Congress cracking down on U.S. leaks

[katinmn]

Nixon was an amateur, folks.

Congress cracking down on U.S. leaks
Wide arrest powers, revoking pensions

http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/nationworld/bal-te.spies25apr25,0,5928384.story

WASHINGTON // Amid intense debate over how far the government can go to keep its secrets secret, Congress is taking up an expansive intelligence measure that proposes tougher steps in cracking down on leaks of classified information and authorizes broad arrest powers for security officers at intelligence agencies.

Provisions tucked into the legislation, which the House is expected to vote on as early as tomorrow, represent a major departure from traditional intelligence agency roles in plugging leaks and conducting domestic law enforcement, according to government watchdog groups and intelligence professionals.

If the measure is approved by Congress, the nation's spy chief would be ordered to consider a plan for revoking the pensions of intelligence agency employees who make unauthorized disclosures. It also would permit security forces at the National Security Agency and the CIA to make warrantless arrests outside the gates of their top-secret campuses.

snip
The plan by Congress to target the pensions of intelligence agency employees would harm the overall spy effort, according to critics. Some, including former senior intelligence officials, warned that it would create an overly repressive environment within the agencies that could inhibit officers from speaking up, even internally, and discourage risk-taking.

[bullimiami]

1. yeah, give the crooks in charge more power to crush the whisleblowers.

its coming from the house so you know its some fucked up political bullshit.

[damntexdem]

2. All the problems don't matter to these yahoos.

They don't want efficient, effective spy agencies -- they want spy agencies that will support the party line, and they want a secret police that can use its powers beyond the review of others.

They want a Soviet-type system in the U.S. -- and where better than to start with a secret police?

[FloridaPat]

3. What happened to all the whistle blower protections I keep hearing

about? And funny that we need this now after 200+ years. How in the world can they criticize people that report illegal gov't activites? And why isn't * fired?

[katinmn]

4. ITMFA!

[dogday]

5. They could start at the top with the WH

and work their way down.... It's all good or shall I say bad....

[Ian David]

6. It gives them the power to arrest US citizens on US soil

But does this also give The CIA the power to go after Bush, Rice, Libby, Rove and Cheney?

[marmar]

7. America, where telling the truth will land you in prison...

IT's time to change our name to the U.S.S.R.A.

[Waya]

8. So, does that means....

George is gonna be fired, arrested and won't get his pension ?

[katinmn]

9. in our wildest dreams