Lawmaker wants New York Times to be prosecuted

Chron.com ^ | June 25, 2006 | FAYE FIORE

[Logical me]

Not only the NYT Times should be prosecuted but people who hold classified info should know better than not to tell them anything since they are untrustworthy....

The oath they take strictly prohibits them from disclosing national security issues. Their conduct is criminal and must be prosecuted.

[marlon]

"The NY Times fully supports the War on The War on Terror"

Exactly they just happen to be supporting the islamopignazis.

[Logical me]

On second thought, all the tools for prosecution is there, why is the Senate or the DJ sitting on their thumbs. Something really smells here, and in the meantime our basic security is being jeopardized.

[Gone GF]

OK, why aren't we calling for prosectuion of WSJ as well? They ran the same information on their front page the same day as the NYT.

[brownsfan]

"OK, why aren't we calling for prosectuion of WSJ as well? "

I'd be ok with that. I think the NY Times has set itself out from the pack as far as being the most brazen in it's attempts to harm US military efforts.

[carolinablonde]

It is not illegal for the NY Times to publish classified information divulged to them by a source. It is illegal for whoever divulged the information to do so.

The DoJ can question the reporters as to who their sources were and, if they refuse to answer, they can be jailed until they are ready to give this information.

While what the Times did is morally reprehensible, it is not illegal.

[Gone GF]

"While what the Times did is morally reprehensible, it is not illegal."

Actually, I agree with you that what they did probably is not illegal. However, I am mystified that everybody who's calling for prosecution doesn't even mention WSJ. The WSJ is fairly conservative (at least editorially) and yet they ran the same story as the NYT.

[R.W.Ratikal]

This is a no-win for the Bush administration. The NYT's days are probably numbered. Readers have left the paper in such large numbers that entire forests remain standing that formerly went into each 40 pound issue.

Still, the paper's owners and editors as well as the leakers should be tried for subversion and for damaging the nation's security and ability to defend itself.

[Rockiette]

Millions of Americans would love to see the America-haters and arrogant media prosecuted by the Whitehouse. Carl Levin should be carefully investigated for leaking the initial information to the Slimes. ENOUGH! Do something to stop these traitors.

[JeffAtlanta]

It seems that the sources should be the ones punished, not the newspapers that are publishing the stories.

If newspapers are able to extract secrets from our government employees then we know that our enemies must be able to do it with ease. That is disturbing.

The NY Times may not be the most patriotic media source in the country, but our government employees need to be better controlled. Prison time after the fact isn't an effective deterrent - procedures need to be put in place to prevent it from ever happening in the first place.

In the case the NY Times is just the messenger - we should fix the leaks rather than trying to just shoot the messenger.

[carolinablonde]

"The WSJ is fairly conservative (at least editorially) and yet they ran the same story as the NYT."

My impression was that the WSJ picked the story up from the Times. Perhaps that is incorrect.

I think the key word in your sentence is "editorially". Their staff reporters often seem to be more in line with the opinions of those at the NYT or WaPo.

[GretchenM]

bttt

[Gone GF]

The WSJ story was written by a WSJ staffer.

[carolinablonde]

Then you are correct. The WSJ is just as culpable.

[Gone GF]

The problem to me is that this points how everything just seems to be a political game. The Republicans and conservative columnists who are calling for prosecution of the NYT (at least the ones I've read about) don't say a word about the WSJ. I can only assume this is because they see the NYT as an enemy and WSJ as more of a friend, and they know the NYT is seen more as part of the "MSM" than the WSJ. If they were truly serious and outraged, they'd be calling for prosecution of all.

[SmoothTalker]

A slippery slope to get on and one that could really come back to bite us doing a democratic administration.

[bragginright]

So the governmnt tells the NY Times not to print this story because it would damage national security and the editor's response is that he thought the request was "half-hearted" and that he found their argument "puzzling"?

Wow. I'm sure that would stand up in court.

Keller needs to be frog-marched out of the Times building as he undoubtedly wanted to see done to Rove.