Rove learned of Plame’s CIA connections through reporter

In grand jury testimony yesterday, presidential advisor Karl Rove said he learned that Valerie Plame worked for the CIA from other reporters before he spoke with columnist Robert Novak and Time Magazine reporter Matt Cooper.

Rove testified that when Novak asked him about Wilson’s wife working for the CIA, Rove indicated that “he had heard something like that,” according to a recounting of the grand jury testimony.

I don’t know why, but I still get the feeling that the full story isn’t out yet. Even if Rove is telling the truth and another reporter had previously questioned him about Plame’s CIA connections I would have expected one of two things to have happened. First, Rove would have checked into the matter to see if it was, in fact, true and what impact, if any, a reporter’s questioning about an undercover operative would have on our nation’s security. If Rove didn’t do this and/or he confirmed Plame’s identity to other reporters, he was derelict in his duties to the country.

The other issue that doesn’t make sense here is the mysterious third reporter that Rove can’t recall. One would have expected this reporter to have broken the story.

Something just isn’t adding up yet.