My Four Hours Testifying in the Federal Grand Jury Room

A Personal Account

By JUDITH MILLER

Published: October 16, 2005

In July 2003, Joseph C. Wilson IV, a former ambassador, created a firestorm by publishing an essay in The New York Times that accused the Bush administration of using faulty intelligence to justify the war in Iraq. The administration, he charged, ignored findings of a secret mission he had undertaken for the Central Intelligence Agency - findings, he said, that undermined claims that Iraq was seeking uranium for a nuclear bomb.

Luke Frazza/Agence France-Presse - Getty Images

BREAKING A SILENCE Judith Miller speaking to reporters on Sept. 30 after her first testimony before a grand jury investigating the leak of C.I.A. information.

Timeline of the Leak: Judith Miller

One of the crucial figures in the leak investigation is Judith Miller, a reporter for The New York Times.

Timeline of the Leak: All Events

A trip by Joseph C. Wilson IV to Niger nearly four years ago was the beginning of a series of events now being investigated by a special prosecutor, Patrick J. Fitzgerald.

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It was the first time Mr. Wilson had gone public with his criticisms of the White House. Yet he had already become a focus of significant scrutiny at the highest levels of the Bush administration.

Almost two weeks earlier, in an interview with me on June 23, Vice President Dick Cheney's chief of staff, I. Lewis Libby, discussed Mr. Wilson's activities and placed blame for intelligence failures on the C.I.A. In later conversations with me, on July 8 and July 12, Mr. Libby, who is Mr. Cheney's top aide, played down the importance of Mr. Wilson's mission and questioned his performance.

My notes indicate that well before Mr. Wilson published his critique, Mr. Libby told me that Mr. Wilson's wife may have worked on unconventional weapons at the C.I.A.

My notes do not show that Mr. Libby identified Mr. Wilson's wife by name. Nor do they show that he described Valerie Wilson as a covert agent or "operative," as the conservative columnist Robert D. Novak first described her in a syndicated column published on July 14, 2003. (Mr. Novak used her maiden name, Valerie Plame.)

This is what I told a federal grand jury and the special counsel investigating whether administration officials committed a crime by leaking Ms. Plame's identity and the nature of her job to reporters.

During my testimony on Sept. 30 and Oct. 12, the special counsel, Patrick J. Fitzgerald, asked me whether Mr. Libby had shared classified information with me during our several encounters before Mr. Novak's article. He also asked whether I thought Mr. Libby had tried to shape my testimony through a letter he sent to me in jail last month. And Mr. Fitzgerald asked whether Mr. Cheney had known what his chief aide was doing and saying.

My interview notes show that Mr. Libby sought from the beginning, before Mr. Wilson's name became public, to insulate his boss from Mr. Wilson's charges. According to my notes, he told me at our June meeting that Mr. Cheney did not know of Mr. Wilson, much less know that Mr. Wilson had traveled to Niger, in West Africa, to verify reports that Iraq was seeking to acquire uranium for a weapons program.

AtthebehestofPresidentBushandMr.Fitzgerald,Mr.Libbyhadsignedablanketformwaiver,whichhislawyersignaledtomycounselwasnotreallyvoluntary,eventhoughMr.Libby'slawyeralsosaidithadenabledotherreporterstocooperatewiththegrandjury.ButIbelievedthatnothingshortofapersonalletterandatelephonecallwouldallowmetoassesswhetherMr.LibbytrulywishedtofreemefromthepledgeofconfidentialityIhadgivenhim.Theletterandthetelephonecallcamelastmonth.
EquallycentraltomydecisionwasMr.Fitzgerald,theprosecutor.HehaddeclinedtoconfinehisquestioningtothesubjectofMr.Libby.ThismeantIwouldhavebeenunabletoprotectotherconfidentialsourceswhohadprovidedinformation-unrelatedtoMr.Wilsonorhiswife-forarticlespublishedinTheTimes.Lastmonth,Mr.Fitzgeraldagreedtolimithisquestioning.
Withoutbothagreements,Iwouldnothavetestifiedandwouldstillbeinjail.
ItestifiedinWashingtontwice-mostrecentlylastWednesdayafterfindinganotebookinmyofficeatTheTimesthatcontainedmyfirstinterviewwithMr.Libby.Mr.FitzgeraldtoldthegrandjurythatIwastestifyingasawitnessandnotasasubjectortargetofhisinquiry.
ThisaccountisbasedonwhatIrememberofmymeetingswithMr.Fitzgeraldandmytestimonybeforethegrandjury.Itestifiedforalmostfourhours,muchofthattimetakenbyMr.FitzgeraldaskingmetodecipherandexplainmynotesofmyinterviewswithMr.Libby,whichIhadprovidedtohim.
wasnotpermittedtotakenotesofwhatItoldthegrandjury,andmyinterviewnotesonMr.Libbyaresketchyinplaces.Itisalsodifficult,morethantwoyearslater,toparsethemeaningandcontextofphrases,ofunderliningandofparentheses.Ononepageofmyinterviewnotes,forexample,Iwrotethename"ValerieFlame."Yet,asItoldMr.Fitzgerald,Isimplycouldnotrecallwherethatcamefrom,whenIwroteitorwhythenamewasmisspelled.
Skiptonextparagraph
TimelineoftheLeak:JudithMiller
OneofthecrucialfiguresintheleakinvestigationisJudithMiller,areporterforTheNewYorkTimes.
TheFirstLibbyMeeting
Earlyinmygrandjurytestimony,Mr.FitzgeraldaskedmetodescribemyhistorywithMr.LibbyandexplainhowIcametointerviewhimin2003.
IsaidIhadknownMr.Libbyindirectlythroughmyworkasaco-authorof"Germs,"abookonbiologicalweaponspublishedinSeptember2001.Mr.Libbyhadassistedoneofmyco-authors,andthefirsttimeImetMr.Libbyheaskedforaninscribedcopyof"Germs."
InJune2003IhadjustreturnedfromIraq,whereIhadbeenembeddedwithaspecialmilitaryunitchargedwithfindingSaddamHussein'sunconventionalweapons.NowIwasassignedtoateamofreportersatTheTimesexaminingwhynosuchweaponshadbeenfound.
OntheafternoonofJune23,2003,IarrivedattheOldExecutiveOfficeBuildingtointerviewMr.Libby,whowasknowntobeanavidconsumerofprewarintelligenceassessments,whichwerealreadycomingunderfiercecriticism.Thefirstentryinmyreporter'snotebookfromthisinterviewneatlycapturedthequestionforemostinmymind.
"Wastheintellslanted?"Iwrote,referringtotheintelligenceassessmentsofIraqandunderliningtheword"slanted."
IrecallthatMr.Libbywasdispleasedwithwhathedescribedas"selectiveleaking"bytheC.I.A.Hetoldmethattheagencywasengagedina"hedgingstrategy"toprotectitselfincasenoweaponswerefoundinIraq."Ifwefindit,fine,ifnot,wehedged,"ishowhedescribedthestrategy,mynotesshow.
IrecallthatMr.Libbywasangryaboutreportssuggestingthatsenioradministrationofficials,includingMr.Cheney,hadembracedskimpyintelligenceaboutIraq'sallegedeffortstobuyuraniuminAfricawhileignoringevidencetothecontrary.Suchreports,hesaid,accordingtomynotes,were"highlydistorted."
Mr.Libbysaidthevicepresident'sofficehadindeedpressedthePentagonandtheStateDepartmentformoreinformationaboutreportsthatIraqhadrenewedeffortstobuyuranium.AndMr.Cheney,hesaid,hadaskedaboutthepotentialramificationsofsuchapurchase.ButheaddedthattheC.I.A."tookituponitselftotryandfigureoutmore"bysendinga"clandestineguy"toNigertoinvestigate.ItoldMr.FitzgeraldthatIthought"clandestineguy"wasareferencetoMr.Wilson-Mr.Libby'sfirstreferencetohiminmynotes.
InMayandinearlyJune,NicholasD.Kristof,acolumnistatTheTimes,wroteofMr.Wilson'striptoNigerwithoutnaminghim.Mr.KristofwrotethatMr.WilsonhadbeensenttoNiger"atthebehest"ofMr.Cheney'soffice.
MynotesindicatethatMr.LibbytookissuewiththesuggestionthathisbosshadhadanythingtodowithMr.Wilson'strip."Veepdidn'tknowofJoeWilson,"Iwrote,referringtothevicepresident."Veepneverknewwhathedidorwhatwassaid.Agencydidnotreporttous."
SoonafterwardMr.LibbyraisedthesubjectofMr.Wilson'swifeforthefirsttime.Iwroteinmynotes,insideparentheses,"Wifeworksinbureau?"ItoldMr.FitzgeraldthatIbelievedthiswasthefirsttimeIhadbeentoldthatMr.Wilson'swifemightworkfortheC.I.A.Theprosecutoraskedmewhethertheword"bureau"mightnotmeantheFederalBureauofInvestigation.Yes,Itoldhim,normally.ButMr.LibbyhadbeendiscussingtheC.I.A.,andthereforemyimpressionwasthathehadbeenspeakingaboutaparticularbureauwithintheagencythatdealtwiththespreadofnuclear,biologicalandchemicalweapons.Astothequestionmark,IsaidIwasn'tsurewhatitmeant.MaybeitmeantIfoundthestatementinteresting.MaybeMr.LibbywasnotcertainwhetherMr.Wilson'swifeactuallyworkedthere.
Whatwasevident,Itoldthegrandjury,wasMr.Libby'sangerthatMr.BushmighthavemadeinaccuratestatementsbecausetheC.I.A.failedtosharedoubtsabouttheIraqintelligence.
"Nobriefercameinandsaid,'Yougotitwrong,Mr.President,'"hesaid,accordingtomynotes.
TheSecondLibbyMeeting
IinterviewedMr.LibbyforasecondtimeonJuly8,twodaysafterMr.WilsonpublishedhisessayattackingtheadministrationontheOp-EdPageofTheTimes.
Ourmeeting,whichlastedabouttwohours,tookplaceoverbreakfastattheSt.RegisHotelinWashington.ItoldMr.FitzgeraldthatIalmostcertainlybeganthisinterviewbyaskingaboutMr.Wilson'sessay,whichappearedtohaveagitatedMr.Libby.AsIrecall,Mr.Libbyassertedthattheessaywasinaccurate.
Skiptonextparagraph
TimelineoftheLeak:JudithMiller
OneofthecrucialfiguresintheleakinvestigationisJudithMiller,areporterforTheNewYorkTimes.
Mr.FitzgeraldaskedaboutanotationImadeonthefirstpageofmynotesaboutthisJuly8meeting,"FormerHillstaffer."
Myrecollection,Itoldhim,wasthatMr.LibbywantedtomodifyourpriorunderstandingthatIwouldattributeinformationfromhimtoa"senioradministrationofficial."WhenthesubjectturnedtoMr.Wilson,Mr.Libbyrequestedthathebeidentifiedonlyasa"formerHillstaffer."IagreedtothenewgroundrulesbecauseIknewthatMr.LibbyhadonceworkedonCapitolHill.
DidMr.Libbyexplainthisrequest?Mr.Fitzgeraldasked.No,Idon'trecall,Ireplied.ButIsaidIassumedMr.LibbydidnotwanttheWhiteHousetobeseenasattackingMr.Wilson.
Mr.LibbythenproceededthroughalengthyandsharpcritiqueofMr.WilsonandwhatMr.LibbyviewedastheC.I.A.'sbackpedalingontheintelligenceleadingtowar.Accordingtomynotes,hebeganwithachronologyofwhathedescribedascredibleevidenceofIraq'seffortstoprocureuranium.AsItoldMr.Fitzgeraldandthegrandjury,Mr.LibbyalludedtotheexistenceoftwointelligencereportsaboutIraq'suraniumprocurementefforts.OnereportdatedfromFebruary2002.TheotherindicatedthatIraqwasseekingabroadtraderelationshipwithNigerin1999,arelationshipthathesaidNigerofficialshadinterpretedasaneffortbyIraqtoobtainuranium.
MynotesindicatethatMr.Libbytoldmethereportonthe1999delegationhadbeenattributedtoJoeWilson.
Mr.Libbyalsotoldmethatonthebasisofthesetworeportsandotherintelligence,hisofficehadaskedtheC.I.A.formoreanalysisandinvestigationofIraq'sdealingswithNiger.Accordingtomyinterviewnotes,Mr.Libbytoldmethattheresultingcable-basedonMr.Wilson'sfact-findingmission,asitturnedout-barelymadeitoutofthebowelsoftheC.I.A.HeassertedthatGeorgeJ.Tenet,thenthedirectorofcentralintelligence,hadneverevenheardofMr.Wilson.
AsItoldMr.Fitzgerald,Mr.LibbyalsocitedaNationalIntelligenceEstimateonIraq,producedbyAmericanintelligenceagenciesinOctober2002,whichhesaidhadfirmlyconcludedthatIraqwasseekinguranium.
AnunclassifiedversionofthatestimatehadbeenmadepublicbeforemyinterviewswithMr.Libby.ItoldMr.FitzgeraldthatIhadpressedMr.Libbytodiscussadditionalinformationthatwasinthemoredetailed,classifiedversionoftheestimate.IsaidIhadtoldMr.LibbythatifTheTimeswasgoingtodoanarticle,thenewspaperneededmorethanarecapoftheadministration'sweaponsarguments.Accordingtomyinterviewnotes,though,itappearsthatMr.Libbysaidlittlemorethanthattheassessmentsoftheclassifiedestimatewereevenstrongerthanthoseintheunclassifiedversion.
AlthoughIwasinterestedprimarilyinmyareaofexpertise-chemicalandbiologicalweapons-mynotesshowthatMr.Libbyconsistentlysteeredourconversationbacktotheadministration'snuclearclaims.Hismainthemeechoedthatofotherseniorofficials:thatcontrarytoMr.Wilson'scriticism,theadministrationhadhadamplereasontobeconcernedaboutIraq'snuclearcapabilitiesbasedontheregime'shistoryofweaponsdevelopment,itsuseofunconventionalweaponsandfreshintelligencereports.
Atthatbreakfastmeeting,ourconversationalsoturnedtoMr.Wilson'swife.Mynotescontainaphraseinsideparentheses:"WifeworksatWinpac."Mr.Fitzgeraldaskedwhatthatmeant.WinpacstoodforWeaponsIntelligence,Non-Proliferation,andArmsControl,thenameofaunitwithintheC.I.A.that,amongotherthings,analyzesthespreadofunconventionalweapons.
IsaidIcouldn'tbecertainwhetherIhadknownMs.Plame'sidentitybeforethismeeting,andIhadnoclearmemoryofthecontextofourconversationthatresultedinthisnotation.ButItoldthegrandjurythatIbelievedthatthiswasthefirsttimeIhadheardthatMr.Wilson'swifeworkedforWinpac.Infact,ItoldthegrandjurythatwhenMr.LibbyindicatedthatMs.PlameworkedforWinpac,Iassumedthatsheworkedasananalyst,notasanundercoveroperative.
Mr.FitzgeraldaskedmewhetherMr.Libbyhadmentionednepotism.Isaidno.AndasItoldthegrandjury,Ididnotrecall-andmyinterviewnotesdonotshow-thatMr.LibbysuggestedthatMs.Plamehadhelpedarrangeherhusband'striptoNiger.MynotesdosuggestthatourconversationaboutMs.Plamewasbrief.
TimelineoftheLeak:JudithMiller
OneofthecrucialfiguresintheleakinvestigationisJudithMiller,areporterforTheNewYorkTimes.
Mr.Fitzgeraldaskedmeaboutanotherentryinmynotebook,whereIhadwrittenthewords"ValerieFlame,"clearlyareferencetoMs.Plame.Mr.FitzgeraldwantedtoknowwhethertheentrywasbasedonmyconversationswithMr.Libby.IsaidIdidn'tthinkso.IsaidIbelievedtheinformationcamefromanothersource,whomIcouldnotrecall.
Mr.FitzgeraldaskedifIcouldrecalldiscussingtheWilson-Plameconnectionwithothersources.IsaidIhad,thoughIcouldnotrecallanybynameorwhenthoseconversationsoccurred.
Beforethegrandjury,Mr.FitzgeraldaskedmequestionsaboutMr.Cheney.Heasked,forexample,ifMr.LibbyeverindicatedwhetherMr.Cheneyhadapprovedofhisinterviewswithmeorwasawareofthem.Theanswerwasno.
Inmygrandjurytestimony,Mr.FitzgeraldrepeatedlyturnedtothesubjectofhowMr.Libbyhandledclassifiedinformationwithme.Heasked,forexample,whetherIhaddiscussedmysecuritystatuswithMr.Libby.DuringtheIraqwar,thePentagonhadgivenmeclearancetoseesecretinformationaspartofmyassignment"embedded"withaspecialmilitaryunithuntingforunconventionalweapons.
Mr.FitzgeraldaskedifIhaddiscussedclassifiedinformationwithMr.Libby.IsaidIbelievedso,butcouldnotbesure.HeaskedhowMr.Libbytreatedclassifiedinformation.Isaid,Verycarefully.
Mr.Fitzgeraldaskedmetoexamineaseriesofdocuments.ThoughIcouldnotidentifythemwithcertainty,Isaidthatsomeseemedfamiliar,andthattheymightbeexcerptsfromtheNationalIntelligenceEstimateofIraq'sweapons.Mr.FitzgeraldaskedwhetherMr.Libbyhadshownanyofthedocumentstome.Isaidno,Ididn'tthinkso.IthoughtIrememberedhimatonepointreadingfromapieceofpaperhepulledfromhispocket.
ItoldMr.FitzgeraldthatMr.LibbymighthavethoughtIstillhadsecurityclearance,givenmyspecialembeddedstatusinIraq.Atthesametime,ItoldthegrandjuryIthoughtthatatourJuly8meetingImighthaveexpressedfrustrationtoMr.LibbythatIwasnotpermittedtodiscusswitheditorssomeofthemoresensitiveinformationaboutIraq.
Mr.FitzgeraldaskedmeifIknewwhetherIwasclearedtodiscussclassifiedinformationatthetimeofmymeetingswithMr.Libby.IsaidIdidnotknow.
TheThirdLibbyConversation
MythirdinterviewwithMr.LibbyoccurredonJuly12,twodaysbeforeRobertD.Novak'scolumnidentifiedMs.PlameforthefirsttimeasaC.I.A.operative.IbelieveIspoketoMr.LibbybytelephonefrommyhomeinSagHarbor,N.Y.
ItoldMr.FitzgeraldIbelievedthatbeforethiscall,ImighthavecalledothersaboutMr.Wilson'swife.InmynotebookIhadwrittenthewords"VictoriaWilson"withaboxaroundit,anotherapparentreferencetoMs.Plame,whoisalsoknownasValerieWilson.
ItoldMr.FitzgeraldthatIwasnotsurewhetherMr.LibbyhadusedthisnameorwhetherIjustmadeamistakeinwritingitonmyown.Anotherpossibility,Isaid,isthatIgaveMr.Libbythewrongnameonpurposetoseewhetherhewouldcorrectmeandconfirmheridentity.
IalsotoldthegrandjuryIthoughtitwasoddthatIhadwritten"Wilson"becausemymemoryisthatIhadheardherreferredtoonlyasPlame.Mr.FitzgeraldaskedwhetherthissuggestedthatMr.LibbyhadgivenmethenameWilson.ItoldhimIdidn'tknowanddidn'twanttoguess.
MynotesofthisphonecallshowthatMr.LibbyquicklyturnedtocriticizingMr.Wilson'sreportonhismissiontoNiger.HesaiditwasunclearwhetherMr.WilsonhadspokenwithanyNigerofficialswhohaddealtwithIraq'straderepresentatives.
WiththeunderstandingthatIwouldattributetheinformationtoanadministrationofficial,Mr.LibbyalsosoughttoexplainwhyMr.Bushincludedthedisputeduraniumallegationinhis2003StateoftheUnionaddress,asentenceof16wordsthathisadministrationwouldlaterretract.Mr.LibbydescribeditastheproductofasimplemiscommunicationbetweentheWhiteHouseandtheC.I.A.
Mr.FitzgeraldaskedwhetherIeverpursuedanarticleaboutMr.Wilsonandhiswife.ItoldhimIhadnot,thoughIconsideredherconnectiontotheC.I.A.potentiallynewsworthy.ItestifiedthatIrecalledrecommendingtoeditorsthatwepursueastory.
TimelineoftheLeak:JudithMiller
OneofthecrucialfiguresintheleakinvestigationisJudithMiller,areporterforTheNewYorkTimes.
Mr.FitzgeraldaskedmyreactiontoMr.Novak'scolumn.ItoldthegrandjuryIwasannoyedathavingbeenbeatenonastory.IsaidIfeltthatsinceTheTimeshadrunMr.Wilson'soriginalessay,ithadanobligationtoexploreanyallegationthatundercuthiscredibility.Atthesametime,Iadded,IalsobelievedthatthenewspaperneededtopursuethepossibilitythattheWhiteHousewasunfairlyattackingacriticoftheadministration.
Mr.Libby'sLetter
WhenIwaslastbeforethegrandjury,Mr.FitzgeraldposedaseriesofquestionsaboutaletterIreceivedinjaillastmonthfromMr.Libby.Theletter,twopageslong,encouragedmetotestify."Yourreporting,andyou,aremissed,"itbegins.
Mr.Fitzgeraldaskedmetoreadthefinalthreeparagraphsaloudtothegrandjury."Thepublicreportofeveryotherreporter'stestimonymakesclearthattheydidnotdiscussMs.Plame'snameoridentitywithme,"Mr.Libbywrote.
Theprosecutoraskedmyreactiontothosewords.IrepliedthatthisportionoftheletterhadsurprisedmebecauseitmightbeperceivedasaneffortbyMr.LibbytosuggestthatI,too,wouldsaywehadnotdiscussedMs.Plame'sidentity.Yetmynotessuggestedthatwehaddiscussedherjob.
Mr.Fitzgeraldalsofocusedontheletter'sclosinglines."OutWest,whereyouvacation,theaspenswillalreadybeturning,"Mr.Libbywrote."Theyturninclusters,becausetheirrootsconnectthem."
HowdidIinterpretthat?Mr.Fitzgeraldasked.
Inanswer,ItoldthegrandjuryaboutmylastencounterwithMr.Libby.ItcameinAugust2003,shortlyafterIattendedaconferenceonnationalsecurityissuesheldinAspen,Colo.Aftertheconference,ItraveledtoJacksonHole,Wyo.Atarodeooneafternoon,amaninjeans,acowboyhatandsunglassesapproachedme.HeaskedmehowtheAspenconferencehadgone.Ihadnoideawhohewas.
"Judy,"hesaid."It'sScooterLibby."