Attorney General Says Reporters Can Be Prosecuted for Publishing Classified Leaks

AP/Fox News ^ | 5-22-06

[STARWISE]

""I can't imagine a bigger chill on free speech and the public's right to know what it's government is up to -- both hallmarks of a democracy -- than prosecuting reporters," Dalglish said.

Gonzales said he would not comment specifically on whether The New York Times should be prosecuted for disclosing the NSA program last year based on classified information.

He also denied that authorities would randomly check journalists' records on domestic-to-domestic phone calls in an effort to find journalists' confidential sources.

"We don't engage in domestic-to-domestic surveillance without a court order," Gonzales said, under a "probable cause" legal standard."

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'bout time .. let's see how the press spin this to make themselves 'victims.'

[STARWISE]

Ping!

[eeevil conservative]

WELL THANK GOD!

Maybe! Just MAYBE they WILL!

[BigSkyFreeper]

'bout time .. let's see how the press spin this to make themselves 'victims.'

They'll spin it in such a way it makes you and me and every other consumer of news a victim.

[gov_bean_ counter]

As Gonzales spoke, I sensed a great disturbance in the force. As if hundreds if not thousands of sphincters closed shut all at once.

[no dems]

Good. Start with Robert Novak for leaking the Valerie Plame thing.

[no dems]

Oops. Not "leaking" but "printing".

[BigSkyFreeper]

Good. Start with Robert Novak for leaking the Valerie Plame thing.

For starters, she wasn't undercover.

[piasa]

Obiwan Bohica

[djf]

Not a chance.

Already decided, NEW YORK TIMES CO. v. UNITED STATES, 403 U.S. 713 (1971), The Pentagon Papers case.

Decided in favor of the media.

http://caselaw.lp.findlaw.com/scripts/getcase.pl?court=US&vol=403&invol=713

[gov_bean_ counter]

Something about the Val Plame thing that intrigues me. Every Libby/Cheney reference to Val is "Wilson's wife". If you didn't know Val the initial thought would be a Mrs. Wilson. The press seems to expect that "everyone" in DC should know Joe Wilson's wife was Val Plame. Ms Plame was apparently not keeping the low profile one would expect of a deep cover CIA operative.

[Paloma_55]

If a reporter were to take a gun and shoot someone in the head... can they be prosecuted or are they somehow above the law?

This is silly to even have to discuss.

They are subject to the same laws we are...or at least, should be.

[demlosers]

LoL!

[BigSkyFreeper]

Joe or Val probably told everyone in DC to refer to her as "Wilson's wife".

[oldbrowser]

""I can't imagine a bigger chill on free speech and the public's right to know what it's government is up to -- both hallmarks of a democracy -- than prosecuting reporters," Dalglish said.

This is probably why most subversives have cloaked themselves as reporters.

Unless the courts separate "freedom of the press" from "freedom to sabotage", we will slowly suffocate our republic.

[nopardons]

The sooner the outings and trials begin, the happier I'll be.

"FREEDOM OF SPEECH" doesn't mean that the MSM can commit treasonous acts; especially not during wartime. And there's a precedent for that, thanks to Abe Lincoln.

[TomGuy]

Attorney General Says Reporters Can Be Prosecuted for Publishing Classified Leaks

This from the AG who actively pursued criminal charges and indictments against Sandy Bergler.

There is an old saying about: be careful attacking those who buy ink by the barrel.

Unless they can prove the reporter either was an active participant in the 'lifting' of classified documents or was factually knew documents he received were classified, the AG would have a difficult time getting any successful prosecutions. And those conditions would be close to treasonous.

Of course, Judy Miller spent more time in a jail cell than Sandy Berger did. Which one committed a higher crime? Miller for refusing to reveal sources or Berger for stealing and destroying classified documents.

[Nateman]

Nail them. About time they learned espionage and treason are not items of "free speech"

[Tzimisce]

You can't do this to us - we have the right to leak national secrets.

Of course, sex in the oval office is none of our business....

[coconutt2000]

I think the media is already spinning this.

I suspect this isn't about prosecuting journalists for printing classified, leaked information, but prosecuting journalists for protecting their sources who had committed a crime.

What if a journalist got the inside story on a murderer's tale of how he tortured and killed a family of four? Only the journalist knows who the source is, but can the journalist be forced to turn over a source who is obviously guilty of a crime? I think the law probably says, "Yes," on this.