Froomkin: The Obama Administrtion Is Criminalizing Investigative Reporting

[Karmadillo]

Froomkin does a good job of pointing out the bipartisan support for this.

http://www.commondreams.org/view/2012/06/13-2

Published on Wednesday, June 13, 2012 by Nieman Watchdog
The Obama Administrtion Is Criminalizing Investigative Reporing
by Dan Froomkin

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Attorney General Eric Holder announced last week that he has assigned two U.S. attorneys to lead criminal leak investigations into recent media reports about topics including how drone attacks are approved at the White House and how a computer virus attack was launched against Iran’s nuclear program.

There is such a thing as a criminal leak — for instance, when an administration official intentionally outs a covert CIA operative in an attempt to discredit an administration critic.

But leaks that expose secrets that have momentous public policy implications need to be treated differently, because they are a critical part of our nation’s system of checks and balances. Knowledge is essential to the public’s ability to restrain executive (and legislative) power.

In this case, part of the pressure for an investigation came from Congress — from Sen. John McCain, who accused the Obama administration of leaking for political gain, and from the bipartisan leaders of the House and Senate intelligence committees, whose most righteous anger seems to be reserved not for violations of international law, torture statues or civil liberties, but for those occasions when the public, thanks to aggressive reporting by journalists, knows more than they do about something.

more...

[Baitball Blogger]

1. Guess they need to go First Amendment on this rule.

[Meiko]

2. These security leaks

need to be investigated and the person responsible should be punished.Now everyone knows that there isn't anything the New York Times won't print and that attitude needs to be looked into. They have been hiding behind the first amendment for years while they print classified information with no more care than printing tomorrows horoscope, it has to stop.

I believe that we need legislation that makes it illegal to knowingly disclose classified information. The 1st amendment would no longer give news agencies immunity for such actions.It is already illegal to disclose classified information. The 2nd amendment does not allow me to commit a crime with a gun and the 1st amendment should not allow newspapers to break the law by disclosing classified information.

[frylock]

3. you should move to north korea if you're so fond of govt secrecy..

i like to know what these assholes i elected are doing.

[Baitball Blogger]

4. How long would we have been in Vietnam without the Pentagon Papers?

I think this is a clear case of public interest litmus test.

Of course, there are modern day concerns. If the paper is being used to push false information as in the way they were used by the Bush Administration, that's one thing. The leaker should be found because the false information is manipulating public opinion in a way that will harm the U.S.A.

Now here's the thing. The LEAKER SHOULD HAVE BEEN PROSECUTED. But the Obama Administration failed to investigate the Bush Administration so now we're left wondering, when do we put a process in place where everyone understand the ramifications of the law?

So here we are today. Back to square one. The Newspapers should be allowed to print news if they feel it's in the public interest, as in protecting the public safety, health and welfare.

It's a balancing act.

[Remember]

9. security leak?

I had rather have transparency but when government covers up almost everything then they get what they deserve.
JFK wanted transparency and since then except for Carter see what has happened.

[woo me with science]

5. Transparency, schmansparency. nt

[AnotherMcIntosh]

6. Now Holder will probably investigate who leaked information re the latest "free trade" agreement.

Trans-Pacific negotiations have been taking place throughout the Obama presidency. The deal is strongly supported by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, the top lobbying group for American corporations. Obama's Republican opponent in the 2012 presidential elections, Mitt Romney, has urged the U.S. to finalize the deal as soon as possible.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/06/13/obama-trade-document-leak_n_1592593.html

[Swede]

7. This is manufactured outrage.

There are leaks,they need to be found.

[SickOfTheOnePct]

8. Newspapers or other media outlets should not be punished for publishing what is handed to them

Easy call on First Amendment grounds.

But the person(s) that leaked, if found, should absolutely have the full force of the law brought down on them, as if they had access to classified information, then they signed a pledge not to disclose that information to anyone without a clearance and a need to know when they were "read on".

Media outlets releasing classified information isn't illegal. Leaking classified information to media outlets is illegal.