Posted on 03/05/2006 10:10:34 PM PST by Greg o the Navy
One of the deepest secrets in the exposure of the National Security Agency surveillance of al Qaeda-related conversations by the New York Times is that the publication of the story is itself a crime. Publication of the story violates, for example, one highly specific provision (18 U.S.C. section 798) of the Espionage Act that prohibits the disclosure of communications intelligence. Violation of the statute is a felony punishable by imprisonment up to ten years.
(Excerpt) Read more at powerlineblog.com ...
If that was sarcastic .. it isn't working!
Anyone want to hold their breath while waiting for criminal charges?
I have no idea .. they don't confide in me.
I suspect the DOJ already knows who. It's just a matter of deciding if prosecuting congress critters will fly.
Ballocks!
Yesterday the existence of this secret program was revealed in media reports, after being improperly provided to news organizations. As a result, our enemies have learned information they should not have, and the unauthorized disclosure of this effort damages our national security and puts our citizens at risk. Revealing classified information is illegal, alerts our enemies, and endangers our country.
Presser 12-19-05:
THE PRESIDENT: Let me start with the first question. There is a process that goes on inside the Justice Department about leaks, and I presume that process is moving forward. My personal opinion is it was a shameful act for someone to disclose this very important program in a time of war. The fact that we're discussing this program is helping the enemy.
http://strata-sphere.com/blog/index.php/archives/1434
Rockefeller, Durbin To Take Polygraphs!
Mac Ranger has been listening in on the internal investigation regarding the leaks of the criticial Terrorist Surveillance Program run by the NSA and the CIA programs to transfer suspected terrorists into US custody. The focus is coming down on two heavy weight Democrat Senators: Rockefeller and Durbin.
This source expands on the Washington Post story and confirms some of Mac Rangers information that these two US Senators (and their staff) may be facing polygraph tests.
During the Bush Administration, a nexus of politicians, government workers and members of the news media have worked overtime in leaking classified information. From the secret terrorist prisons to the National Security Agency’s super-secret surveillance program, intelligence officials and the Bush Administration have had to watch their counterterrorism efforts neutralized for political reasons.
Special agents from the Federal Bureau of Investigation recently interviewed dozens of employees at the CIA, the NSA and other intelligence agencies as part of an intense and wide-reaching investigation. Many employees who possess security clearances at the CIA, FBI, the Justice Department and other agencies received letters from the Justice Department forbidding them from discussing even unclassified intelligence programs.
But people such as former deputy-undersecretary of Defense Jed Babbin don’t think the Justice Department investigators and prosecutors have the guts to indict a US senator. Babbin said it would cause a battle royal on the Hill, if not a constitutional crisis.
He did say however, that any senator or Congressional staffer that holds a security clearance can be asked at any time to take a polygraph. The individual can of course refuse to take the test, but failure to do so is reason to remove that person’s security clearance. Babbin further said that Senators Rockefeller, Durbin, and Wyden, and some on their staffs will soon be requested to take polygraphs.
Senators and their staff may refuse, but they will also lose their clearances and are still exposed to criminal prosecution. And if the word leaks out these people did refuse it is over for the Democrats. The Democrat staffers will not hold a united front here - they aren’t paid enough, are treated like garbage and are not idealogues. The squeeling must be intense right now as the rats jump ship. And I think this will expose a rift in the Democrats between the honest statesman and the do-anything-to-win pols:
But it’s not only the Bush Administration that is frustrated with all the leaks and news stories. Recently Congresswoman Jane Harman (D-CA) said straight out that the New York Times, which ran a frontpage story on the top secret NSA spy program, should be prosecuted for their actions.
Some news stories have pointed fingers at Senator Jay Rockefeller (D-WV), co-chair of the Senate Intelligence Committee, as a possible leaker. Others cited sources that pointed to senate staffers. Still others believe that liberal politicians in both parties are secretly leaking information to the news media for political reasons.
If I was a Democrat I would not want to be on the wrong side of Jane Harmon. She exemplifies credibility and seriousness about national security. I end in noting the credentials of this author:
Jim Kouri, CPP is currently fifth vice-president of the National Association of Chiefs of Police.
Wow!
They'll give up their clearances before they submit but if they do, I hope that someone in their staff will be honorable and admit what they know.
Read this site as well. http://macsmind.blogspot.com/
Lots of info there. Mac says its only a matter of time!
If you do some research on AJ's and Mac's sites they discuss all that. Justice and FBI know who the leakers are and have known for a while. They will prosecute via Espionage Act. Reporters are next, that's why the WAPO came out with their article today. Folks are running scared and they should. Senators Rockefeller and Durbin are in some BIG time trouble!
Another Possible Dem Leaker Named
"Well, it looks like the investigation into who leaked the NSA surveillance program against Al Qaeda members overseas (and as a by product, who they talk to here in the US) has added a new member. Mac Ranger picked up on Sen Jay Rockefeller when his name appeared in the original NY Times story last December. I felt the FISA Judge who resigned in protest, without uttering any protest, was also part of the leaking. Recently Sen Dick Durbin’s name had been added to the list. Why is anyone surprised that another Democrat’s name has been linked to the leak?
In a February 17th letter to Director of National Intelligence John Negroponte, Rockefeller wrote, “Given the administration’s continuing abuse of intelligence information for political purposes, its criticism of leaks is extraordinarily hypocritical.” This is a reference to the speech the president gave, in which he detailed a 2002 al-Qaeda hijacking plot against the Library Tower in Los Angeles. “The president and other senior members must set an example for others to follow,” the letter continued.
How convenient, that he should lay all disclosures of classified information at the president’s feet. That must mean that Rockefeller, along with fellow Democrat senators Dick Durbin and Ron Wyden, were not responsible for leaking details of a secret CIA satellite program to the Washington Post, which they did in 2004. They outed the program in an effort to kill it, supposedly because it was too expensive. Leave it to a group of Democrat senators to wait until our national security is at stake to have a sudden attack of frugality.
Now I have no clue as to the veracity of this man’s sources, except that the story sounds plausible and links up with other rumors flying around behind the scenes. But what is interesting is where some of the push to investigate is coming from. Initially it was assumed the Dept of Justice was the initiator (see here, where another former Democrat Senator, Bob Graham, is named as well) but this article is claiming the CIA is the force behind this investigation:
The CIA has prodded the Justice Department to investigate the senators, which must be one of the things that Rockefeller finds hypocritical.
Read the entire piece - it is damning strike against Rockefellers loose-lips-logic."
Posted by AJStrata on Friday, March 3rd, 2006 at 2:37 pm.
The NYT actions certainly were a crime. It is illegal to reveal secret information about the conduct of a war during wartime. It really doesn't get any more straighforward than that, and the NY Times indulged purposefully in what they knew well beforehand would be a crime.
AJ and Mac are following this very closing and have some awesome insights to WHY these Senators are disclosing. Find Rockie's famous memo. AJ's site is:
http://strata-sphere.com/blog/index.php/archives/category/uncategorized/
Also following is http://www.americanthinker.com/index.php
Powerlineblog.com
http://www.captainsquartersblog.com/mt/
Now,if they can just figure out whether a STOP sign means STOP, or something else.
ping
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