CNN’s Novak will move to Fox News

Conservative pundit Robert Novak, whose 2003 column identifying a former CIA officer triggered an ongoing federal leak investigation, is leaving CNN at the end of the year, the network announced Friday.

Novak, who is departing at the end of his 25th year at the network, will be taking a job as a commentator for rival Fox News in the beginning of 2006, he said in an interview. Novak hasn’t appeared on air since the summer, when he was suspended by CNN after he stormed off the set of a network show.

Novak said that he and CNN officials decided jointly that it was time for him to move on.

“I think there was a mutual agreement on both sides, a desire to terminate the relationship on friendly terms,” he said.

“I have a great deal of sentiment for CNN,” added the 74-year-old syndicated columnist. “They treated me very nicely and I worked very hard for them. All things come to an end and I have no grievances.”

In a statement, CNN/U.S. President Jonathan Klein praised Novak for his “incisive analysis.” “We appreciate his many contributions and wish him well in future endeavors,” Klein said.

Novak was mostly recently co-host of “Crossfire” and a panelist on “The Capital Gang,” both of which were canceled this summer. He continued to offer analysis on other CNN programs until August, when he blurted out an expletive and stormed off the set of “Inside Politics” after exchanging words with Democratic strategist James Carville.

Novak later apologized, but CNN called his behavior “unacceptable” and suspended his appearances.

“I’m sorry that was my last appearance on the network,” he said Friday, adding that the incident was not related to his departure.

“All my programs have been canceled that I was part of and my contract was ending, so I had pretty well decided I was going to leave the network, and I think they wanted me to leave,” Novak added.

While he plans to scale back his television work, Novak said he decided to take a position at Fox to have “some outlet on television.”

“We’ve had discussions over the years, and I thought it would be a good fit,” he said.

A Fox spokeswoman confirmed that Novak will be a general contributor at the network, starting the first week of January, but no specifics were given about what shows he might appear on or when.

Novak said he also plans to continue writing his syndicated column three times a week and finish his memoirs, which are scheduled to be published next fall. As to whether his autobiography will address the most pressing question -- who leaked him the name of former CIA operative Valerie Plame -- he would only say, “Who knows? It’s a possibility.”

“I don’t think I will ever reveal the source, but somebody else might,” he added.

Novak’s column set off an investigation by special prosecutor Patrick J. Fitzgerald that eventually resulted in the indictment of former vice presidential Chief of Staff I. Lewis “Scooter” Libby on perjury and other charges and the jailing of former New York Times reporter Judith Miller.

Novak backtracked from a statement he made this week during an address to a conservative think tank in Raleigh, N.C., when he said that he is “confident” President Bush knows who his source is. The White House dismissed his claim.

Novak said Friday that he had just been speculating and that he regretted the comment.

“I was very indiscreet and let my mind wander,” he said. “It was really a stupid thing to say, because I don’t know. I have no idea. I was acting like the last guy at the bar and just mouthing off.”