Posted on 05/31/2013 1:21:42 PM PDT by jazusamo
Rep. Bob Goodlatte (R-Va.) on Friday questioned whether the Justice Department lied on its warrant to secretly obtain a Fox News reporter’s email and phone records.
Goodlatte, the chairman of the House Judiciary Chairman, is investigating whether Attorney General Eric Holder perjured himself in testimony to Congress about the DOJ’s investigation of a leak of classified information to Fox reporter James Rosen.
The DOJ has said that Holder’s testimony was “accurate and consistent with the facts” in the case and that the DOJ never sought to press charges against Rosen in its prosecution of the alleged leaker, Stephen Kim.
Goodlatte wrote a letter to Holder earlier this week asking for an explanation about why the government named Rosen as a criminal "co-conspirator” in the warrant application it used to convince a judge to grant it permission to spy on Rosen’s personal email accounts and tracks his whereabouts in and out of the State Department building.
On Friday, Goodlatte went a step further, questioning whether the DOJ — if it did not actually intend to bring criminal charges against Rosen — lied to the judge on its warrant application because Justice officials suspected the warrant would not be approved otherwise.
“That raises an additional very alarming concern, and that is: Is the Justice Department putting false information in their warrants to get the information they want because they could not have received a warrant with regard to Mr. Rosen unless they accused him of a crime?” Goodlatte said in an interview with Fox News.
A spokesperson for Justice has said that the government never moved to prosecute Rosen on any criminal grounds and that the warrant was solely designed to get evidence to be used against Kim for allegedly giving Rosen access to classified information.
“At no time during the leak case involving Stephen Kim, before or after the FBI sought the search warrant, have prosecutors sought approval to bring criminal charges against the reporter,” the DOJ spokesperson said.
“The search warrant application in the Kim matter was focused on obtaining evidence relating to allegations that a government official had leaked highly classified information, which was a threat to our national security.”
Justice said that the warrant application “was drafted during the investigation phase of the case, which came before any decisions about prosecution.” The DOJ does not anticipate filing any additional charges in the case against Kim, said the spokesperson, stressing that Holder has never sought the prosecution of a reporter during his time as attorney general.
The Judiciary Committee’s investigation centers around a statement Holder made during an exchange with Rep. Hank Johnson (D-Ga.) earlier this month about whether reporters could be prosecuted under the Espionage Act of 1917.
“In regard to potential prosecution of the press for the disclosure of material — this is not something I’ve ever been involved in, heard of, or would think would be wise policy,” Holder said at the hearing.
The DOJ later confirmed that Holder personally signed off on a search warrant that labeled Rosen a co-conspirator in the case against Kim.
Goodlatte has demanded answers by next Wednesday about whether Holder’s direct involvement in the Rosen warrant contradict his claim that he had not looked into or been involved with a possible prosecution of the press in a leaks case.
“How can you claim to have never been involved in the potential prosecution of a member of the media but you were admittedly involved in discussions regarding Mr. Rosen’s email?” Goodlatte’s letter to Holder asks.
“How can you claim to have never even heard of the potential prosecution of the press but were, at a minimum, involved in discussions regarding Mr. Rosen?”
Holder has been under intense scrutiny this week by lawmakers and the media for the DOJ’s secret pursuit of Rosen’s records as well as the telephone records of at least 20 Associated Press employees in a separate leaks investigation.
In an attempt to address concerns, Holder has offered to hold a series of off-the-record meetings with top officials at major news outlets in D.C. but many media groups have rebuffed his offer, saying that the discussions should be public.
It seems Holder (Justice) lied to the judge getting the warrant.
Oh Oh I think Holder has a problem. He was just doing the mission of the Prezzy by going after Fox News....
Judge-shopping liars intent on destroying the
Constitution. Who better to head the DO”J”?
Whitey Bulger is more honest than Holder and
cares more about America’s security than Holder.
AP? I still want proof the AP was targeted. I think the AP story is a 'red herring' designed to make it appear 0bama wasn't ONLY going after conservative groups.
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/3025463/posts
IRS scandal? You can bet this was ALL agencies across the board to include EPA, DOJ, DHS, TSA, SSA, etc..
This SHOULD be called 'INTIMIDATION SCANDAL' OR 'TARGETING SCANDAL' or a Glenn Beck calls it 'INTIMOGATE'.. The reach of this scandal is the most serious 'abuse of power' ever committed by any president, ever.
And why is everyone afraid to say 'Valerie Jarrett'? She seems to escape mention by anyone, including Hannity.
WATCH HANNITY TONIGHT.. HE'S GOING TO HAVE CONSERVATIVE AND OTHER GROUPS ON WHO WERE TARGETED BY THE OBAMA REGIME!!!
Holder had to go judge shopping when the first two judges denied his request to investigate Rosen. The third judge, who caved to Holder, must have something very shady in his background that he was threatened with. It’s the Chicago Democrat mafia way things get done.
Right on the mark and Holder and his boss have learned that well.
That can get him disbarred. I don't think a disbarred lawyer can be the Attorney General.
How does the top cop prosecute the top criminal when the top criminal is the top cop?
That would be sweet. If by some miracle it comes about it would finally be some justice out of this Justice Department.
The Justice Department would not prosecute Holder on the disbarment proceeding. That would be done by the State Bar Court.
Clinton was disbarred for lying in his Paula Jones Depo. Holder has lied in no less than a half dozen appearances before Congress.
Correct, it would be some justice just getting rid of the turkey.
Anyone wanting on or off this ping list, please advise. Thanks.
Sure he can. Being an attorney is not a requirement for the job. Besides, Clinton was disbarred and stayed President.
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