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-- Why did Rove previously deny his involvement in the Plame controversy? The DNC noted that in August 2004, Rove told reporters he didn't know Plame's name in July 2003 and did not leak her name.

But the DNC isn't buying that: "Since Wilson obviously had only one wife and everyone knew who it was, Rove unquestionably did identify Plame."

The DNC also is angry with White House Press Secretary Scott McClellen.

In October 2003, McClellan was asked at a White House briefing, "Scott, earlier this week you told us that neither Karl Rove, Elliot Abrams nor Lewis Libby disclosed any classified information with regard to the [Valerie Plame] leak. I wondered if you could tell us more specifically whether any of them told any reporter that Valerie Plame worked for the CIA?"

McClellan responded: "Those individuals -- I talked, I spoke with those individuals, as I pointed out, and those individuals assured me they were not involved in this. And that's where it stands."

"Did Rove commit perjury in front of the grand jury?" the DNC is now asking. "We know his initial public statements and his statements to Scott McClellan were false. And we know that after testifying once, they (the grand jury) called him back. Did Rove change his answers to the grand jury the same way he changed his answers to the press?"

Suspend Rove's security clearance

Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW), a group with ties to Democrats, has sent a letter to President Bush, asking him to immediately suspend Karl Rove's security clearance, pending the outcome of the federal investigation into the leak of Valerie Plame's name.

"The evidence uncovered so far raises serious questions about Mr. Rove's conduct and his ability to safeguard highly sensitive classified information," Melanie Sloan, executive director of CREW, said in a press release.

"Until those questions are resolved, CREW believes it is not appropriate for Mr. Rove to have continued access to classified information. Anything short of suspension raises an unacceptable risk to our nation's security," Sloan wrote to Bush.

The White House is not commenting on the allegations involving Rove, citing the ongoing grand jury investigation.

President Bush previously said he would deal with anyone in his administration who leaked sensitive information.

"If somebody did leak classified information, I'd like to know it, and we'll take the appropriate action," Bush said on Sept. 30, 2003. He called the investigation into the leak, launched that same day, "a good thing."

The White House is not likely to do anything or say anything more until that federal investigation is complete, but Democrats and liberal interest groups -- furious at the Bush administration for a number of reasons -- are not expected to let the matter rest.

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