Attorney General John D. Ashcroft demanded yesterday that the FBI begin the investigation quickly. He was infuriated by a news report quoting an FBI official saying the bureau intended to move slowly because of the high-profile nature of the newly opened investigation, an Ashcroft aide said. The aide said Ashcroft directed an assistant to call FBI Director Robert S. Mueller III and inform him "that is not the way we are treating this at all."

The White House has turned aside calls for the appointment of a special counsel from Democrats on Capitol Hill, who argue that Ashcroft has a conflict of interest in investigating other [Bush] administration officials. Ashcroft has said the case is being directed by career attorneys in the Justice Department's counterespionage section, though he has left open the possibility of naming a special counsel if information emerges that creates a clear conflict of interest.

[Joseph C. Wilson IV] publicly charged that Karl Rove, the president's senior adviser, is responsible for leaking [Valerie Plame]'s name to reporters -- a charge Rove has flatly denied -- as part of an effort to retaliate against Wilson. Wilson has since backpedaled, saying he believes Rove condoned the leak. [Scott McClellan] also has been questioned in recent days about I. Lewis Libby, chief of staff to Vice President Cheney. McClellan has refused to discuss possible involvement by Libby or anyone else.