Ex-CIA Official: He may sue author for taping interview without permission.

Do's and don'ts:

You can:
• Ask the reporter what the story is about
• Ask for some sample questions to help you prepare
• Ask for some time to gather background material that will help the interview
• Ask a reporter to read back your quotes at the end of the interview to make sure that the reporter understood what you were saying.
• Ask a reporter to check the facts with you, especially if you are the expert on the topic, or if the topic is complicated to the average person .

You can’t:
• Tape record an interview without everyone’s permission
• Ask a reporter to let you read his or her notes
• Ask a reporter to change quotes that you suddenly realize you shouldn’t have given. Make sure that what you say to a reporter is what you want to say.
• Ask a reporter to let you read the story before it is published – a big no-no.

The Public Record:

The former CIA official at the center of a groundbreaking new book that alleges the White House asked the CIA to forge a letter showing a link between Iraq and al-Qaeda in order to justify the March 2003 invasion said he was never informed that the interview he agreed to give the author was recorded.

Rob Richer, the CIA's former associate deputy director of operations, said in a lengthy statement Friday rebutting some of the more explosive charges in the book attributed to him that he plans to consult an attorney to determine whether he has a case against author and Pulitzer Prize winning journalist Ron Suskind for recording an interview with the ex-spy without his permission.

"It is clear that he did record some of our conversations – but at no time did he inform me that he was doing so or seek my permission," Richer said in a statement. "I plan to consult counsel about the legality of his action."