Posted on 06/20/2006 5:07:35 PM PDT by Para-Ord.45
WASHINGTON -- The chairman of the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, Rep. Pete Hoekstra, R-Mich, told NewsMax that he believes the recent leaks over the CIA's secret prisons and the NSA's terrorist surveillance program were "politically driven," and that the leakers "ought to be prosecuted."
"What we are seeing is a systematic breakdown in the intelligence community when it comes to leaking highly classified intelligence information," he stated.
If intelligence officers have concerns about a particular program, they have various legal avenues to make those concerns known, he said.
"First, there's an inspector general," he noted. "Then there's a House intelligence committee, and a Senate intelligence committee. If you have questions about the legality of some program or some action, that's where you go to make sure what's being done is legal and within the law."
An Intelligence officer who goes to the press with grievances and leaks classified information is "no better than a common thief," he said.
"Nobody's given you the authorization to determine what information should be made freely available to the public. Nobody's given you the authorization to determine what should or should not be classified, or to make those decisions for the American people," Hoekstra said.
Hoekstra applauded former CIA Director Porter Goss for having identified a CIA official for making unauthorized disclosures of highly classified intelligence information to the media.
The Deputy CIA inspector general, Mary McCarthy, who was fired on April 21, 2006, 10 days short of retirement, was identified in the media as having leaked information on the CIA secret prisons to Washington Post reporter Dana Priest
McCarthy denied through her lawyer ever meeting with Priest, but has acknowledged she was fired before her retirement.
For Hoekstra, McCarthy's firing was symbolic, and went way beyond whatever specific offense she may or may not have committed.
"Mary McCarthy clearly represented the entrenched bureaucracy at CIA," he said. "She wasn't the only one, not by a long shot."...(excerpt)
http://www.newsmax.com/archives/articles/2006/6/20/121538.shtml?s=lh
Why aren't they in the process of prosecuting them already? Isn't that their duty?
Worse, much worse. The thief isn't violating his oath too.
That will give you some clue as to the size of the liberal circle jerk going on at CIA.
Gee I sure hope that didn't effect her retirement package...
My guess is the investigation is nearing completion on the leakers -- and there will be prosecutions. I think that all the bruhhah over the "sealed versus sealed" in the Libby case (Truthout saying that is a sealed indictment of Rove), is really an indictment of a leaker in either the CIA or the NSA story. I think Hoekstra's statement today is the beginning of releasing information regarding those indictments and punishment of the leakers. At least I hope so.
How bout this?
He's letting em have it:)
These people commit felonies, endanger our troops overseas in time of war, and disrupt alliances with friendly countries in our war on Islamic Fascism. It is treason by any other name, and these people should be rooted out and put in jail.
I hope you are right.
Thanks.
And where is the master of the obvious pic?
Correct. The apt comparison is a spy, not a common thief.
Politically driven by Clinton appointees and other lib FOB's.
LOL!!! I hope I am also -- I'm only guessing, but I'm certain that Goss took this seriously, I'm certain that Hayden is taking it seriously, and I KNOW that Gonzales is taking it seriously. Notice how you haven't heard from any of the reporters who published this information? Goss got Mary McCarthy, and I would bet she is singing like a bird to avoid prison time for leaking information. And, I repeat: I'm only guessing on all this, gut feeling, no evidence. But I would also conclude by saying that I bet my gut feeling is a whole lot better than those idiots over at Truthout! :-)
One of those leaks could have gotten someone killed..
I hope Hoekstra is going to follow up his rhetoric with action.
Good....I wish more Republicans would actually get angry and go on the record.
Let's hope this is more than posturing. This stuff is dangerous to this country's well being and really needs to stop. I don't think it will without some effective prosecutions.
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