Posted on 12/22/2005 10:33:26 AM PST by shield
The Justice Department has launched a criminal investigation into whether Democratic Senators Dick Durbin, Jay Rockefeller and Ron Wyden leaked details about a secret "black ops" CIA satellite program last December in a move that may have seriously compromised national security, former Deputy Undersecretary of Defense Jed Babbin said on Saturday.
"The CIA made a request to the Justice Department to investigate and possibly bring criminal charges against these three [senators]," Babbin told WABC Radio host Monica Crowley. "My information is that investigation is ongoing."
Rockefeller is the vice chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee and Durbin is the No. 2-ranking Democrat in the Senate.
Media reports on the satellite leak last December indicated that the Bush administration was concerned about public comments by Durbin, Rockefeller and Wyden and that the CIA had requested a Justice Department probe.
"The formal request for a leaks investigation would target people who described sensitive details about a new generation of spy satellites to The Washington Post, which published a page-one story about the espionage program Saturday [Dec. 11, 2004]," a Justice Department official told The Associated Press at the time.
But the same official told the AP that Justice "has not decided whether to investigate."
Former Deputy Undersecretary Babbin's comments on Saturday were the first indication that such a probe was actually launched and is ongoing.
"The fact of the matter is that [Durbin, Rockefeller and Wyden] divulged something that was above and beyond top secret and frankly, they probably blew the strategy and the hundreds of millions of dollars that were being spent to pursue it," Babbin told Crowley.
"The acknowledgement of [the "black ops" program's] existence is not even proper and the acknowledgement of them and the details of them can very well damage national security," Babbin added.
Asked if he thought the three Senate Democrats should have their security clearances revoked for the duration of the leak probe, the former Defense Department official said: "Absolutely and forthwith. I mean, they should have been revoked at the time of the leak."
"There's really not much doubt about the leak having occurred," Babbin told Crowley. "It's in the press records, it's in the Congressional record. We know what they did."
"The only question," he explained, "is how much damage was done by the leak. And that's part of the criminal investigation right now - to do a damage assessment, to figure out how much this is going to cost us strategically and militarily."
A Christmas gift from the Justice Department.
If he committed treason his butt should be out way before election time.
I hope they spend the rest of their miserable lives sharing a cell with somebody called "Big Bubba".
What's the deal. I just noticed this is a July article?
The one they used on Martha Stewart.
My thoughts exactly!
I was kidding. That would never make it to the MSM.
You make it too complicated. Never use reams of paper to accomplish what can be done with a few ounces of metal. If they're guilty, that is......
Slimely rascals
So....we've got DOJ investigating them now...giving all a heads up...since this week we've been discussing especially Rockefeller on being the leaker in NYT's article.
Yowie. Praying that what transpires in the darkness is brought into the light (with full and necessary consequences) pronto hasty.
I just hope that the justice departmment goes after the leakers of the surveillence story with conviction to charge and arrest the leakers with aiding and abetting America's enemies in a time of war.
These leaks make the Plame non-leak debacle look like it should, a meaningless perjury-trap for republicans to score political gain for the left and the MSM.
Jay Rockefella has had some strange looks on his face as of late. LOL
"I was kidding. That would never make it to the MSM. "
OK, thanks!
If any of these so-called politicians are responsible for the leak of this info., I strongly suggest that they be removed from all responsibility, apprehended and tried for their obvious treasonous act of giving aid and comfort to the enemy.
The sad part is that they would only be censured. Yet, the hue and cry is rising to impeach our president. I think it is rediculous.
Whomever, leaked this information should be tarred, feathered and ridden out of town on a rail.
rofl
I like the idea of a FIRING SQUAD...
Hopefully....a forked and multi-pronged one!
Ouch!!! Well, that would certainly motivate me! LOL!
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