOLITANO: Absolutely. And guess who decides what goes in your listing in Who's Who? You do. So therefore, it is Mr. Wilson who told Who's Who to put that his wife was a CIA operative.
From the July 12 edition of Fox News' Fox & Friends:
DOOCY: It's pretty interesting. Apparently, there's a publication where Mr. Novak found the name of Mrs. Wilson.
HUME: Yeah, he found -- he found her name in Who's Who. Of course, that didn't tell him where she worked.
[...]
DOOCY: But we do know some of the information now about some of the sources, and in particular, it's so galling -- you know, so many people have had their panties all bunched up for the last couple of years. Well, how could they possibly know that Valerie Plame was Joe Wilson's wife? Well, as it turns out, Joe Wilson put that information himself in a publication that is called Who's Who in America. You're asked to write your own biography or check things. He put his wife's name in there. That's how R. Novak got her name.
HILL: But it didn't -- but of course it didn't say "CIA agent."
—M.S.
Comments (17) Show