Members of Congress Now Want to Prosecute New York Times Journalists

[Luminous Animal]

Or "Why the WikiLeaks Grand Jury is So Dangerous"

For more than a year now, EFF has encouraged mainstream press publications like the New York Times to aggressively defend WikiLeaks’ First Amendment right to publish classified information in the public interest and denounce the ongoing grand jury investigating WikiLeaks as a threat to press freedom.

Well, we are now seeing why that is so important: at a Judiciary subcommittee hearing on July 11, some members of Congress made it clear they also want New York Times journalists charged under the Espionage Act for their recent stories on President Obama’s ‘Kill List’ and secret US cyberattacks against Iran. During the hearing, House Republicans “pressed legal experts Wednesday on whether it was possible to prosecute reporters for publishing classified information,” according to the Los Angeles Times.

In addition, the Washingtonian’s Shane Harris reported a month ago that a “senior” Justice Department official “made it clear that reporters who talked to sources about classified information were putting themselves at risk of prosecution.”

https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2012/07/why-wikileaks-grand-jury-important-some-members-congress-want-prosecute-new-york

[Octafish]

1. Where's that put lowly Bloggers?

Thank goodness for EFF and WikiLeaks. Judging by how lowly both Dems and pukes in Washington hold the First Amendment, we may be in for another Dark Ages soon.

Thank you for the heads-up, Citizen.

[Luminous Animal]

2. Raging arguments about the 2nd Amendment. Crickets on the 1st.

[SickOfTheOnePct]

3. A free press is a free press

I would rather that media outlets not publish classified material, however, no media outlet should be charged for doing so.

Now, the people that leak the classified information? I have no problem with prosecuting them, but not the press.

[ananda]

4. I think I'll wear my Wikileaks shirt tomorrow.

In these parts I get noticed and commended for it.

[msanthrope]

5. Can you name a single journalist prosecuted under the Espionage Act? One?

Or shall we all lose our shit because EFF tells us to?

House Republicans bumble and bluster at a committee hearing, and we are all supposed to get upset? Come on...these assholes are grandstanding, and should not be pandered to.

[Luminous Animal]

6. LA Times: "House Republicans consider prosecuting reporters over leaks"

http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/nation/la-na-security-leaks-20120712,0,641707.story

WASHINGTON — Expressing outrage over national security leaks, Republicans on a House Judiciary subcommittee pressed legal experts Wednesday on whether it was possible to prosecute reporters for publishing classified information.

The response was a qualified yes.

"Under certain circumstances, you can see that if someone acting with impunity and knowledge of the consequences goes ahead and publishes it, that is something that I think would be worthy of prosecution and punishment," said Kenneth Wainstein, a partner at Cadwalader, Wickersham & Taft who specializes in national security

I never expected in my lifetime to witness the Espionage Act to be used 6 times to prosecute whistle-blowing government employees. I am not going to wait until a reporter is charged, I prefer to be pro-active.

And, from my point of view, there is only one person losing their shit.

[msanthrope]

7. Are you gonna quote Bush's Homeland Security Advisor on how the Espionage Act should be used?

You are quoting Republicans talking to Republicans.

So what? Sounds to me like the usual mastubatory fantasies of House Republicans.

There has never been a prosecution of a journalist under the Espionage Act, Republican fear-mongering aside.

As for prosecutions of government officials, whistleblowers who follow the law have immunity from prosecution. Leakers, who try to covertly slip info to the MSM run the risk of getting caught. Ask Scooter Libby.

This is not to say prosecutorial discretion should not be used. Certainly, Thomas Drake's prosecution proved that.

[Luminous Animal]

8. Yes. I am quoting Republicans talking to Republicans. And so does EFF.

I'm not so naive to believe that Republicans have to power to sway the national dialogue. I am not so naive to believe that some day they will hold both houses and White House and by that time, their propagenda hasn't wormed its way into a majority standard. Twelve years ago, waterboarding was torture. Now the NY Times can barely bring themselves to report the word.

Scooter Libby! Funneee! He suffered so much, lost all of his assets, and is now working at MacDonalds. (snort)

Oops! Nope! He is now Senior Vice President of the Hudson Institute.

http://www.rightweb.irc-online.org/profile/Libby_I_Lewis_Scooter