White House target journalists for prosecution as spies

[quaoar]

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/20...

White House Trains Efforts on Media Leaks
Sources, Reporters Could Be Prosecuted

By Dan Eggen
Washington Post Staff Writer
Sunday, March 5, 2006; Page A01

The Bush administration, seeking to limit leaks of classified information, has launched initiatives targeting journalists and their possible government sources. The efforts include several FBI probes, a polygraph investigation inside the CIA and a warning from the Justice Department that reporters could be prosecuted under espionage laws.

In recent weeks, dozens of employees at the CIA, the National Security Agency and other intelligence agencies have been interviewed by agents from the FBI's Washington field office, who are investigating possible leaks that led to reports about secret CIA prisons and the NSA's warrantless domestic surveillance program, according to law enforcement and intelligence officials familiar with the two cases.


Numerous employees at the CIA, FBI, Justice Department and other agencies also have received letters from Justice prohibiting them from discussing even unclassified issues related to the NSA program, according to sources familiar with the notices. Some GOP lawmakers are also considering whether to approve tougher penalties for leaking.

In a little-noticed case in California, FBI agents from Los Angeles have already contacted reporters at the Sacramento Bee about stories published in July that were based on sealed court documents related to a terrorism case in Lodi, according to the newspaper.

[yourout]

1. If the Clinton Whitehouse had tried this.....

They would have been run out on a rail.

[acmejack]

2. It's different, * is the "Commander in Chief"!

An insult to every one who ever wore the uniform with pride and served with honor, that appellation is! But what do I know?

[Catrina]

23. This is probably why the press has been so scared to publish

what they know about this administration. Now, because they are soooooo scared that whatever it is they are doing secretly to the American people, will be revealed, they are revealing themselves for what they are, and I doubt many in the press are surprised.

The sooner the indictments come the freer the press will finally be. They can't keep plugging all the holes or silencing all those who know what they are, by going after the press or patriots who are trying to tell the truth to the American people.

What this says is that this program must be seriously criminal or they wouldn't go to so much trouble to hide it ~ and the more they do, the more suspicious people are going to be.

If Ashcroft wouldn't go along with them, it has to be seriously criminal and it is the duty of Congress to find out what they are doing and to protect the press from this assault. And that includes Republicans who should be hearing from the public as frequently as Democrats do imo ~

[SpiralHawk]

3. Da Corporo-Federal Big-Gov Clampdown is ratcheted a fat notch tighter

Da Big Clampdown is coming

Big BushCo panicked as its vast corruption and incompetence is exposed

Going to drop Da Hammer on "information"

"Information" is the enemy

"All your truth are belong to us" - AWOL, Inc

Da Big Clampdown ratcheting tighter

[annabanana]

4. I find this ominous

and an obvious scare tactic to try and suppress anything and everything that might be unflattering to the regime.

[quaoar]

7. It's more than ominous

Of course, you don't see them threatening espionage charges against anyone for -- oh, say -- leaking the name of a CIA undercover agent.

[fearnobush]

24. I believe it's more than a scare tactic. I believe they will do anything

possible to keep their fascist grip on our freedom. See, it's they who hate freedom, because freedom, real US of A type freedom ends them up in jail or at least indicted convicted then pardoned. A few weeks ago a NYTimes reporter was murdered in the Chelsea area of DC, yet no outrage or stories told, 100's of reporters are in coffins after there bodies were laid to waste in Iraq. Iraq is a convenient place to kill reporters. Yet it sends the same message - Unofficial GOP talking point - fuck with us, and we'll kill you! That's the real message, and just a matter of time before the NeoConn cultists of the GOP begin manning the death camps, not for Jews or Arabs or Blacks, but for us. The free thinkers, the justice for types people, the liberals. Give it time folks, just wait and let those DLC henchmen spread Diebold and ESS et al and we got our selves and old school tyrannical dictatorship. We must never yield our truth, our freedom to them. Even if we must die for it, get jailed for it, we must eternally fight the bastards until justice is done, until we are truly free once again. Keep writing them stories, keep those CIA, NSA leaker's sifting threw the Tali-bush. Keep up the great work, the work that saves humanity and brings us freedom once again.

[mom cat]

5. The egomaniac must smash any dissent. This is frightening.

[FloridaPat]

6. I guess they can't shoot them all then.

[tom_paine]

8. Gleichschaltung

http://www.blacks.veriovps.co.uk/content/3508.html

[emulatorloo]

9. Gee, they just voided the Bush "Free Pass". . .(except maybe at Faux)

No more press covering up for Bushco now. This intimidation won't work.

[emulatorloo]

10. Wouldn't you know it - Senator "Cover-Up" Pat Roberts proposing a law

<snip>

Sen. Pat Roberts (R-Kan.), chairman of the Senate intelligence committee, said last month that he is considering legislation that would criminalize the leaking of a wider range of classified information than what is now covered by law. The measure would be similar to earlier legislation that was vetoed by President Bill Clinton in 2000 and opposed by then-Attorney General John D. Ashcroft in 2002.

<snip>

If Ashcroft opposed it, it has got to be horrible.

Roberts spends all his time covering up for Bushco. What about his constituents. What the hell do the people of Kansas get out of this?

[tblue37]

21. I am from Kansas--

and what I get out of Roberts' evil machinations is steamed.

[NativeTexan]

11. NIXONIAN POLITICS..............

......didn't die with old Dick. Nixon "ratfucker" Karl Rove still carries on the tradition with a president who is so crooked that Nixon wouldn't be good enough to carry his briefcase.

[NVMojo]

12. Smells like Nixon spirit!!!

[IndianaGreen]

13. Bush's friend in the Philippines is resorting to similar tactics

Arroyo charges the reporters with sedition

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.ph...

Many of us that have been following recent events in the Philippines where Arroyo used a state of emergency to arrest opposition leaders, and shutdown one newspaper while threatening others, are wondering if Bush would use a similar artificial "crisis" to sign an executive order arresting troublesome journalists under the guise of national security.

[FreedomAngel82]

14. So not Judy Miller or Novak right?

[annabanana]

15. kickin' for one more recommend...

[formercia]

16. Administration shills get a free pass

propaganda and lying to the American people is ok.

[Us vs Them]

17. OMG The Terrorists are reading the Sacramento Bee!!!!11!

Honestly. If someone is so deranged that they're willing to strap a bomb to themselves, or go down in a jet fuel blaze, no amount of 'leaked information' is going to stop them.

Please.

[leveymg]

18. If the Establishment media don't turn on * now, they'll be destroyed

The MSM had better wake up and sound the alarm. Frankenstein is in the house.

[KharmaTrain]

19. Here's Hoping More Rats Jump From The Ship

Brownie is our "guide dog" here. Yep...this regime is gonna stomp out any leaks and anyone who leaks and anyone who leaks about a leak...and in doing so is about to hasten the exit of many of the people they want to shut up.

While you can intimidate and bully your opponents, it's cutting off your legs to do that for the people who work for you. It creates lots of suspicion as people within this regime are constantly looking over their shoulder while the finger pointing and "blame game" goes on.

There's a lot of nervous stomaches inside the beltway right now. Between the sword of Damaclese of Hurricane Abramoff or the other investigations, the wholescale corruption and the implosion of this regime, the rats are ready to leave the ship and with them will be a lot of the dirty little secrets.

Let boooosh send the FBI, CIA and DOJ loose on his own administration...knock himself out, he's only opening a door for many qualified people to exit and go public to really tell their stories.

[sellitman]

20. Freedom Of The Press...."RIP" n/t

[OhioBlue]

22. k&r

this is so disturbing.

[Jeffersons Ghost]

25. I agree ohio blue

It's disturbing the way the fool flaunts his totalitarian powers and this will likely escalate if the press continues to turn up the heat.

[yellowcanine]

26. The Nixon "plumbers" come to mind. G. Gordon Liddy could consult

for the Bushistas on this topic.