More questions that need only be asked

Josh Marshall at TalkingPointsMemo reports on a letter sent by the CIA to Rep. John Conyers, ranking minority member of the House Judiciary Committee. Last September, Conyers had asked the CIA about what contacts it had with the Department of Justice regarding an investigation into the leaking of Valerie Plame's name prior to the time DOJ actually started to look into it.

The CIA's reply, dated January 30, says that the agency first contacted the DOJ by phone on July 24, 2003. That was followed up by a letter on July 30, noting a possible violation of criminal law. Apparently getting either no or an inadequate response, the same letter was faxed to Justice on September 5.

Eleven days later, they again contacted the DOJ to say the CIA had completed its own investigation. The spooks sent a memo summarizing their results and again asking that Justice start a criminal investigation.

Another two weeks went by until, on September 30, the FBI started to investigate.

"Why did it take so long?" Marshall justifiably asks. "Why did the CIA have to press so hard?"

The direct link to the letter is here. It's in .pdf format.