Judge Orders Probe of Leak in Spy Case

[cal04]

A federal judge has ordered the Justice Department to investigate how media organizations learned about a criminal probe involving the activities of two pro-Israel lobbyists, who now face trial on charges that they illegally disclosed national defense information.

U.S. District Judge T.S. Ellis III ordered the investigation following complaints by defense lawyers that the government failed to follow proper procedures in obtaining and executing a secret warrant for surveillance of lobbyists Steven Rosen and Keith Weissman.

The indictment against Rosen of Silver Spring, Md., and Weissman of Bethesda, Md., alleges that they conspired to obtain classified reports on issues relevant to American policy, including the al-Qaida terror network; the bombing of the Khobar Towers dormitory in Saudi Arabia, which killed 19 U.S. Air Force personnel; and U.S. policy in Iran.

Rosen and Weissman, former lobbyists for the American Israel Public Affairs Committee, are accused of sharing the information with reporters and foreign diplomats. No trial date has been set.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/worldlatest/story/0,,-6034401,00.html

[AlamoDemoc]

1. I hazard a guess this has a meaning on future ruling on wiretapping;

"U.S. District Judge T.S. Ellis III ordered the investigation following complaints by defense lawyers that the government failed to follow proper procedures in obtaining and executing a secret warrant for surveillance of lobbyists Steven Rosen and Keith Weissman."

[Independent_Liberal]

2. K&R!

[autorank]

3. Here we go again...where's Judge Sirica when you need him.

You remember, the Republican judge who kicked some botty in Watergate because, well he's a judge and he's supposed to protect the rights of the people from the doings of the powerful; not the other
way around, as it is now.

Thanks for the info! K&R

[leesa]

4. Rescuing AIPACs butt, eh?How long do we have to put up with these bastards

controlling our government? Get AIPAC OUT of our government. The White House bailing them out by going after the whistleblowers.

[DoYouEverWonder]

5. I hope they also find out who warned Judith Miller

that the FBI was going to raid her friends' offices so she could tip them off.