Breaking News MSNBC: Justice Dept to Investigate "NSA INFO LEAK TO NYT"

[kpete]

MSNBC Breaking news 9:37 CT

Justice Department to investigate leak of NSA wiretapping info to the New York Times.



David Ensor/CNN - confirms story
Justice Department to probe UNAUTHORIZED NSA Disclosure

"Revelation has done real damage to National Security"

"Classified information has been disclosed"

"NYT held story back for a year"


edit to include link: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/10651154 /

[warrior1]

1. But not the crime?

bush breaking the 4th amendment?

[tsuki]

68. Bush violated his oath of office and confessed on national TeeVee.

What's to investigate?

Says he's gonna keep breaking his oath of office, bragged on it. What's to investigate?

Congress is the only agency that can investigate, and until 2006, there is a slim to none chance of that.

The Conservative Movement in the United States has always been the Anti-Constitutional Movement.

[bigtree]

2. of course

they'll probably wiretap news organizations to investigate

[Toots]

26. What do you mean will the correct word is have..

:shrug: This is free reign to spy on all political (perceived real or not) enemies. I will no longer pay taxes to this corrupt Administration......It is the only form of protest I can conceivably do without violence.

[bigtree]

64. tounge in cheek Toots

I have nothing but contempt for these criminals in the WH

[KakistocracyHater]

75. You know how Russia has brought their media outlets

under control? Well this is our version.

[katinmn]

3. They just keep punishing the messengers

We should nominate the person who made the leak for the Nobel.

[Lex]

4. WTF? The crime is the warrantless SPYING, not the leak.

The whistleblower (whomever told the NYT of the crime of warrantless spying) should be protected under the Federal Whistleblower Statute.

[me b zola]

19. We should yell this fact from the top of our lungs!!

The Federal Whistleblower Statute was the first thing that I thought of when this story broke.

Yet another abuse of power.

[Walt Starr]

5. The leaker is a hero and should be treated as such. n/t

[FreedomAngel82]

61. Exactly

Just like the whole thing with the guy who was deep throat. Didn't they try to do this to him too? I remember when it was revealed it was Felt all those like Buchanan were out there slaming him when he was a hero. It pisses me off! :mad: Bush broke the fourth amendment period! And thus should get the proper punishment as according to the law.

[MsKandice01]

6. If there had been a CIA agent's name in there...

They'd look the other way. Bastards.

[Botany]

7. so the crime was the NY Times reporting the news?

Not the illegal spying or that the NY Times held the story which could have changed the election?

Some people must be very nervous about who and where the NSA was spying. This is a distraction folks.
Oil for Food, Dan Rather, Swift Boat Vets, War on Christmas, Missing White Women, and so on.

[WillowTree]

25. Not exactly.

The crime was committed by whoever gave classified information to the NYT. Just as in the Plame case the crime was committed by the person who blew Valerie Plame's cover to Novak.

[Botany]

44. thanx

for the info ..... i was talking more about the real crime with the NSA warrantless wiretaps on
Americans.

[jbnow]

56. Which means they should have investigated

a year ago if it is such a crime.
But it is a better diversion now.

Still can't believe creepy bush joked about Plame leak and how reporters wouldn't reveal and acted so outraged by this.

This one reveals a crime.
That one ended a career, and a network that had been built to investigate REAL WMD and endangered anyone involved in the past. So, so funny.

[FreedomAngel82]

62. The person was a whistleblower who

told of something illegal that the so-called pResident was doing. It's their job as journalists to tell us (as quoted by Gary Webb, rip) what's going on illegal with our government.

[mom cat]

72. They should solve the anthrax cases first!

[Media_Lies_Daily]

78. There are some differences. The person leaking the info........

...from NSA was revealing a major criminal act by the man who claims to be the president. This story in the NYT is a tactic by the NeoCons designed to put a chill on anyone else that plans to be a leaker.

IMHO, that person will never be found because too many wheels are turning against Herr Busch inside the intelligence community.

The person leaking the information from the Executive Branch that exposed CIA operative Valerie Plame and her entire global network was committing a major felony.

[jayctravis]

80. Just like their response to Abu Ghraib was to restrict cameras.

Never mind that they're violating humanity itself, their issue is the documentation and dissemination of the fact that they did it.

Like the bloody Emperors who would kill the bearer of bad news.

[kpete]

8. Justice Department to investigate Leak of NSA Spygate program

Justice Department to investigate Leak of NSA Spygate program
by Mikecan1978
Fri Dec 30, 2005 at 08:43:08 AM PDT
I almost welcome this development, it means that this story will be in the news for much longer. Personally I hope the leaker steps up to the plate and says. This program is illegal I would like whistlerblower status please (though that can be hard to get after a leak)

It's on the Breaking portion of MSNBC, more to come I'm sure.

Lets make sure Bush can't make the issue the leak itself.

Story is up: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/10651154/
via:http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2005/12/30/10438/473

[ewagner]

9. Whoever leaked the story

should be given WHISTLEBLOWER PROTECTION quickly.....

This is pure spite on the part of the administration.....Gonzales probably has a sore butt from it being constantly chewed on by Bush* to go after the NYT.

I have no love for the current management of the NYT but this is too far. Too much.

[LeftNYC]

10. NOW HERE IS A REASON FOR A REPORTER TO GO TO JAIL!!!!

NOW IS THE TIME TO PROTECT YOUR SOURCE!

[Supersedeas]

51. Oh no, Judas Miller is the only one who deserves protection

[Lex]

11. Stupid New York Times!

They've tried to cover for the Bush Admin. but now they are being screwed by them.

No honor among thieves.

Didn't they know that?

[Triana]

49. Pure spite indeed....

...I'm CERTAIN bu$hco has been chomping at the bit to find something to go after NYT for. AND he is pissed that his criminal activity has been exposed. The spiteful little brat is going to exact his revenge now.

AND they want the media SILENCED. This is also an effort to intimidate the media into silence on bu$hco's crimes. Unfortunately, it will probably have that effect.

So Little Lord Fauntleroy is maaad. This is a good thing. HOWEVER, THE JUSTICE DEPARTMENT OUGHT TO BE INVESTIGATING GEORGE W. BUSH - NOT THE MEDIA - and that is what ought to be of main concern to us.

[FreedomAngel82]

63. What about the judge who resigned?

[Media_Lies_Daily]

79. How much does anyone want to bet that the information was delivered....

...to the NYT this time in the form of a blind drop. They could imprison the writer of the article for the rest of their lives, but they'll never know who delivered the information.

[kpete]

12. from firedoglake:

(emphasis mine-kpete)

UPDATE: More breaking news -- the DoJ will be investigating the NSA leak to the NYTimes. Strange how they are only starting the investigation now, a year after the Administration knew NYTimes was working the story. Can you say retaliation for this going public and making Bushie look bad? I mean, honestly, if they had been serious about getting to the bottom of the leak, wouldn't they have started looking into it a year ago when the WH started pressuring the NYTimes to keep the story under wraps? The closer to the leak you start the investigation, the better in terms of tracking down the leak. I'm just sayin'.

http://firedoglake.blogspot.com/

[Scout1071]

18. Exactly! They met with the NYT over a year ago. Why investigate now?

Retaliation.

[Fleshdancer]

39. They did??!? I completely missed that part of the story.

If the NYT has been working on the story for that long, I highly doubt they have just one source. I wonder if the whistle blowing is just an excuse for the WH to clean house. Aparently there are people still in the NSA who don't blindly follow this administration so you know the WH will want to change that.

[malaise]

42. Because they dared to publish it n/t

[Triana]

53. Yep. They ought to be investigating bu$hco, NOT the media...

...this investigation of the media is PURE SPITE because the reporting of the story made bu$h look bad. THE CRIME was committed by bu$h and THAT is the point they are trying to get everybody to forget by pointing their finger at the media.

CAN YOU SAY DIVERSIONARY TACTIC?

Problem is, it usually works. But keep your eye on the ball. WHO committed the 'original sin'?


GEORGE W. BUSH - NOT the media. The Oval Office is where the crime began - NOT at the NYT.

[MrMonk]

13. "Revelation has done real damage to National Security"

because the terrorists previously had no idea that they might be spied on, and no better way to communicate.

:sarcasm:

"Does the New York Times want admitted terrorists to go free?"
(caption on FNC interview about two nights ago (or something very close))

[AuntiBush]

74. More Rovian Dis-Information...

Mixed with Mis-Information. Is it any wonder we can't keep-up with all the corruptions & scandals!?!

Ba$tards, everyone of them! Want my country back but it's so far away is sickeningly surreal... :(

[Evergreen Emerald]

14. The hypocrisy is amazing to me

What about Plame?

[msongs]

15. too bad the dems do not have such a good PR department nt

[eppur_se_muova]

60. This is not "good" PR. This is evil PR. We don't need two Repub parties.

[fishwax]

16. the leaker is a hero

or at least for damn sure did the right thing in this case, and should be commended for it. The wiretapping is what should be investigated.

[jbfam4]

48. the leaker is a real patriot

This person deserves the medal of freedom or the times person of the year in 06.

Some one finally had the guts to stand up and tell the truth knowing what fate would befall them if they were found out. This person is a ral hero.

[Stephanie]

17. This is ABUSE OF POWER

Prosecuting a witness to your crimes? Going after the whistle-blower while proclaiming that you will continue to break the law and nobody can stop you? WHERE WILL THIS END? WHO WILL STOP THEM?

[me b zola]

23. You hit the nail on the head!

You should post as a seperate thread. This should be all that the public hears!!!

[Stephanie]

27. I took your advice

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=104&topic_id=5715701&mesg_id=5715701

[stepnw1f]

55. This Guy No Legal Standing

You are right Steph, it is an abuse of power.

[flyarm]

20. ahhh why didn't * investigate this last year before election when he

knew about the leak??

or how about when he called to the wh the nyt editors and told them not to run the story?/ whY did he not begin an investigation to the leak then??


ohhh silly me...he was concerned about national security!!

pardon me..i need to go into the next room and ..laugh my ass off!!


hey abc..msnbc, nbc, cbs...can you ask some real questions now....

still laughing...here..

the tears come next for my poor helpless nation at the hands of these bastards...

ok media..now its the messenger whos the bad guy..not the FUCKING REAL CRIMINALS!!againnnnnnnnnn!!

fly

[No Exit]

21. Wow, that was quick.

They're on the ball when it comes to those bad whistleblowers, but for some reason they don't quite rush themselves when it comes to fat, piglike, White House senior officials leaking like a sieve.

[seabeyond]

22. "NYT held story back for a year".... at bush urging, insistance,

demanding, threatening???????????????/

lets not forget

[wryter2000]

24. And I hope they do as thorough a job as they did on the Plame leak n/t

n/t

[wtmusic]

28. Intimidation

nothing more, nothing less. Go up against this administration and you will pay.

[patcox2]

29. Great news. They are shooting themselves in the foot.

Its the stupidest thing Bush could do. Imagine the trials, career officers, their testimony in the papers every day, "I felt compelled to come forward, they were spying on their political enemies, in my career I never saw such wholesale violations of the constitution."

Every day, for months.

Let it happen.

[rpgamerd00d]

31. 100% agreement

Let it happen

[kentuck]

30. Incredible !!

It would be laughable if it wasn't so threatening. However, in a way, I hope they keep this story on the front page. Maybe we'll find out the truth?

[AngryAmish]

32. We need to crush our enemies

[2Design]

33. more interested in how they were found out then in the crime - just like

pictures of torture were the problem and not the torture

This is how they change focus from the problem to something else and everyone being dysfunctional follows
This is so incredible
the USA is torturing people, committing genocide all over the globe and trying to do the same to its own people and they are interested in making sure they are not found out anymore.

they are paving the way for worse crimes - mark my words

[Lowell]

34. DOJ is in Bush's hip pocket

I guess it's official now, the Repubs control all branches of the government. Might as well abolish the congress and court system, we have a total dictatorship from the executive branch. They get everything backwards, its not the leak that is a crime, it is the unwarranted wiretaps. Since when was it a crime to report a crime?

[underpants]

35. Consider the timing of this folks

Half of MY office is gone for the day. I doubt that many people will pay much attention to the news this weekend. They get this going and before you know it they are arresting reporters for telling the truth about them.

[mzmolly]

36. Let's see supposedly we have to choose between damaging national security

or damaging our DEMOCRACY?! My freaking ass!

[The Backlash Cometh]

37. The leak wasn't what did damage to the NSA, morons.

When the NSA decided to break the law, it forfeited its own authority.

[Jon8503]

38. Concern About The Leak - What About The Crime; WSJ Article On This

Justice Department Opens Probe Into Leak of Domestic-Spy Data
Associated Press
December 30, 2005 11:25 a.m.

WASHINGTON -- The Justice Department has opened an investigation into the leak of classified information about President Bush's secret domestic spying program, Justice officials said Friday. The officials, who requested anonymity because of the sensitivity of the probe, said the inquiry will focus on disclosures to The New York Times about warrantless surveillance conducted by the National Security Agency since the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks.

The Times revealed the existence of the program two weeks ago in a front-page story that acknowledged the news had been withheld from publication for a year, partly at the request of the administration and partly because the newspaper wanted more time to confirm various aspects of the program.

The story unleashed a firestorm of criticism of the administration. Some critics accused the president of breaking the law by authorizing intercepts of conversations -- without prior court approval or oversight -- of people inside the U.S. and abroad who had suspected ties to al Qaeda or its affiliates. The surveillance program, which Mr. Bush acknowledged authorizing, bypassed a nearly 30-year-old secret court established to handle highly sensitive investigations involving espionage and terrorism.

Administration officials insisted that Mr. Bush has the power to conduct the warrantless surveillance under the Constitution's war powers provision. They also argued that Congress gave Mr. Bush the power to conduct such a secret program when it authorized the use of military force against terrorism in a resolution adopted within days of the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks.

Subscription Only: No link

[dpbrown]

40. The press is SUPPOSED to expose the crimes of the gov't.

Not cover them up.

Bastards.

:argh:

[kentuck]

41. Move the NSA under Homeland Security and FEMA !

Obviously they are the threat to our national security...

[kpete]

43. in other words

In other words, Bush circumvented the law with warrantless searches, but it's the whistleblower who's facing a criminal investigation.

http://www.latestblognews.com/

[EFerrari]

45. NYT fed this monster for FIVE YEARS. n/t

[Caoimhe]

46. Disgusting.. Put NOTHING past these criminals!

[Warren DeMontague]

47. Wow. I feel safer already.

Hey, maybe they can toss Valerie Plame in jail, too.

[StateSecrets]

50. More Whistleblowers Needed!

Thu Dec 29, 2005
Coaxing Out Whistleblowers- a New Appeal
I am reprinting verbatim the following Dec. 30 press release from the National Security Whistleblowers Coalition. In the wake of the recent uproar over NSA warrantless wiretaps, they are taking the opportunity to call for informed people to come forward and do their civic duty by speaking out about government abuses of power, crime and corruption, etc.

And I can take the opportunity to add that for those of you (or those you may know) with experience working in the Balkans (in international missions, in the military or related fields, or in any other informed capacity here), that we like hearing from new whistleblowers and sources, on or off the record. We've already lined some up juicy tidbits to come out in early 2006- a particularly crucial year for a lot of reasons in the Balkans.

So... now's the time, and here's the place.

Now, on to the press release:

December 30, 2005
NSWBC Call to Patriotic Duty
By Sibel Edmonds & William Weaver


Without whistleblowers the public would never know of the many abuses of constitutional rights by the government. Whistleblowers, Truth Tellers, are responsible for the disclosure that President George W. Bush ordered unconstitutional surveillance of American citizens. These constitutional lifeguards take their patriotic oaths to heart and soul: Rather than complying with classification and secrecy orders designed to protect officials engaging in criminal conduct, whistleblowers chose to risk their livelihoods and the wrath of their agencies to get the truth out. But will they be listened to by those who are charged with accountability?

read the entire press release at:

http://www.antiwar.com/blog/more.php?id=2590_0_1_0_M

[Beelzebud]

52. Why wait for a year?

So they wait a year to start an investigation into this?

Please.. This is a huge distraction. The WHISTLE BLOWER that disclosed this usurpation of our constitution should be given a medal of freedom.

[Kire]

54. Fuck that fucking shit.

I am so fucking pissed.

[Blue_Roses]

57. Pete Williams contributed to this report--what a tool

figures:eyes: He is such a tool for the Bush administration.

This is disgusting.

[dooner]

58. I HOPE this just encourages more leaks, in fresh places

Bushco is going to need a lot of fingers to plug a lot of leaks.
It's the best way to shut them down... keep leaking. It's a matter of life and death.

[eppur_se_muova]

59. Now on CNN.com as well, "Inquiry into leak of NSA spying program..."

http://www.cnn.com/2005/POLITICS/12/30/nsa.leak/index.html

Some good quotes from detractors:

"FISA says it's the exclusive law to authorize wiretaps," Democratic Sen. Russ Feingold of Wisconsin told CNN. "This administration is playing fast and loose with the law in national security. The issue here is whether the president of the United States is putting himself above the law, and I believe he has done so."

Sen. Jack Reed, D-Rhode Island, said the president could have gone back to a FISA court to get approval even after the wiretaps started if he was concerned about speed. "I'm just stunned by the president's rationales with respect to the illegal wiretapping," Reed said. "There are two points that have to be emphasized with respect to the FISA procedure: They're secret and they're retroactive.

"There is no situation where time is of such an essence they can't use the FISA proceedings. And so the president's justification, I think, is without merit."

The defense attorneys for several terror suspects prosecuted by the Justice Department said Wednesday they might file court motions questioning the legality of the NSA surveillance project. (Full Story)http://www.cnn.com/2005/LAW/12/28/lawyers.spying/index.html


IMHO, this article does a surprisingly good job (for Money$treamMedia) of pointing out the weaknesses of **'s case, and ends by mentioning the complications it may cause in prosecuting suspects already charged. YMMV. CNN often a/emends articles as news develops.

[moondust]

65. Intimidation.

This is supposed to strike fear into the hearts and minds of anybody considering releasing more information about the secret illegal activities of the Bush misadministration. What NSA is capable of doing and very likely does on orders of a fascist regime is common knowledge even to them dumb terrists who pulled off 9/11.

[BamaBecky]

69. Your spot on!

They can't take any more damanaging leaks

THEY can break the law!

But we better not break the law!

IMPEACHMENT NOW!

Bama

[gulliver]

66. Of course.

Bush was hinting at this from the beginning. He has to say he will keep doing the spying, and he has to investigate the leak as a crime. Otherwise, people will think he is acting guilty of something.

[Lex]

67. kick

:kick:

[progressivebydesign]

70. WTF?? So Rove and his ilk walk free after leaking Plame's ID

But the Justice department is investigating the LEAK not the illegal spying?? I can't stress ENOUGH how important it is to have even ONE branch of the govt under another party's control.

[Garbo 2004]

71. But but but...it was common knowledge, they bragged about it at cocktail

parties, their neighbors knew. :sarcasm:

Really, no one's terribly surprised, the story just confirmed what many thought these guys were up to anyway. Claiming Congress explicity approved it in the Afghanistan resolution is ridiculous.

And obviously the Administration knew this info was out there for well over a year. If the leak was so egregious why did the Administration wait over a year until after the NYT published it to "investigate?" It's more spin and propaganda.

As for the efficacy of the program, even the Moonie Insight mag had an article saying the op has been a bust in terms of results: "Wiretaps fail to make dent in terror war; al Qaeda used messengers" http://www.insightmag.com/Media/MediaManager/wiretaps_0.htm

[spanone]

73. Welcome to Ashcrofts' replacement. Asshole Gonzales.

Be afraid my friends, be very afraid.

[stickdog]

76. War is Peace. Freedom is Slavery. Exposing the Crime is the Crime.

[0007]

77. Jesus Christ that's like Sammy the 'Bull" Gravano investigating

John Gotti. Wait a minute maybe that's not a bad idea!