Thanks to the commotion caused by the leak case, that damning evidence has slowly dribbled out.

Ms. Ralston has also testified at least twice before the grand jury in the leak case.

But they were clearly buoyed by what they called the closing of one uncomfortable chapter in the leak case.

Last week two major polls came up with the identical finding, that roughly 8 in 10 Americans regard the leak case as a serious matter.

A lawyer sympathetic to the Government's view said: "This isn't a leak case.

His appearance came as the special counsel weighs whether to charge anyone with a crime in the leak case before the grand jury's term expires.

"Rove testifies for the fifth time before grand jury in leak case."

Investigators in leak cases focus on government employees because they almost never succeed in obtaining information from reporters about their sources.

In the leak case, it was the director of ethics in the general counsel's office who directed the investigation.

Mr. Rove is the only person known to remain under scrutiny in the leak case.