The privacy is just a smokescreen by these agency heads to justify or cover up their unwilligness to share evidence of crimes being committed to other Federal and State Law Enforcement agencies. In the CIA operatives case, she shared "classified" information (not "Privacy" information) with someone outside the government (Washington Post), not to a Federal Law enforcement agency. That is a violation of the law.
Since when is it a violation of "privacy" to share evidence of a crime from one federal agency to another federal agency (especially a federal law enforcement or federal immigration enforcement agency)? Again, these agencies would have no concerns about your "privacy" if they saw evidence of tax fraud or other crimes you may have committed. They'd forward evidence they collected that you were committing a crime to the pertinent Federal Law enforcement agency in a heartbeat.
Either the law is the law or it isn't. Too chose to believe that it is not would be no different than total anarchy.
I have access to social security numbers where I work. If I was to start releasing them arbitrary to anyone who asked for them I have no doubt my employer who hesitate to fire my butt.