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Leak in Domestic Spy Program Investigated [“ ...could reach high into the White House”]
Los Angeles Times ^ | December 31, 2005 | By Josh Meyer

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 ...


TOPICS: Crime/Corruption; Foreign Affairs; Government; News/Current Events; Politics/Elections; War on Terror
KEYWORDS: doj; dojprobe; homelandsecurity; leaks; nsa; spying
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To: Berlin_Freeper

The lefties in the media are going to be the ones to finger the leakers and they have no morals or loyality to anything except getting power.

So...it is not beyond them to falsely accuse people in the White House to protect their comrade sources. Look at Dan Rather making up a false documents to "prove" President Bush was a slacker in his National Guard service.


21 posted on 12/31/2005 5:40:18 AM PST by Galveston Grl (Getting angry and abandoning power to the Democrats is not a choice.)
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To: Steel Wolf
Congress: Pretty much a no brainer. It's about a forgone conclusion that someone in the Congress was talking to the papers about something they shouldn't. Talk about the usual suspects.

If I were Senators Durbin, Rockefeller, Schumer, Kennedy and Kerry, I'd be sweating bullets seriously right now.

22 posted on 12/31/2005 5:40:52 AM PST by RayChuang88
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Comment #23 Removed by Moderator

To: johnny7

I want to see Johhny Rockefeller "Frog Marched" out of the Senate.


24 posted on 12/31/2005 5:54:33 AM PST by GWB00 (Barbara Streisand barely made it out of high school.)
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To: Miss Marple
Incredible (but typical) LA Times Bull$hit.

The biggest whopper is that the investigation "is in its infancy". If you check the statements announcing the investigation, you will see that nobody said anything of the sort.

The Times wants to give hope to those who are guilty, and those who want someone in the White House to be guilty, by suggesting that there is a lot of investigating still to do.

I'm being told that they already know which persons are responsible, and are just tidying up the investigation before indictments are announced. Make no mistake, the Left is in a full scale panic over this.

25 posted on 12/31/2005 5:55:05 AM PST by Pukin Dog (Sans Reproache)
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To: RayChuang88
If I were Senators Durbin, Rockefeller, Schumer, Kennedy and Kerry, I'd be sweating bullets seriously right now.

That raises an interesting point, and, as usual, the White House is behind the power curve on. Specifically, when these guys are caught, the MSM and Congress will immediately being to howl like a massive choir of banshees with megaphones. The hyperbole will be off the charts, but the bottom line is that they're going to accuse the President of a 'purge' or some kind of Hitleresque 'siezing the reigns of power'.

Having laid no groundwork, and lacking any kind of testicular fortitude, the Republicans will fold under pressure like fresh laundry, and nothing will happen. The only way that the wrongdoers will be brought to justice is if -

1. The Whistleblower myth is overcome. There needs to be a constant hammering in the media now, before anyone is caught, that the whistleblower laws were not followed, and that leaking to the press is not honorable or protected. IF they had followed the whistleblower procedures, this would all be okay, but as it is, they broke the law.

2. We play the Plame Game. They don't like the comparison, which is why it needs to be stuffed down their throats at every opportunity. Given the order of magnitude of greater importance the wiretap leaks have, it's a given that we're going to investigate and get to the bottom of all this.

3. Some light is shed on the program. Since the salient points of the wiretap program have already been released, the damage is done. Now would be the time to explain to the American people that not only is this program legal, but that it's being run in a way that's not hurting anyone but Al Qaida. Release whatever oversight or internal controls there are on the program for review by newly cleared members of congress, and let them report what they find. If it's not Son of COINTELPRO, then the American people won't really care, and in fact will be happy that their government is taking aggressive but controlled measures to protect them.

26 posted on 12/31/2005 5:56:20 AM PST by Steel Wolf (If the Founders had wanted the President to be spying on our phone calls, they would have said so!)
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To: Pukin Dog
"I'm being told that they already know which persons are responsible, and are just tidying up the investigation before indictments are announced. Make no mistake, the Left is in a full scale panic over this."

This will be a happy New Year.

27 posted on 12/31/2005 5:58:48 AM PST by verity (The MSM is a National disgrace.)
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To: Galveston Grl
Pukin Dog has mentioned that the investigation is not in its infancy. If the media is to believed they have sat on this story for over a year now.

The New York Times would be served well to not falsely accuse someone when much evidence is already in the hands of the FBI

28 posted on 12/31/2005 5:59:28 AM PST by mware (everyone that doesn't like what America and President Bush has done for Iraq can all go to HELL.")
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To: johnny7
"WOLF! WOLF!"

For the gazillionth time the LASlimes.

29 posted on 12/31/2005 6:00:15 AM PST by manwiththehands (My Christmas wish: I wish Republicans were running the country.)
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To: MNJohnnie

The libs' dream is to have everyone in the current White House investigated, charged, and convicted. They think it might make them feel better about Clinton's guilt--plus, they are positive it will put their guy (even if it's Hillary) into office.


30 posted on 12/31/2005 6:00:20 AM PST by MizSterious (Anonymous sources often means "the voices in my head told me.")
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To: Pukin Dog
"....Make no mistake, the Left is in a full scale panic over this."


How far left, left left, centrists left or triangulation left????
31 posted on 12/31/2005 6:01:12 AM PST by Just mythoughts
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Comment #32 Removed by Moderator

To: Steel Wolf
Your number one above will not stop the MSM from referring to those implicated as whistle-blowers rather than leakers. Look for those responsible for leaking how we protect our citizens to be touted as Persons of the Year.
33 posted on 12/31/2005 6:03:40 AM PST by Quilla
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To: mware
If the media is to believed they have sat on this story for over a year now.

The our enemies have had access for at least that long. Wonder when the gov't found out the info had been compromised?

34 posted on 12/31/2005 6:03:44 AM PST by mewzilla (Property must be secured or liberty cannot exist. John Adams)
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To: johnny7
I would love to see the people more concerned with politics than America's security jailed for life.

Treason is a life sentence isn't it?

35 posted on 12/31/2005 6:03:50 AM PST by TexasCajun
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To: Steel Wolf
I understand your pessimism on this, but you are wrong.

The Rasmussen poll on this subject was devastating to the Dems. When a heavy majority of people believe that the President had the authority to authorize the spying, AND believe he SHOULD do it, the Dems have lost the issue.

It looks like Bush set them up like a Poker master, and now the tag of "weak on security" is tattooed on the Democrats for another 10-20 years.

36 posted on 12/31/2005 6:03:53 AM PST by Pukin Dog (Sans Reproache)
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To: johnny7

Sweet vindication is coming...


37 posted on 12/31/2005 6:04:26 AM PST by AmericaUnited
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To: Lizarde
Who exactly have we heard from publicly in the last 24 hours?

The ACLU.

38 posted on 12/31/2005 6:04:39 AM PST by mewzilla (Property must be secured or liberty cannot exist. John Adams)
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To: MNJohnnie

Perhaps unfortunately, the crime here seems to be disclosure of the information (by a government official) rather than printing the information (by the NY Times.)

My guess is that the leak came from a Clinton/Powell holdover in the CIA or State Department.


39 posted on 12/31/2005 6:04:50 AM PST by nj26
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To: Pukin Dog

That's what I've been thinking too Pukin. I think the investigation started as soon as the WH found out they NYT had the information.


40 posted on 12/31/2005 6:05:10 AM PST by McGavin999 (If Intelligence Agencies can't find leakers, how can we expect them to find terrorists?)
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