Justice Dept to review media subpoenas policy in crackdown on leaks
Attorney General Jeff Sessions announced Friday a government-wide crackdown on leakers, which will include a review of the Justice Department’s policies on subpoenas for media outlets that publish sensitive information.
At a press conference with Director of National Intelligence Dan Coats, Sessions announced that the Justice Department, FBI and government intelligence agencies will begin directing resources into the investigations of government leaks and would prioritize prosecuting those that pass sensitive information along to the press.
Sessions said he had empowered his deputy director Rod Rosenstein and incoming FBI director Christopher Wray to oversee the classified leaks investigations and to monitor the progress of each case.
The national security division of the Justice Department will prioritize cases involving unauthorized disclosures, Sessions said, and the departments “will not hesitate to bring lawful and appropriate criminal charges against those who abuse the public trust.”
Sessions said his Justice Department has already tripled the number of active leak investigations over the previous administration, and that the FBI would create a new counterintelligence unit to manage the cases.
http://thehill.com/homenews/administration/345316-justice-to-review-media-subpoenas-policy-in-crackdown-on-leaks?rnd=1501861068
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