Was IDing Agent Unethical?
Editors Weigh in on Novak ColumnBy Joe StruppAs the Justice Department investigates who leaked the identity of a CIA agent to columnist Robert Novak and perhaps five other journalists, ethical questions have arisen over whether Novak should have printed the name. Experts also wonder if the reporters who didn’t publish the leak should have reported the leaker to federal authorities, and if the agent’s identity has any news value anyway.Although Novak’s column — which disclosed the identity of the CIA operative wife of retired diplomat Joseph Wilson — ran more than two months ago, it drew new attention this week after U.S. Attorney General John Ashcroft announced that a federal investigation had begun into finding the Bush administration officials who reportedly disclosed her identity to Novak. In his column, Novak discussed the work of Wilson and reported that “two senior administration officials” had revealed the identity of Wilson’s wife to Novak.Newspaper veterans and journalistic
