US Vice President Dick Cheney's chief of staff Lewis "Scooter" Libby has been charged with perjury, making a false statement and obstruction of justice in relation to the investigation into the outing of Valerie Plame a CIA agent in an act of retaliation against administration critic Ambassador Joe Wilson.

Mr Libby has stepped down from his role in the White House pending the outcome of the case against him.

The case arises out of a 2003 column by political commentator Bob Novak which named Valerie Plame, Joe Wilson's wife, as a CIA agent. Mr Novak quoted senior administration sources implying that there had been an element of nepotism in Mr Wilson's appointment to travel to Niger to investigate allegations that Iraq was seeking to purchase uranium yellow cake to make a nuclear weapon.

Mr Wilson's trip in turn was prompted by a series of documents which Mr Wilson reported had been forged.

However in spite Mr Wilson reporting back that the allegations were flawed they were nevertheless included in President Bush's 2003 State of the Union Address immediately prior to the beginning of the war against Iraq.

Special Counsel Patrick Fitzgerald is currently holding a press conference to describe the decision to indict Mr Libby.

FURTHER BACKGROUND:

PRESS CONFERENCE AUDIO (1hr 5 mins):
STREAM: http://img.scoop.co.nz/media/audio/0510/FitzgeraldLibbyPresser.m3u
DOWNLOAD: http://S2.r2.co.nz/~scoop/200510/FitzgeraldLibbyPresser.mp3

FULL TEXT OF STATEMENTS

Office Of Special Counsel Patrick Fitzgerald

WHITE HOUSE OFFICIAL I. LEWIS LIBBY INDICTED ON OBSTRUCTION OF JUSTICE, FALSE STATEMENT AND PERJURY CHARGES RELATING TO LEAK OF CLASSIFIED INFORMATION REVEALING CIA OFFICER’S IDENTITY

White House Official I. Lewis Libby Indicted
[http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/WO0510/S00421.htm]
&
Full Text Of I. Lewis "Scooter" Libby Indictment
[http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/WO0510/S00422.htm ]

REACTION:

President's Remarks on the Resignation of Libby

Ambassador Joe Wilson On Libby Indictment

Vice President's Statement on Libby Resignation

Senate Dem. Leader Harry Reid On Libby Indictment

Senator John Kerry Statement On Libby Indictment

(continuing...)

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