Jim Kouri
Law Enforcement Examiner
6/10/2012
Since 2011, when the GOP took control of the House of Representatives, President Barack Obama has all but begged the Democrats and Republicans to work together in both houses of Congress. Unfortunately, a bi-partisan investigation of the White House over alleged intelligence leaks was obviously not what Obama had in mind on Friday.
In spite of denials on Friday by members of the Obama administration that recent intelligence leaks emanated from the White House — leaks that allegedly compromised national security interests — lawmakers from both Houses of Congress and from both political parties are contemplating new legislation to combat what amounts to espionage, according to a Law Enforcement Examiner source within a federal police agency.
Members of the House and Senate Intelligence Committees told various print and broadcast news outlets that they are planning to propose new legislation in an attempt to stop leaks of classified intelligence and increase the penalties for leaking secrets.
The recent leaks regarding a U.S. cyber-attack against Iran’s nuclear-program computers and the so-called “Obama Terrorist Kill List” created even more outrage than two previous leaks that endangered one “intelligence asset” and caused another to be imprisoned in Pakistan…
The article continues at the Law Enforcement Examiner.
Related: Congress calls for special prosecutor, gets visit from Mueller, Clapper over security leaks
The growing, bipartisan concern in Congress about national security leaks that appear linked to the Obama administration brought two of the country’s top intelligence officials Thursday to Capitol Hill –where they were told the once-secret information his now endangering the lives of Americans across the world.
“It’s outrageous that the White House would allow these ongoing alleged disclosures to jeopardize the safety of our intelligence professionals and the well-being of the American people,” GOP Sen. Roy Blunt said after a meeting with FBI Director Robert Mueller and Director of National Intelligence James Clapper.
The meeting with Blunt and other members of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence marks the first visit by administration officials to Capitol Hill, following a series of stories by the New York Times that detailed cyber-attacks on Iran’s nuclear program, the working of U.S. drone attacks in the Middle East and the human “hit list” — culled personally by President Obama.
However, the CIA and the Justice Department’s national security division have said they will not cooperate…
Stuxnet…The White House Reveals Their Depravity
…The New York Times revealed today in a major news article that the well-known Stuxnet malware attack on the Iranian nuclear program was, in fact, an American operation. Most experts had felt that was the most logical conclusion, but it had never been confirmed. The Times report is based on interviews with anonymous sources “because the effort remains highly classified, and parts of it continue to this day,” reporter David Sanger wrote. While this is an acknowledgement of U.S. prowess in cyberwarfare, the revelation is an inexcusable breach of security that seems to be a part of a disturbing trend…
…The Washington Free Beacon has Wolf Blitzer’s interview with Senator Dianne Feinstein on Obama’s WH Intel leaks. She said, in all her years on the Intelligence Committee she “has never seen it worse”…
The White House Feels Bipartisan Heat Over Leaks
…How damaging are the leaks? Those regarding the cyber attack certainly are unfortunate. Iran should be left to figure out on its own who is targeting its computer systems — the U.S., Israel, or disenchanted forces within Iran. And Israel, the likeliest target of Iranian retaliation, cannot be amused that the U.S. has identified it as a perpetrator…
…Who is doing the leaking? John McCain claims that the leaks are coming from the highest-levels of the White House, which is trying to portray the president as a tough, take-no-prisoners anti-terrorism leader. The administration denies the allegation, but the denial is difficult to credit. First, the leaks present Obama in a politically favorable light, not just as tough but also as a helpful partner with Israel. Second, it’s not clear how the press could have obtained all of this information, much less confirmed it, through lower level sources. Third, we know from what was revealed about the killing of bin Laden that this adminstration is willing to place its desire for good publicity above the need to act with discretion in these matters.
Moreover, Senators Feinstein and Levin must strongly suspect high-level involvement in the leaks. I wouldn’t think that you hold hearings or contemplate a special counsel to investigate leaks by mid-level bureaucrats…
Mark Levin said last night on his radio show that Eric Holder appointing two of his prosecutors to investigate the executive branch as well as the legislative branch to uncover the origination of all the recent leaks is simply “intended to diffuse the situation and create ambiguity”. But even more than that, he says that if this were a Republican administration that a special prosecutor would be demanded…by Democrats like Chuck Schumer as well as the media, just like it was in the Scooter Libby case…
Pelosi to McCain: ‘Really sad’ to say security leaks were ‘politically motivated’ by White House Article and original video at the link.
Update: Incompetence: No one has confidence in Attorney General Eric Holder’s investigation of leaks
Update 2: Obama Administration: Remember when “Top Secret” actually meant something?
On the eve of the anniversary of D-Day, it isn’t difficult, given their record, to believe that if it was the Obama Administration in charge on that historic day, the Germans would have known all about it.
In recent months, operations which we should frankly know nothing about, have been leaked by this administration.
Most observers have come to the conclusion that the leaks are an attempt to paint a positive picture of Obama the Commander-in-Chief in what promises to be a bruising fight for re-election. The reason for such an attempt is the rest of the Obama record leaves much to be desired…
Also, from May: Wikileaks Document Led to Hanging Death of Western Spy This Week in Tehran
…WikiLeaks may have been responsible for exposing Majid Jamali Fashi, the 24-year-old kickboxer who was hanged in Tehran on Tuesday morning after “confessing” to assassinating a nuclear scientist on behalf of Israel, a British media report said…
Update 3: Wait. What? CNN: ‘Usually’ You Give President ‘A Pass On Leaking Confidential Stuff’
Also, King: Info Leaks Lead To Obama’s Inner Circle
GOP congressman Peter King claims Obama is using security leaks to appear stronger ahead of election
