Here we go with Ms. Martin's testimony..
Trying to get her to reconstruct the two Harlow conversations. Do you recall those conversations. Describe the conversations you had.
H: First was pleasant [emphasizes] I had never spoken to him before, talked about press reports, I was asking him, "we didn't send him." so I was saying to him, you must have sent him, who is this guy, what are you saying to the press, they're not taking my word for it. I remember him being, I didn't know who he [Wilson] was either, but apparently his name is Joe Wilson he was a charge in Baghdad, and his wife works over here. I understand charge to be diplomat who works overseas. Had been a charge, former is my recollection of what that meant. Has notes, but the notes don't have a precise date. Asked to see VP and shortly thereafter told him and Scooter was there as well, told them what I had learned. It was the same day. I remember going into VP's office Scooter was there which was pretty normal. He told me Ambassador's name and apparently he was a charge and his wife works at CIA. Don't remember any specific response.
F: Other conversation
M: Calling Harlow to find out who was continuing to call on this story. BC story continuing to be written, we OVP still in as having sent him or traveling at behest of. Press stopped calling our office, this became truth, I think I called NSC first and then called Harlow, I can't specifically connect all this. Harlow was a little less friendly told me who was calling him, Mitchell and David Martin were working on story. Week of July 7.
F: reviews this. early call with Harlow, later (during week of July 6) conversation with Anton, then Harlow.
M: Week of July 7 was a busy week. I had more contact with Scooter it was particularly busy because no one was around and there was a lot going on in the press. My staff would do a search for stories that reference VP and they would cut and paste into word document to see what media was saying. Cutting and pasting, electronically cut and paste.
F: Ordinarily see newspaper articles cut out of newspapers in VP office
M: Not that often
M: Sometime during that week we began monitoring TV, mostly monitoring print, normally just print. TV transcripts take longer to put up, so we weren't looking for TV. That week we started keeping track of TV. Some point had a conversation VP told me to keep track of this story, the commentators that were continuing to write on this story, and talk about us. Just myself, VP and Scooter. Occurred on Tuesday or Wednesday of that week. There's a document I've seen that helped me place the date of that.
11:56pm ET
H: First was pleasant [emphasizes] I had never spoken to him before, talked about press reports, I was asking him, "we didn't send him." so I was saying to him, you must have sent him, who is this guy, what are you saying to the press, they're not taking my word for it. I remember him being, I didn't know who he [Wilson] was either, but apparently his name is Joe Wilson he was a charge in Baghdad, and his wife works over here. I understand charge to be diplomat who works overseas. Had been a charge, former is my recollection of what that meant. Has notes, but the notes don't have a precise date. Asked to see VP and shortly thereafter told him and Scooter was there as well, told them what I had learned. It was the same day. I remember going into VP's office Scooter was there which was pretty normal. He told me Ambassador's name and apparently he was a charge and his wife works at CIA. Don't remember any specific response.
F: Other conversation
M: Calling Harlow to find out who was continuing to call on this story. BC story continuing to be written, we OVP still in as having sent him or traveling at behest of. Press stopped calling our office, this became truth, I think I called NSC first and then called Harlow, I can't specifically connect all this. Harlow was a little less friendly told me who was calling him, Mitchell and David Martin were working on story. Week of July 7.
F: reviews this. early call with Harlow, later (during week of July 6) conversation with Anton, then Harlow.
M: Week of July 7 was a busy week. I had more contact with Scooter it was particularly busy because no one was around and there was a lot going on in the press. My staff would do a search for stories that reference VP and they would cut and paste into word document to see what media was saying. Cutting and pasting, electronically cut and paste.
F: Ordinarily see newspaper articles cut out of newspapers in VP office
M: Not that often
M: Sometime during that week we began monitoring TV, mostly monitoring print, normally just print. TV transcripts take longer to put up, so we weren't looking for TV. That week we started keeping track of TV. Some point had a conversation VP told me to keep track of this story, the commentators that were continuing to write on this story, and talk about us. Just myself, VP and Scooter. Occurred on Tuesday or Wednesday of that week. There's a document I've seen that helped me place the date of that.
11:56pm ET
Update 2:
F: introduces document
M: Refreshes my memory that this conversation occurred on or before July. I'd forward transcripts as soon as we got them, forward to VP assistant and Scooter's assistant. Scooter's Mayfield, VP's Jenny Hayden (sp). MSNBC's transcripts were particularly slow. We were paying attention to Hardball with Matthews, he had been talking about it.
F: Did you try to get info faster?
M: My press assistants were the ones doing the work. Service in WH Press office, if you want to see something, can send you shadow TV clip, you can watch it on your computer. On a couple of occasions Hannah Seeman would pull it there's a close caption very rough transcript. She would transcribe it herself. I'd send them on when they were done.
F: Requests for updates on transcripts?
M: I don't remember receiving them, my staff continued to get requests for more information. For a period of time after the July 6 appearance. Often came from Jenny Mayfield. I don't have a specific recollection of taking notes, but I did take some notes on evening news broadcasts. What topics were you following: the topic of 16 words, SOTU, general story of whether or not those 16 words should have been in SOTU–the whole story.
F: Talking points?? Did you share with WH.
M: Yes. Shared talking points with Ari for him to use in morning briefing that day was the gaggle, sent them on to Ari so he'd have the points about us not having sent this man, he would inevitably send them on.
F: What's a gaggle [Holden?]
M: explains the difference between gaggle and briefing. Gaggle is televised now–it's televised internally, I don't think it shows up on broadcast, but briefing is.
F: Outside world, gaggle is not televised but briefing is.
M: Yes.
F: introduces another exhibit
M: Email sent to Ari Fleischer to give him the points responding to Joe Wilson.
12:03pm ET
M: Refreshes my memory that this conversation occurred on or before July. I'd forward transcripts as soon as we got them, forward to VP assistant and Scooter's assistant. Scooter's Mayfield, VP's Jenny Hayden (sp). MSNBC's transcripts were particularly slow. We were paying attention to Hardball with Matthews, he had been talking about it.
F: Did you try to get info faster?
M: My press assistants were the ones doing the work. Service in WH Press office, if you want to see something, can send you shadow TV clip, you can watch it on your computer. On a couple of occasions Hannah Seeman would pull it there's a close caption very rough transcript. She would transcribe it herself. I'd send them on when they were done.
F: Requests for updates on transcripts?
M: I don't remember receiving them, my staff continued to get requests for more information. For a period of time after the July 6 appearance. Often came from Jenny Mayfield. I don't have a specific recollection of taking notes, but I did take some notes on evening news broadcasts. What topics were you following: the topic of 16 words, SOTU, general story of whether or not those 16 words should have been in SOTU–the whole story.
F: Talking points?? Did you share with WH.
M: Yes. Shared talking points with Ari for him to use in morning briefing that day was the gaggle, sent them on to Ari so he'd have the points about us not having sent this man, he would inevitably send them on.
F: What's a gaggle [Holden?]
M: explains the difference between gaggle and briefing. Gaggle is televised now–it's televised internally, I don't think it shows up on broadcast, but briefing is.
F: Outside world, gaggle is not televised but briefing is.
M: Yes.
F: introduces another exhibit
M: Email sent to Ari Fleischer to give him the points responding to Joe Wilson.
12:03pm ET
Update 3:
Email on the screen
M: reads this:
VP did not request the mission
Was not informed
Did not recieve briefing
Not aware of Wilson's mission until recent press reports accounted for it.
Hey! Ari's real first name is "Lawrence."
M: had already been using these, based on conversations with Scooter. I sent it bc of Wilson's Sunday blitz.
F: Later talking points, brings it to her, shows it to her. She drinks water, frowning. Sits back. F brings up several other notes. She's looking to the side, can't tell who's she's looking at. blinking. Shakes her head. More blinking.
Enters talking points, and handwritten notes of talking points.
F: When and how did you create this.
M: Week of July 7, meeting with VP on the Hill, we had another staff meeting, so we were in on Capitol Hill. Talked to VP about press inquiries and reports related to Wilson matter. He dictated to me what he wanted me to say.
Published on board.
Not clear who authorized travel
Did not travel at my request
Apparently unpaid
Never saw document allegedly trying to verify
He was convinced Niger could not have provided uranium to Iraq but in fact they did in 1980s 200 tons under IAEA seal
No written report
VP unaware of trip, conclusions, until Spring 03
As late as October considered judgment was that SH [Saddam Hussein] had indeed undertaken vigorous effort to acquire uranium from Africa–according to NIE.
There's a question mark in the margin, F asks, did he dictate question mark.
M: I didn't know if I could use that (#8) because it was classified.
12:11pm ET
Update 4:
M: reads this:
VP did not request the mission
Was not informed
Did not recieve briefing
Not aware of Wilson's mission until recent press reports accounted for it.
Hey! Ari's real first name is "Lawrence."
M: had already been using these, based on conversations with Scooter. I sent it bc of Wilson's Sunday blitz.
F: Later talking points, brings it to her, shows it to her. She drinks water, frowning. Sits back. F brings up several other notes. She's looking to the side, can't tell who's she's looking at. blinking. Shakes her head. More blinking.
Enters talking points, and handwritten notes of talking points.
F: When and how did you create this.
M: Week of July 7, meeting with VP on the Hill, we had another staff meeting, so we were in on Capitol Hill. Talked to VP about press inquiries and reports related to Wilson matter. He dictated to me what he wanted me to say.
Published on board.
Not clear who authorized travel
Did not travel at my request
Apparently unpaid
Never saw document allegedly trying to verify
He was convinced Niger could not have provided uranium to Iraq but in fact they did in 1980s 200 tons under IAEA seal
No written report
VP unaware of trip, conclusions, until Spring 03
As late as October considered judgment was that SH [Saddam Hussein] had indeed undertaken vigorous effort to acquire uranium from Africa–according to NIE.
There's a question mark in the margin, F asks, did he dictate question mark.
M: I didn't know if I could use that (#8) because it was classified.
12:11pm ET
Update 4:
M: version of my typed up talking points. with some handwritten edits.
F: Whose handwriting?
M: Part of it's mine, and some handwriting in margins that looks like it might be Scooter's.
Published this on screen
F: What's different about text?
M: I completed the sentences. CLeaned them up. Under the second bullet–those are the bullets that I had sent to Ari Fleischer, our basic talking points. WRT rest of typed documnets. completing sentences. Crossed out "as late as October" and wrote in Libby's handwriting "6 months after his." Wilson 3 points: #3-1999. (looks like 1991). New last bullet says, "Six months after the Joe Wilson trip."
Shows an updated version of these talking points, with the words changed to "Six months after the Joe Wilson trip."
M: 523 is the final product with the changes that were made.
F: You mentioned you had a conversation with Harlow. Can you describe what you did following that phone call.
M: Going to VP to give an update, it was an unscheduled visit, talked to VP and Scooter, I wasn't getting any calls directly, Mitchell and Martin doing pieces for Evening News. Discussed with them should we try to talk to them and make sure they don't repeat the things we think are false. Should we make sure we're part of the story. General consensus was "yes" and Scooter would call them back. And Libby would call them back. VP made the decision to have Scooter call them back. Went into VP ante-office, Scooter has a little office there. Scooter called one of the reporters, I was there for the portion of one of the calls. I believe this was July 8. I left, I had a lot of phone calls I still needed to return. I was still not certain about NIE and was a little uncomfortable talking about the NIE and I was aggravated that Scooter that I was calling reporters and I wasn't.[I assume Emptywheel meant "he wasn't" as in Scooter]
She shrugs, looks really uncomfortable, looks from side to side.
Sidebar.
12:18pm ET
F: Whose handwriting?
M: Part of it's mine, and some handwriting in margins that looks like it might be Scooter's.
Published this on screen
F: What's different about text?
M: I completed the sentences. CLeaned them up. Under the second bullet–those are the bullets that I had sent to Ari Fleischer, our basic talking points. WRT rest of typed documnets. completing sentences. Crossed out "as late as October" and wrote in Libby's handwriting "6 months after his." Wilson 3 points: #3-1999. (looks like 1991). New last bullet says, "Six months after the Joe Wilson trip."
Shows an updated version of these talking points, with the words changed to "Six months after the Joe Wilson trip."
M: 523 is the final product with the changes that were made.
F: You mentioned you had a conversation with Harlow. Can you describe what you did following that phone call.
M: Going to VP to give an update, it was an unscheduled visit, talked to VP and Scooter, I wasn't getting any calls directly, Mitchell and Martin doing pieces for Evening News. Discussed with them should we try to talk to them and make sure they don't repeat the things we think are false. Should we make sure we're part of the story. General consensus was "yes" and Scooter would call them back. And Libby would call them back. VP made the decision to have Scooter call them back. Went into VP ante-office, Scooter has a little office there. Scooter called one of the reporters, I was there for the portion of one of the calls. I believe this was July 8. I left, I had a lot of phone calls I still needed to return. I was still not certain about NIE and was a little uncomfortable talking about the NIE and I was aggravated that Scooter that I was calling reporters and I wasn't.[I assume Emptywheel meant "he wasn't" as in Scooter]
She shrugs, looks really uncomfortable, looks from side to side.
Sidebar.
12:18pm ET
Update 5:
Looks like the sidebar was about the NIE declassification.
F Is it fair to say you weren't part of conversations about declassifying NIE
M: I had urged them to get it declassified.
F: You weren't present at meetings where it was declassified. You're only testifying that in your mind there was a doubt, it was shaping what you did. You didn't ask if it was declassified.
Martin kind of slinking in chair. Jury dismissed until 1:40. But there will be discussions.
Martin standing, watiing to be dismissed, arms folded. pulls sweater down (she's wearing black sweater and shirt, light grey jacket, rather preppy outfit).
Walton. Which instruction am I being asked to give? Initial, revised, and government's version?
Walton. Why don't we come back at 1:30, see if you can work something out, if you can't I'll come up with some instruction.
Break for lunch!!!
M: I had urged them to get it declassified.
F: You weren't present at meetings where it was declassified. You're only testifying that in your mind there was a doubt, it was shaping what you did. You didn't ask if it was declassified.
Martin kind of slinking in chair. Jury dismissed until 1:40. But there will be discussions.
Martin standing, watiing to be dismissed, arms folded. pulls sweater down (she's wearing black sweater and shirt, light grey jacket, rather preppy outfit).
Walton. Which instruction am I being asked to give? Initial, revised, and government's version?
Walton. Why don't we come back at 1:30, see if you can work something out, if you can't I'll come up with some instruction.
Break for lunch!!!
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