Posted on 06/23/2006 11:04:09 PM PDT by bnelson44
CAN JOURNALISTS REALLY BE PROSECUTED for publishing national security secrets? In the wake of a series of New York Times stories revealing highly sensitive counterterrorism programs, that question is increasingly the talk of newsrooms across the country, and especially one newsroom located on West 43rd Street in Manhattan.
Last December, in the face of a presidential warning that they would compromise ongoing investigations of al Qaeda, the Times revealed the existence of an ultrasecret terrorist surveillance program of the National Security Agency and provided details of how it operated. Now, once again in the face of a presidential warning, the Times has published a front-page article disclosing a highly classified U.S. intelligence program that successfully penetrated the international bank transactions of al Qaeda terrorists.
Although the editors of the Times act as if prosecution is not a possibility, not everyone concurs. One person who is still mulling the matter over is Attorney General Alberto Gonzales. Asked in late May about the prospect of prosecuting the Times and others who publish classified information, he by no means ruled it out. "There are some statutes on the books," he said, "which, if you read the language carefully, would seem to indicate that that is a possibility."
(Excerpt) Read more at weeklystandard.com ...
Everyone ignores one obvious reason why these newspapers release this information.
It is the 800 pound gorilla in the room. No one wants to talk about it.
1. They release the information because they are on the side of the terrorists and are doing their espionage work for them. Liberals have found that if they condemn classified information as "abuse of power," then they can call themselves "whistleblowers" instead of spies. Then they get lauded for their courage.
Every Rat pundit on tv yesterday defended this by saying that *it's Americans right to know*......that's their talking point.
Classified information is classied all the time, war or not. Disclosing it is, and always will be a crime.
No way, Gitmo is too plush. They need to go to Ft. Leavenworth, KS.
Actually- once the Times let the administration know in no uncertain terms it was going to publish the story- the admin gave them people to talk to so they would publish facts rather than supposition.
The NYT's has no bottom level..it simply goes deeper down, always able to find a new and more destructive level. SOB's.
They don't deserve that good of a treatment.
That's a technique.
I'd have thrown them in prison for endangering the lives of Americans and selling out their country in order to win a Pulitzer prize, but whatever.
The one person we have heard zip from lately is Rockefeller. (I think). He was so verbal about the NSA spying, it makes me wonder if he is under investigation.
It's beyond words- the absolute failure of the NYT's to give a damn about their country.
It is obvious to me that they do it because they are on the side of the terrorists.
Perhaps that is because a socialist doesn't care which dictator is in charge just so long as some dictator is in charge.
Perhaps it's because they think that they, like Lenin's Red Army, will be the ones standing when the dust has settled "after the revolution," and these ragtag autocratic, religious fanatics will be easily demonized and disposed of. But, if in the meantime they can use them to foment turmoil and use them to undermine democracy, then they are useful idiots for the time being.
Whatever the reason, the MSM is on the side of the terrorists.
I don't know how it could be more obvious.
Finally, this financial date would probably reveal, when unraveled enough, financial transactions between the MSM & Terrorism. It is critical to the MSM's long-term agenda, not to have that level of treason revealed.
Did not CNN support Saddam Hussein?
The MSM would have us believe that leaking sensitive classified information on how we conduct surveilance OPS against our enemy is justified and at the same time forgetting that you may have unintentionally mentioned the name of a CIA agent (NON-COVERT) (Not A Crime) in conversation with reporters is punishable by death....
What a strange liberal world we live in....
Please make the effort to send your personalized email to the DOJ. Put the gist of your thought in the heading, then take it from there. Make it succinct and intelligently forceful.
Consider this a freep. This is what we're here for.
Participate as though your life depends on it......and it MAY!
I sent mine 5 minutes ago. It took two minutes out of my day.
Go and do thou likewise!
Leni
These people want lots of our people KILLED....one, because they DESPISE George Bush....two, because it sells more papers!!!
There BETTER be some prosecutions...and SOON!!
MinuteGal,
LOL. I posted that information and yes...my letter was sent to the DOJ before I posted.
I agree if we can Freep other offices etc. It is time to Freep the DOJ!
Good ideas, all!
However, I must demure from this line of action. I get into enough illegal acts just spraying my roses all by myself, let alone what happens when I drive.
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