Posted on 04/23/2006 6:42:05 PM PDT by Pikamax
Democrats Suggest Double Standard on Leaks White House Aides' Actions Are Cited
By Walter Pincus Washington Post Staff Writer Monday, April 24, 2006; Page A02
Key Democratic legislators yesterday joined Republicans in saying they do not condone the alleged leaking of classified information that led to last week's firing of a veteran CIA officer. But they questioned whether a double standard exists that lets the White House give reporters secretly declassified information for political purposes.
"I don't know this woman and I do not condone leaks of classified information," said Rep. Jane Harman (Calif.), ranking Democrat on the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, referring to the firing of Mary McCarthy.
(Excerpt) Read more at washingtonpost.com ...
Bush has the power to declassify, Mrs. McCarthy does not. Idiot liberals are hoping to blur the difference.
I think the Washington Post is just trying to cover their butts.
Contrary to what Harmon said, there is a diff between a CIA operative and the President.
Its legal for the Pres to declassify info and its illegal for a CIA operative to do it.
Again, the Dems are looking for any political storm that might work in their favor. This joins a long line of Dem-induced storms since Dubya took office. It, too, will be gone in another week.
The President of the United States can declassify in effect, anything. McCarthy as a CIA employee has the authority to declassify nothing.
All liberal dopes are going to equate a CIA employee with security agreements in place with the authority of the President of the United States.
When is the Senate Judiciary committee toing nto demand that Fitzy appear before them and tell them WHO IS THE LEAKER. We all know it wasn't Libby, yet this persecutor is allowed to continue to lie to the public. I'm damn sick and tired of the spineless weasels who hold the "majority" in the senate.
If Republicans leak insubstantial information with practically no national security value, it's a national calamity. but if Democrats leak substantial information with significant national security value, it's no problem whatsoever.
Pinky Suggests Democrats are Screwed when he tries to make stick that a NON leak is equitable to a national security Leak.
The President can't by definition leak. The second Mary to make news in two years can and DID leak.
Back to the drawing board Pincus. You need to do better to save your treacherous collegue's hide.
Friend of Joe Wilson....Walter Pincus joins the fray.
Kettle: ??!!
Wonder how many times we'll see this clarification?
Leaker of what???
Just a few weeks ago the Democratic party line was as follows:
"The president or the United States is an elected representative of the People of the United States.
He is, in essence, an employee of the public, hired on to do a job. As such, the rules still pertain to him and if he breaks the rules he gets canned.
Big rules or little rules -- High crimes and misdemeanors. There is significance evidence that this POTUS has been playing fast and loose with those rules from day one and it is the responsibility of the other elected branch of government to invesigate those allegations, really investigate.
And if is found that he broke the rules and used his good office for his his own personal aggrandizement over the welfare of the nation as a whole, he is out.............."
Leastwise, that was the story all over the leftwingnut blogs. I used the version that was the "mildest", but they all followed that standard.
Now, with Mary McCarthy we are hearing that "leaking" is your patriotic duty.
One of her little buddies, David Corn, has one of those mysterious references to Mary McCarthy, the novelist of the early to mid 20th Century ~ he sure knew who Mary was (one of his sources no doubt), and he also freely cites Jane Harman as being on his side.
For references to David's friends see: http://www.davidcorn.com/archives/2005/12/elections_and_c.php
"Secretly Declassified"? Is that like "Government Efficiency", or "Congressional Intelligence"?
I guess Jane didn't read the 9/11 Commission report
I could be wrong .. but I believe Mary had a hearing with them
And since she worked for the CIA .. I wouldn't be surprised if she appeared before the House and Senate Committees
Just when you think Harman is a straight shooter she turns out to be just another scumbag.
The White House merely did what it needed to do in order to GET THE TRUTH OUT in order to combat a rogue CIA disinformation campaign designed to undermine the President and his foreign policy initiatives. That hardly translates to an attempt to "discredit political enemies".
What a maroon.
Gee Johnny .. would that be like how you presented legislation to bury the Barret Report from ever seeing the light of day
WARNING TO DEM LURKERS ... YOU DON'T HAVE A LEG TO STAND ON!
allow me to continue my rants a littel more
Have you seen this tid bit of information??
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1620009/posts?page=29#29
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