Posted on 12/31/2005 5:05:34 AM PST by johnny7
The Justice Department inquiry could extend into all branches of the federal government
WASHINGTON — The Justice Department disclosed Friday that it was investigating who had leaked classified information about President Bush's top-secret domestic spying program — paving the way for a potentially contentious criminal probe that could reach high into the White House, Congress and the courts. Several U.S. officials familiar with the investigation — which is in its infancy — said it would be conducted by FBI agents trained in probing national security and counterintelligence matters.
The officials said the investigation would focus primarily on disclosures in the New York Times that Bush had authorized the National Security Agency to conduct surveillance on people in the U.S. without getting warrants from a special federal court established to approve them.
(Excerpt) Read more at latimes.com ...
The lefties in the media are going to be the ones to finger the leakers and they have no morals or loyality to anything except getting power.
So...it is not beyond them to falsely accuse people in the White House to protect their comrade sources. Look at Dan Rather making up a false documents to "prove" President Bush was a slacker in his National Guard service.
If I were Senators Durbin, Rockefeller, Schumer, Kennedy and Kerry, I'd be sweating bullets seriously right now.
I want to see Johhny Rockefeller "Frog Marched" out of the Senate.
The biggest whopper is that the investigation "is in its infancy". If you check the statements announcing the investigation, you will see that nobody said anything of the sort.
The Times wants to give hope to those who are guilty, and those who want someone in the White House to be guilty, by suggesting that there is a lot of investigating still to do.
I'm being told that they already know which persons are responsible, and are just tidying up the investigation before indictments are announced. Make no mistake, the Left is in a full scale panic over this.
That raises an interesting point, and, as usual, the White House is behind the power curve on. Specifically, when these guys are caught, the MSM and Congress will immediately being to howl like a massive choir of banshees with megaphones. The hyperbole will be off the charts, but the bottom line is that they're going to accuse the President of a 'purge' or some kind of Hitleresque 'siezing the reigns of power'.
Having laid no groundwork, and lacking any kind of testicular fortitude, the Republicans will fold under pressure like fresh laundry, and nothing will happen. The only way that the wrongdoers will be brought to justice is if -
1. The Whistleblower myth is overcome. There needs to be a constant hammering in the media now, before anyone is caught, that the whistleblower laws were not followed, and that leaking to the press is not honorable or protected. IF they had followed the whistleblower procedures, this would all be okay, but as it is, they broke the law.
2. We play the Plame Game. They don't like the comparison, which is why it needs to be stuffed down their throats at every opportunity. Given the order of magnitude of greater importance the wiretap leaks have, it's a given that we're going to investigate and get to the bottom of all this.
3. Some light is shed on the program. Since the salient points of the wiretap program have already been released, the damage is done. Now would be the time to explain to the American people that not only is this program legal, but that it's being run in a way that's not hurting anyone but Al Qaida. Release whatever oversight or internal controls there are on the program for review by newly cleared members of congress, and let them report what they find. If it's not Son of COINTELPRO, then the American people won't really care, and in fact will be happy that their government is taking aggressive but controlled measures to protect them.
This will be a happy New Year.
The New York Times would be served well to not falsely accuse someone when much evidence is already in the hands of the FBI
For the gazillionth time the LASlimes.
The libs' dream is to have everyone in the current White House investigated, charged, and convicted. They think it might make them feel better about Clinton's guilt--plus, they are positive it will put their guy (even if it's Hillary) into office.
The our enemies have had access for at least that long. Wonder when the gov't found out the info had been compromised?
Treason is a life sentence isn't it?
The Rasmussen poll on this subject was devastating to the Dems. When a heavy majority of people believe that the President had the authority to authorize the spying, AND believe he SHOULD do it, the Dems have lost the issue.
It looks like Bush set them up like a Poker master, and now the tag of "weak on security" is tattooed on the Democrats for another 10-20 years.
Sweet vindication is coming...
The ACLU.
Perhaps unfortunately, the crime here seems to be disclosure of the information (by a government official) rather than printing the information (by the NY Times.)
My guess is that the leak came from a Clinton/Powell holdover in the CIA or State Department.
That's what I've been thinking too Pukin. I think the investigation started as soon as the WH found out they NYT had the information.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.