Ex-State Department official confirms he was leak source in CIA scandal News
Ex-State Department official confirms he was leak source in CIA scandal

[JURIST] Former Deputy Secretary of State Richard Armitage [official profile] personally admitted to leaking the identity of CIA agent Valerie Plame Wilson during a phone interview on Thursday. Armitage apologized for the leak, which he maintains was unintentional. Armitage said the admission came during interviews with reporters Bob Woodward and Robert Nowak, when asked why Mr. Wilson, an ambassador, was assigned to a mission to Niger, Armitage says he responded that Wilson's wife "works out there." In late August, a lawyer for Armitage admitted Armitage was the source [JURIST report] of the confidential information.

Special Counsel Patrick Fitzgerald [official website], the prosecutor who led the investigation into the leak of Plame's identity, never brought charges against any official under statutes prohibiting the willful disclosure of CIA officers. Former vice-presidential aide I. Lewis "Scooter" Libby [defense profile] was charged last year with obstruction of justice and perjury [PDF indictment; JURIST report] in connection with Fitzgerald's investigation. Libby has pleaded not guilty [JURIST report] and has requested a one-month delay in his trial [JURIST report], which is now scheduled to begin in February. Critics have said that Libby may have told reporters about Plame's identity in retaliation for statements made by her husband that undermined the Bush administration's position that Iraq was seeking uranium for their nuclear weapons program. Columnist Robert Novak revealed Plame's CIA affiliation eight days after Wilson went public with his allegations. AP has more.

THIS DAY @ LAW

Indian National Congress founded

The Indian National Congress (INC) was founded on December 28, 1885 in Bombay (now Mumbai), India. In subsequent decades, the so-called Congress Party would advocate for Indian independence from the UK, which was eventually achieved in 1947. The first Prime Minister of independent India, Jawaharlal Nehru, was elected as a member of the INC. Learn more about the history and founding of the Indian National Congress.

Congress recognized Pledge of Allegiance

On December 28, 1945, Congress officially recognized the Pledge of Allegiance and encouraged its recitation in schools. The Pledge was supposedly written in 1892 by Francis Bellamy, a Baptist minister, to celebrate the 400th anniversary of Columbus Day. The words “under God” were added by Congress in 1954. The revised version of the Pledge was the subject of litigation before the United States Supreme Court originally brought by Michael Newdow, a parent who unsuccessfully objected to his daughter's school district policy requiring daily recitation of the Pledge. The court ruled that Newdow had no standing.

Nepal ends monarchy, establishes republic

On December 28, 2007, the Kingdom of Nepal's interim parliament ended the country's monarchy and established the Republic of Nepal. Free elections were held on April 10 of the following year to elect a Constituent Assembly.

Learn more about the rise of democracy in Nepal.