Democrat Says Bolton May Have Mishandled Classified Data

The New York Times ^

[InfoReporter]

WASHINGTON, May 25 - The top Democrat on the Senate Intelligence Committee said today that John R. Bolton might have mishandled classified information by sharing with another State Department official details about a communication intercepted by the National Security Agency.

The assertion, by Senator John D. Rockefeller IV of West Virginia, followed a two-week review of the issue by the committee's staff. Mr. Rockefeller outlined his findings in a three-page letter to the leaders of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, on the same day that the full Senate is beginning debate on Mr. Bolton's nomination as ambassador to the United Nations.

"On at least one occasion," Mr. Rockefeller said in the letter, Mr. Bolton appeared to have shared with another State Department official information he received from the security agency about an intercepted communication. Mr. Rockefeller said Mr. Bolton appeared to have taken the step even though the security agency had directed that "no further action be taken on this information without prior approval of the N.S.A."

Mr. Rockefeller recommended that the Senate Foreign Relations Committee interview Mr. Bolton "to conduct a more complete understanding of the extent to which he may have shared with others" information obtained from the National Security Agency, including identifying information about 19 Americans mentioned in classified intercepts.

Mr. Rockefeller's claim added a critical new allegation to what has already been a contentious debate on Mr. Bolton's nomination. But Republican aides on the Senate Intelligence Committee immediately disputed Mr. Rockefeller's assertion, saying that their own review showed that Mr. Bolton's handling of the information had not been a problem in any way.

Senator Pat Roberts, the Kansas Republican who is chairman of the committee, was expected to send a letter of his own challenging Mr. Rockefeller's findings.

[skeeter]

Here's the NYT, like clockwork.

And with a straight face too.

[Grampa Dave]

To: InfoReporter
"Sooooooo, what's your take on all this?"

Ping us, if you hear from it? :)

[Alberta's Child]

Ping.

[pookie18]

Damn! Bolton was probably counting on Rockefeller's vote too ;-)

[Arrowhead1952]

Something smells like TROLL....

[Just A Nobody]

The NYT quoting TOP Democrats. That's as far as I needed to read.

You left out the IMPORTANT word. ;*)

[Arrowhead1952]

Are you intending to answer any replies??????

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/user-posts?id=209815

[Rosemont]

Desperate effort by the UN worshipping Libs to destroy another partiot and protect their true leader, Kofi Annan.

[Colorado Mike]

I wonder why the good Sen wasn't so watchful and concerned when all those nuke secret went to the Chinese? Oh wait that was on Clintons watch, NBD sorry my bad.... we now return you to you regualrly scheduled rants.... :)

[Lead Moderator]

Will do ;)

[TNCMAXQ]

Oh, well! Rockefeller is a great paragon of virtue his own self. Ha ha.

I am wondering when Mr Bush is just going to get fed up and come out blasting in support of his nominees. I guess it's never going to happen and I sure am disappointed in him.

[Grampa Dave]

Thanks!

Good move on your part!

[Lead Moderator]

Welcome ;)

[johnb838]

Maybe some of the members ought to trot upstairs and have a look at the FBI files, they'll see there's a problem right there.

[retarmy]

Let me ask you all two questions.

1. Are you Bolton supporters because he is the best person for the job, or because the President wants him?

2. Why are you worried about Bolton anyway? The biggest issue is the UN itself. If we get out of it, and let them go their own way we would be much better off.

[jrestrepo]

But Sandy Burger stole documents and put them in his pants...

[Paine in the Neck]

Sandy Berger, John Deutsch, Pat Leahy...just off the top of my head.

[Phantom Lord]

immediate impeachment of Senator Reid for his use of Henry Saad's FBI file during the confirmation debate.

If Harry Reid looked at the file he did so illegally and should be charged accordingly.

And to borrow from Howard Dean, 'He should go back to Nevada to serve his jail sentence.'

[JeffersonRepublic.com]

Watch out! Here comes the big gun Lead Moderator. I wouldn't expect him to answer your question - Looks like a post-and-run troll.

[OB1kNOb]

"...The top Democrat on the Senate Intelligence Committee said today that John R. Bolton might have mishandled classified information.... Mr. Rockefeller said in the letter, Mr. Bolton appeared to have shared with another State Department official information he received from the security agency about an intercepted communication..."

Might have? Appeared to have?

Rockefeller makes Joseph McCarthy look like a rookie. McCarthyism is alive and well in the DemoncRat Party. I wish Bolton had some recourse where he could sue Rockefeller later when these allegations are proven untrue. Slander is slander IMHO.