Posted on 12/31/2005 5:05:34 AM PST by johnny7
The Justice Department inquiry could extend into all branches of the federal government
WASHINGTON — The Justice Department disclosed Friday that it was investigating who had leaked classified information about President Bush's top-secret domestic spying program — paving the way for a potentially contentious criminal probe that could reach high into the White House, Congress and the courts. Several U.S. officials familiar with the investigation — which is in its infancy — said it would be conducted by FBI agents trained in probing national security and counterintelligence matters.
The officials said the investigation would focus primarily on disclosures in the New York Times that Bush had authorized the National Security Agency to conduct surveillance on people in the U.S. without getting warrants from a special federal court established to approve them.
(Excerpt) Read more at latimes.com ...
U.S. District Judge Robertson only resigned from the FISA court, which was basically an extra duty to him. He's a die hard anti-Bush type. I doubt that it's him because, assuming we can believe what we read in the papers, only the FISA court Presiding Judge Kollar-Kotelly was briefed on the program. It sounds more like he was bent out of shape for being left out of the loop, and quit in protest. It's a symbolic move, to slap the Administration. It's not like resigning an extra duty (as opposed to your day job) has any other effect.
A good start would be to jail the two NYT reporters if they don't give up their sources.
Wow. You just nailed it. Something just crystalized for me. The American Left are POLITICAL ACTIVISTS first and American Citizens some where way down the list of their priorities.
I'm less concerned with their fumbling that I am that "certain" Republicans, e.g. Specter, McCain or Lindsey Graham, will actually attempt to sabotage the legal process.
There are two possibilities.
1. They just *knew* that Senator Rockefeller would object to this program, and figured they'd just work him into the story without his prior consent.
2. Uh... Hmm. I dunno. How else could they have gotten that information?
That sounds excellent, Pukin'. Can you elaborate?
I would say off hand that the Commander in Chief would be better versed on the damage it would do than the NYT lawyers. However, in a closed court, the full impact would be revealed and the NYT would be unable to claim they didn't realize what they were doing. They were told.
If the investigation did not start as soon as the WH had a inkling this was going on that would have been the highest in malfeasance on the WH's and DOJ's part. No doubt there has been some sort of sting operation going on over the last several months. I cannot wait.
Nice tagline!
"Leak" sounds like such a non-threatening word, so is used in a sympathetic way by the Leftmedia.
I am going to try to give the word some of the powerful image of the "leaks" that flooded New Orleans. IOW, causative of devastation, and extremely difficult or impossible to stop or correct.
- when I call my senators and congressman's offices
- when I call talkshows
- when I even write the Sunpaper (hopeless waste of effort)
Let em hope. Still, MONTHS later, and no Rove indictment. Libby will be acquitted, and these idiots will have put a dozen reporters in jail.
Works for me. I'll be watching eagerly.
1. They just *knew* that Senator Rockefeller would object to this program, and figured they'd just work him into the story without his prior consent.
2. Uh... Hmm. I dunno. How else could they have gotten that information
If Rockie is the leaker.
Specter's still goin for the gold in the RINO Olympics, after all these years. As far as McCain, I was unaware he's actually a Republican. I always thought that was just some kind of running joke. Lindsey Graham is a wannabe McCain-like maverick who needs to keep her fool mouth shut.
Another thing we are going to hear a lot of is "The people's right to know". There is NO such right. This is just Journalist Propaganda spewed forth to rationalize their arrogant self interjection into every aspect of political life. Citizens elect people to office. We delegate to them certain powers to act on our behalf. One of the things we assign them is the duty to PROTECT THE NATIONAL SECURITY. We do NOT elect "Journalists" to anything. Their arrogant claim to be "the people's watchdog" is nothing more then arrogant self promotion on the part of the Journalists.
If it wasn't Rockefeller, it was someone very close to him that was briefed on the program, present where Rockefeller was able to air these concerns, and inclined to leak the information.
That's a list of people so short you don't even need to take your shoes off to count them.
NO one is off limits in the investigation. However, some folks have more to gain than others in leaking this top secret information. This leak does not advantage the goals of the White House but it does further the cause of the anti-war, anti-Bush side. That side includes some Republicans, but statistically, it is more likely that Democrats are behind the leak.
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