Free Republic

The former prosecutor who helped draft the law that Democrats say was violated when someone in the Bush administration leaked a CIA worker's name to columnist Robert Novak now says that no laws were broken in the case. Writing with First Amendment lawyer Bruce Sanford in the Washington Post recently, former Assistant Deputy Attorney General Victoria Toensing explained that she helped draft the law in question, the 1982 Intelligence Identities Protection Act. Says Toensing, "The Novak column and the surrounding facts do not support evidence of criminal conduct." For Plame's outing to have been illegal, the one-time deputy AG says,...

Back in October of 2003, I offered a $100 RuthsChris Steakhouse gift certificate to the first journalist who would tell the public whether Val Plame was or was not a "Covert Agent" according to the law in question. YO' MEDIA, FREE MEAL OFFER: Is Joe Wilson's Wife a "Covert Agent" Under That Law? abner and jimfree added $100 each, bringing the bounty to $300. It went up 10/5/03 and after almost EIGHT months, I recided the offer on 5/31/04 due to lack of response, even though we had faxed the offer to numerous Washington newsrooms and bureaus. By that...

WASHINGTON, Dec. 22 - Shortly before becoming chairman of the Federal Communications Commission nearly four years ago, Michael K. Powell said it was time to eliminate the double standard that allowed the government to subject broadcasters, unlike their competitors in cable and satellite television, to indecency and other speech regulations. At the time, Mr. Powell received a Freedom of Speech Award for advancing what broadcasters and civil liberties groups viewed as a courageously principled position. Now, he is being harshly criticized for significantly expanding the indecency rules. He blames a quest for higher ratings for the "increasing coarseness" of programming...