There's a leaker on the loose in the White House but Bob Novak is playing it coy. It's hardly the first time -- because he's hardly a journalist.

» Novak's Right Wing Connections

» Novak knew he blew Plame's cover

» Novak Reveals Sources If He Wants To

» Richard Perle and the Leaks of the 1970s

» Karl Rove and Novak: They've Talked Before

» Leaker on The Loose: Conservatives Say Leakers Belong in Jail

Richard Perle and the Leaks of the 1970s

Richard Perle reportedly used Evans and Novak to leak classified information in the 1970's – and is now a member of the board of Hollinger, which owns the Chicago Sun-Times, the home newspaper of Novak's syndicated column.

Richard Perle was the chief suspect in another Novak-assisted leak of classified information in December 1975: "Novak, with his late partner Rowland Evans, got the classified leak -- that President Gerald R. Ford and Secretary of State Henry Kissinger were ready to make concessions to the Soviet Union to save the SALT II treaty. Donald H. Rumsfeld, then, as now, the secretary of defense, intervened to block Kissinger." Perle at the time was "an influential aide to Sen. Henry 'Scoop' Jackson (D-Wash.) ... The account was described in a 1977 article in The Washington Post, noting Perle's 'special access' to Evans and Novak." ["Novak Leak Column Has Familiar Sound," The Washington Post, October 07, 2003]

Evans and Novak were "chief recipients" of classifed leaks: "Evans and Novak, the National Journal wrote in 1979, were among the three 'chief recipients' of classified leaks from Perle." The 1977 Post article stated: "Several sources in Congress and the executive branch who regard Perle as an opponent said that he and his allies make masterful use of the Evans and Novak column. One congressional aide who tries to counter Perle's and Jackson's influence on arms issues said the Evans and Novak 'connection' helps Perle create a 'murky, threatening atmosphere' in his dealings with others." ["Novak Leak Column Has Familiar Sound," The Washington Post, October 07, 2003]

Perle, Kissinger still tied to Novak via Hollinger: Richard Perle – who was suspected of leaking classified information to Novak and Evans in the 1970's -- and Henry Kissinger – whose intentions were leaked about in the 1975 incident -- are both members of the board of Hollinger International, which currently owns Novak's "home" newspaper, the Chicago Sun-Times. Perle has been on the board since 1994, and Kissinger has been on the board since 1996. [Hollinger International Board Profile]

Perle and Bush: Perle is currently "a member of the Pentagon's Defense Policy Board and a confidant of neoconservatives in the Bush administration." ["Novak Leak Column Has Familiar Sound," The Washington Post, October 07, 2003]

Perle Denies Role in Plame Incident: "There is no indication that Perle, though a prominent administration adviser, has any connection to the current leak, that of the identity of a CIA agent. In fact, he does not fit Novak's description of the recent leakers as 'senior administration officials.' Perle, through his assistant, said that he never spoke to Novak about the matter involving former ambassador Joseph C. Wilson IV, and that he had been unaware of the identity of Wilson's wife, the exposed CIA agent." ["Novak Leak Column Has Familiar Sound," The Washington Post, October 07, 2003]