Vice President Dick Cheney's former aide has pleaded not guilty to charges stemming from the CIA leak investigation.
"With respect, your honor, I plead not guilty," Mr Lewis Libby told federal Judge Reggie Walton after asked how he would plead on the charges during a 10-minute arraignment.
Judge Walton set a full status hearing in the case for February 3rd next.
Mr Cheney and other top White House officials could be called to testify at a trial and Mr Libby faces a maximum sentence of up to 30 years in prison.
He resigned last week as Mr Cheney's longtime chief of staff after being indicted on five counts of obstructing justice, perjury and lying in the two-year investigation into the leak of covert CIA operative Valerie Plame's identity.
Ms Plame's identity was leaked to the media in July 2003 after her diplomat husband, Joseph Wilson, accused the Bush administration of twisting intelligence on weapons of mass destruction to justify the war in Iraq.
Before any trial, Mr Libby could still try to cut a deal with special counsel Patrick Fitzgerald on lesser charges, lawyers in the case said.
President Bush's top political adviser, Karl Rove, was not indicted last Friday along with Mr Libby. But lawyers involved in the case said Mr Rove remained under investigation and may still be charged in the case.
Mr Fitzgerald is expected to inform Mr Rove of a decision in coming weeks.