Oh I really think that Risen is just a pawn.
He knows it is illegal what he is doing. But he probably feels like he is now part of something much larger and will be protected. But he does not realize what he is doing. A stenographer just puts it out there. He can claim that he was just writing what he was told to write.
The ramifications are irrelivent. The end goal the the justificaiton of everything that they do. Their stupid " just a leak to let the American people know what was going on " is insane! That means that really nothing can be " Classified " because it would not mean anything ( with thier argument) to the party that let the information out.
They pee onthemselves to hang Libby for Plame....hell in their eyes Libby should he heralded as a Whistleblower!
Sure, , ,but what are friends for. particularly those who share the inferior philosophy whereby any means is justified to accomplish a goal.
Despite their best if not damnable efforts, national securiity is NOT a 'level playing field that anyone can play on.