Posted on 08/31/2006 1:55:22 PM PDT by Mr. Brightside
Hoekstra predicts jailing of reporters
Thursday, August 31, 2006
By Myron Kukla
The Grand Rapids Press
HOLLAND -- New York Times reporters who broke the story of a three-year program of warrantless wiretapping of U.S. citizens will be in jail by yearend if they don't reveal their government sources, U.S. Rep. Peter Hoekstra predicted Wednesday.
The revelation last December has been a devastating blow to intelligence gathering, said Hoekstra, chairman of the House Intelligence Committee.
"If people understood the threat out there (from terrorist organizations), Americans would be absolutely furious that the tools we have to track the terrorists have been lost," said Hoekstra, R-Holland, in an address to the Holland A.M. Rotary Club.
"The Justice Department is going after those who violated their oath of office by giving classified information to reporters. Those reporters will be sitting in jail by the end of the year until they reveal their sources."
Times reporters James Risen and Eric Lichtblau in a Dec. 16, 2005, story reported President Bush secretly authorized the National Security Agency in 2002 to eavesdrop on phone and e-mail communications of thousands of Americans, seeking information about terrorist planning.
The story said nearly one dozen current and former government officials provided details, but did not identify them.
Hoekstra said the Justice Department investigation likely will lead to a grand jury questioning individuals and reporters under oath.
Since the story broke, terrorists have used more pre-paid cell phones and tossed them away, making it hard to track them, Hoekstra said.
A federal judge in Detroit has described the warrantless eavesdropping as an attack on the Constitution and U.S. Bill of Rights.
U.S. District Judge Anna Diggs Taylor this month ruled President Bush exceeded his authority, citing it as a violation of the First and Fourth amendments.
"I couldn't disagree with the ruling more. It could disarm America in a time of war," Hoekstra said, noting the Justice Department is appealing the ruling and has negotiated a deal to continue the program while the appeal is pending.
"This will likely go all the way to the Supreme Court," he said.
I know and really wish Hoekstra would keep this info to himself. This news will only increase the attacks on republicans by the dems and the drive-by media. The two parties really are in the fight of their lives and the stakes have never been higher.
You jail the reporters until they spill the beans and you put the reporters in a nasty prison where you and I would dread going. You also fine them heavily.
Go to jail? I think not, try them for sedition and treason and hang them in public square! Anything less is deplorable.
"The Justice Department is going after those who violated their oath of office by giving classified information to reporters. Those reporters will be sitting in jail by the end of the year until they reveal their sources."
Good. Throw their sorry little selves in jail. They deserve it just as much as the feds. And the editor, asst. editor, publisher, and anyone else who gave the okay to run with the story...
"Since the story broke, terrorists have used more pre-paid cell phones and tossed them away, making it hard to track them, Hoekstra said. "
How many stories have been posted in recent weeks about Muslims in the U.S. buying tons of cell phones?
Another attack is coming, and when it happens, these traitors in Congress need to be publicly hanged for their contributions.
How 'bout one of those mobs from the old Frankenstein movies; you know, pitchforks and torches?
Yeah, but if we burn them don't they go to hell? Oh wait...heh heh heh!
Waiting until November makes good sense. All the DBM would frame this story as "Bush's War on the First Ammendment". I think the world is in for some rude awakenings as soon as the elections are held.
Ping for keeping tabs.
Thanks for the ping, RR.
The First Amendment protects these wise dickey birds from the government. It doesn't protect them from us.
I'm strongly in favor of tar and feathers myself.
Jonathan Pollard is serving life for giving information to Israel, an ally.
No the first amendment is not a green light to release state secrets that help the enemy.
There are laws about revealing classified information.
What a waste of potential speed bumps.........
Expose them, their names.
That's all we need.
Even if it is not upheld, that will be the case.
But we will have their names.
Agreed, the leakers in the senate need to be revealed, and hung.
But the 2200 FBI files stolen by the clintoon admisistration, and entered into a database called the White House Data Base (WhodB) has all the senators by the short hairs.
It was brilliant, unprecedented, treasonous, and they got away with it.
Soros, Clinton, et all have full control of the senate. We vote pubbie, but they are compromised.
See how they vote. Ted Stevens.
Buy ammo, trade guns. No federal register thingy. Trade guns amongst yourselves, free and clear of federal records.
Buy a bunch, trade a bunch. Mix it up.
Buy ammo, trade ammo.
They are not tracking it, these trades, which makes F-Troop nuts.
I recently bought a mini-14. Or did I, f-TROOP?
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