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Report: Justice Department Probing Durbin, Rockefeller CIA Leak
NewsMax ^ | 7/23/05 | Carl Limbacher

Posted on 07/23/2005 10:34:08 AM PDT by wagglebee

The Justice Department has launched a criminal investigation into whether Democratic Senators Dick Durbin, Jay Rockefeller and Ron Wyden leaked details about a secret "black ops" CIA satellite program last December in a move that may have seriously compromised national security, former Deputy Undersecretary of Defense Jed Babbin said on Saturday.

"The CIA made a request to the Justice Department to investigate and possibly bring criminal charges against these three [senators]," Babbin told WABC Radio host Monica Crowley. "My information is that investigation is ongoing."

Mr. Rockefeller is the Vice Chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee and Mr. Durbin is the number two ranking Democrat in the Senate.

Media reports on the satellite leak last December indicated that the Bush administration was concerned about public comments by Durbin, Rockefeller and Wyden and that the CIA had requested a Justice Department probe.

"The formal request for a leaks investigation would target people who described sensitive details about a new generation of spy satellites to The Washington Post, which published a page-one story about the espionage program Saturday [Dec. 11, 2004]," a Justice Department official told the Associated Press at the time.

But the same official told the AP that Justice "has not decided whether to investigate."

Former Deputy Undersecretary Babbin's comments on Saturday were the first indication that such a probe was actually launched and is ongoing.

"The fact of the matter is that [Durbin, Rockefeller and Wyden] divulged something that was above and beyond top secret and frankly, they probably blew the strategy and the hundreds of millions of dollars that were being spent to pursue it," he told Crowley.

"The acknowledgement of [the "black ops" program's] existence is not even proper and the acknowledgement of them and the details of them can very well damage national security," Babbin added.

Asked if he thought the three Senate Democrats should have their security clearances revoked for the duration of the leak probe, the former Defense Department official said, "Absolutely and forthwith. I mean, they should have been revoked at the time of the leak."

"There's really not much doubt about the leak having occurred," Babbin told Crowley. "It's in the press records, it's in the Congressional record. We know what they did."

"The only question," he explained, "is how much damage was done by the leak. And that's part of the criminal investigation right now - to do a damage assessment, to figure out how much this is going to cost us strategically and militarily."


TOPICS: Foreign Affairs; Front Page News; Government; News/Current Events; War on Terror
KEYWORDS: 109th; 2004memo; cia; cialeak; dickdurbin; dirtydickdurbin; doj; durbin; homelandsecurity; jayrockefeller; jedbabbin; justicedept; leaks; looselips; probe; rockefeller; ronwyden; wyden
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Boot them from the Senate and put them in prison!
1 posted on 07/23/2005 10:34:08 AM PDT by wagglebee
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To: wagglebee

Don't you know that only Democrats can get away with leaking top secret info?


2 posted on 07/23/2005 10:36:42 AM PDT by mass55th (Courage is being scared to death - but saddling up anyway~~John Wayne)
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To: wagglebee

Well, lookie here. The Rats continue to seriously undermine national security. Of CURRENT agents and a current operation.

The next time the Rats open their mouths about Rove, the Republicans had better use this information.


3 posted on 07/23/2005 10:38:30 AM PDT by Peach
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To: wagglebee
Of course, this has been all over the MSM. The media is outraged by this leak.

NOT

4 posted on 07/23/2005 10:39:03 AM PDT by OldFriend (MERCY TO THE GUILTY IS CRUELTY TO THE INNOCENT ~ Adam Smith)
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To: wagglebee

And don't forget to frog-march them out in cuffs and chains.


5 posted on 07/23/2005 10:39:55 AM PDT by SmithL (There are a lot of people that hate Bush more than they hate terrorists)
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To: wagglebee

I suppose the 3 Smuckateers will produce forgeries on government stationary using an old IBM typewriter saying this was de-classified and is signed by Howdy-Doody.


6 posted on 07/23/2005 10:40:17 AM PDT by Sacajaweau (God Bless Our Troops!!)
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To: prairiebreeze

Some very good news that the Republicans had BETTER use everytime the Rats mention Rove.

The Justice Department has launched a criminal investigation into whether Democratic Senators Dick Durbin, Jay Rockefeller and Ron Wyden leaked details about a secret "black ops" CIA satellite program last December in a move that may have seriously compromised national security, former Deputy Undersecretary of Defense Jed Babbin said on Saturday.


7 posted on 07/23/2005 10:40:18 AM PDT by Peach
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To: wagglebee

I believe the term is "frog marched." They ought to get Kerry and the other dem who outed the CIA agent during the Bolton hearings as well. Time to answer to the double standards lie-berals.


8 posted on 07/23/2005 10:41:09 AM PDT by infidel29 ("It is only the warlike power of a civilized people that can give peace to the world."- T. Roosevelt)
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To: wagglebee

How many more traitors are congresscritters...I hope DOJ gets 'em all....


9 posted on 07/23/2005 10:41:31 AM PDT by shield (The Greatest Scientific Discoveries of the Century Reveal God!!!! by Dr. H. Ross, Astrophysicist)
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To: wagglebee

now the real truth why they are making a big deal out of Plume.


10 posted on 07/23/2005 10:44:02 AM PDT by dila813
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To: Peach

The Republicans ALWAYS let these matters slide. I use to think it was because they always took the higher road, but now I'm not so sure they aren't worried about a tit-for-tat war starting. Nonetheless, What they haven't figured out, is that the dems will ALWAYS take the low road and with the msm being solidly in their court, the Pubbies better figure out soon to get serious really quick about the slime to destruction attitude and start fighting back asap.


11 posted on 07/23/2005 10:44:14 AM PDT by freeangel ( (free speech is only good until someone else doesn't like what you say))
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To: wagglebee

Those wimpy Republicans better do something about the fifth column Democrats. Durbin releases a false FBI memo the sole purpose of which is to undermine the war and our troops!

Now he's releasing classified secrets? No, It must be Rove.


12 posted on 07/23/2005 10:46:06 AM PDT by ChiMark
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To: Sacajaweau

"I suppose the 3 Smuckateers will produce forgeries on government stationary using an old IBM typewriter saying this was de-classified and is signed by Howdy-Doody."

How DARE you. Howdy-Doody was one--is--one of the finest patriots ever in these here United States.

Unless you sat in the television peanut gallery, you'll never know how great a Puppet-American he was. (He is.)


13 posted on 07/23/2005 10:46:41 AM PDT by righttackle44 (The most dangerous weapon in the world is a Marine with his rifle and the American people behind him)
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To: wagglebee

Ahh, the worm turns.....


14 posted on 07/23/2005 10:47:40 AM PDT by digger48
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To: wagglebee

And in further developments


ZIRCONIC / NEBULA

ZIRCONIC is a security channel behind the traditional BYEMAN compartments which reportedly contains stealth satellite programs such as MISTY (AFP-731) and PROWLER. NEBULA is the program name covering work on the general concept and technology of stealthy satellites.

Much debate has developed within Congress in response to the expensive spy satellite program currently being built by the United States. On Wednesday, December 8, Senator John D. Rockefeller (D-W.VA.) broke what had been an intense internal debate by expressing his belief that the program is “totally unjustified and very wasteful and dangerous to national security.” Three Democratic senators-- Carl M. Levin (MI); Richard Durbin (IL); and Ron Wyden (OR)-- joined him in voicing a lack of confidence in the program; and it is reported that some Republican lawmakers also share their concerns.

The spy satellites, which reportedly employ technology similar to that used on the B-2 bomber and the F-117A fighter, are designed to orbit undetected in an attempt to cloak American surveillance of other nations. As a result, countries that draw particular attention, notably Iran and North Korea, will thus be unable to determine when American satellites are overhead. Consequently, they will be unable to plan accordingly, making their developments subject to unquantifiable scrutiny.

Most of the opposition that has surfaced is rooted in the satellite program’s cost, which has reportedly doubled—from $5 billion to $9.5 billion. Critics also claim, however, that the satellite’s capabilities are irrelevant since today most countries that are surreptitiously pursuing illicit weapons are hiding them underground. Nevertheless, the program has survived (despite Senate efforts to terminate it in the last two years) with strong support from Porter Goss, the new CIA chief, and his predecessor, George Tenet.

The satellite, funded under a classified program known as Misty, was first revealed by Jeffrey T. Richelson in his 2001 book “The Wizards of Langley: Inside the CIA’s Directorate of Science and Technology.” Richelson claimed that the first craft was launched on March 1, 1990 from the space shuttle Atlantis.

Senators Rockefeller, Levin, Wyden and Durbin objected to an item in the classified schedule of authorizations that provided for continued funding of a major acquisition program that they believed is unnecessary and the cost of which they believe is unjustified. They believe that the funds for this item should be expended on other intelligence programs that will make a surer and greater contribution to national security. For this reason, which is more fully explained in the classified record of the conference, they have not signed the conference report.

Senator Wyden said "The Senate Select Committee on Intelligence has raised concerns about the need and costs of this program for the past 4 years and sought to cancel this program in each of the past 2 years. This has not been a political issue, a Democratic or Republican issue, nor should it be. The members of the Senate committee have supported these efforts in a nonpartisan way with unanimous votes each time. The Senate Intelligence Committee has determined that this program should not be funded based on firm policy judgments. Numerous independent reviews have concluded that the program does not fulfill a major intelligence gap or shortfall, and the original justification for developing this technology has eroded in importance due to the changed practices and capabilities of our adversaries. There are a number of other programs in existence and in development whose capabilities can match those envisioned for this program at far less cost and technological risk. Like almost all other acquisition programs of its size, initial budget estimates have drastically underestimated the true costs of this acquisition and independent cost estimates have shown that this program will exceed its proposed budgets by enormous amounts of money. The Senate Intelligence Committee has also in the past expressed its concern about how this program was to be awarded to the prime contractor. "


15 posted on 07/23/2005 10:48:13 AM PDT by JustAnotherOkie
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To: wagglebee

If the Administration lacked the will to imprison a nothing like Sandy Berger, it certainly lacks the will to imprison these senators.


16 posted on 07/23/2005 10:48:15 AM PDT by mdefranc
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To: wagglebee

This is great news for Illinois. Sen Dick "Eddie Haskell" Durbin has made his bed with the likes of Kennedy, Schumer, and Hillary. There is an old expression "Time wounds all heels" and Durbin has just been wounded "BIG TIME". Now, the Illinois GOP needs to see a doctor immediately to treat the cranial-anal inversion and get it together for a solid HOME GROWN candidate that can win across the state! Leadership is sorely lacking in the IL-GOP. "Let's ROLL!"


17 posted on 07/23/2005 10:49:41 AM PDT by SERKIT ("Blazing Saddles" explains it all.....)
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To: wagglebee

Before the investigation is complete they should step down from their positions. That is what they are asking Rove to do. It's only fair.


18 posted on 07/23/2005 10:49:51 AM PDT by fish hawk (hollow points were made to hold pig lard)
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To: Howlin; Mo1; OXENinFLA

Lookey here


19 posted on 07/23/2005 10:50:02 AM PDT by hipaatwo (When you're in trouble you want all your friends around you...preferably armed!)
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To: infidel29

I'd love to see the C-Span video of them being cuffed & stuffed right off the floor of Congress!


20 posted on 07/23/2005 10:50:42 AM PDT by El Laton Caliente (NRA Member & GUNSNET.NET Moderator)
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