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Report: Justice Department Probing Durbin, Rockefeller CIA Leak
Newsmax.com ^ | July 23, 2005 | Carl Limbacher

Posted on 12/22/2005 10:33:26 AM PST by shield

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."

Rockefeller is the vice chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee and Durbin is the No. 2-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," Babbin 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 I mean, they should have been revoked at the time of the leak."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: Crime/Corruption
KEYWORDS: 109th; 200412; 20041211; 200507; benedictarnolds; berger; blackops; cia; cialeak; ciasatellite; ciasatelliteintl; doj; dojprobe; durbin; espionage; jayrockefeller; leak; leakers; leaks; mayjusticebedone; patriotleak; probe; rattreason; rockefeller; rockefellermemo; ronwyden; sabateurs; satellite; satellites; sic; spies; spying; spysatellites; ssci; treason; turbandurbin; wyden
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Rockefeller is the vice chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee and Durbin is the No. 2-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.


1 posted on 12/22/2005 10:33:28 AM PST by shield
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To: Howlin

Looks like an on-going investigation into Rockefeller along with Durbin is taking place on leaking classified information.


2 posted on 12/22/2005 10:34:57 AM PST by shield (The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge: but fools despise wisdom and instructions.Pr 1:7)
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To: shield

What kind of a probe do you think they're using?


3 posted on 12/22/2005 10:35:32 AM PST by RexBeach ("The rest of the world is three drinks behind." -Humphrey Bogart)
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To: shield

If true, they should be sent to GITMO in shackles.


4 posted on 12/22/2005 10:35:34 AM PST by DogBarkTree
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To: shield

This would be a wonderful Christmas present.


5 posted on 12/22/2005 10:36:19 AM PST by Michael.SF. ('Only thing worse than a Frenchman is a Frenchman who lives in Canada' - Ted Nugent.)
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To: shield

I hope they go down....and go down hard. I hope they think it was worth it politically after they are sitting in a federal pound-me-in-the-arse prison.


6 posted on 12/22/2005 10:36:35 AM PST by smith288 (Peace at all cost makes for tyranny free of charge...)
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To: shield

Excellent!


7 posted on 12/22/2005 10:36:36 AM PST by kellynla (U.S.M.C. 1st Battalion,5th Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Div. Viet Nam 69&70 Semper Fi)
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To: shield

Sweet.


8 posted on 12/22/2005 10:36:38 AM PST by b4its2late (Liberals are good examples of why some animals eat their young.)
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To: shield; Owl_Eagle; Sam's Army; Lazamataz; Darksheare; pissant; Dashing Dasher; najida; ...

It's about time, PING!!!


9 posted on 12/22/2005 10:36:41 AM PST by Jersey Republican Biker Chick (Cleverly disguised as a responsible adult.)
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To: shield

Great. Now if only something comes of it.


10 posted on 12/22/2005 10:36:48 AM PST by atomicpossum (Replies should be as pedantic as possible. I love that so much.)
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To: Mo1

Surprised?


11 posted on 12/22/2005 10:37:19 AM PST by conservative in nyc
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To: shield

This could be sweet and it's about time.


12 posted on 12/22/2005 10:37:41 AM PST by ncountylee (Dead terrorists smell like victory)
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To: DogBarkTree

Let's see some frogmarching. They are going to get us killed!!


13 posted on 12/22/2005 10:38:08 AM PST by Wristpin ("The Yankees have decided to buy every player in Baseball....")
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To: shield

A Culture of Corruption


14 posted on 12/22/2005 10:38:19 AM PST by MJY1288 (THE DEMOCRATS OFFER NOTHING FOR THE FUTURE AND THEY LIE ABOUT THE PAST)
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To: conservative in nyc

No - it's a July, 2005 article

I knew they were under investigation

But I don't know whatever happen to the investigation


15 posted on 12/22/2005 10:38:38 AM PST by Mo1 (Republicans protect Americans from Terrorists. Democrats protect Terrorists from Americans)
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To: Jersey Republican Biker Chick

West Virgina, Illinois and Oregon (isn't that Wyden's state) ought to start a recall NOW for these 3 traitors...Their pensions should also be lost and any hope for any government job EVER again lost!


16 posted on 12/22/2005 10:38:41 AM PST by princess leah
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To: smith288
"I hope they go down....and go down hard. I hope they think it was worth it politically after they are sitting in a federal pound-me-in-the-arse prison."

AMEN, treasonous bastards.

17 posted on 12/22/2005 10:38:42 AM PST by Jersey Republican Biker Chick (Cleverly disguised as a responsible adult.)
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To: shield
Rats sincerely believe that laws are only for Republicans, and that rules do not apply to democrats.

These traitors are de facto al Queda allies and must be annihilated.


18 posted on 12/22/2005 10:38:53 AM PST by FormerACLUmember
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To: shield
This better be going on. This is serious stuff. I want them doing the perp walk if guilty.

I am sure Chris Matthews will be all over this.

19 posted on 12/22/2005 10:39:15 AM PST by KC_Conspirator
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To: shield

The John McCain include Senators in his "Do Not Torture" legislation?


20 posted on 12/22/2005 10:39:33 AM PST by msnimje (Political Correctness -- An OFFENSIVE attempt not to offend.)
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