Inquiry Into Wiretapping Article Widens [the noose starts to tighten?]

New York Times ^ | February 12, 2006 | DAVID JOHNSTON

[68skylark]

WASHINGTON, Feb. 11 — Federal agents have interviewed officials at several of the country's law enforcement and national security agencies in a rapidly expanding criminal investigation into the circumstances surrounding a New York Times article published in December that disclosed the existence of a highly classified domestic eavesdropping program, according to government officials.

The investigation, which appears to cover the case from 2004, when the newspaper began reporting the story, is being closely coordinated with criminal prosecutors at the Justice Department, the officials said. People who have been interviewed and others in the government who have been briefed on the interviews said the investigation seems to lay the groundwork for a grand jury inquiry that could lead to criminal charges.

The inquiry is progressing as a debate about the eavesdropping rages in Congress and elsewhere. President Bush has condemned the leak as a "shameful act." Others, like Porter J. Goss, the C.I.A. director, have expressed the hope that reporters would be summoned before a grand jury and asked to reveal the identities of those who provided them classified information.

Mr. Goss, speaking at a Senate intelligence committee hearing on Feb. 2, said, "It is my aim, and it is my hope that we will witness a grand jury investigation with reporters present being asked to reveal who is leaking this information. I believe the safety of this nation and the people this country deserve nothing less." The case is viewed in as potentially far reaching because it places on a collision course constitutional principles that each side regards as paramount. For the government, the investigation represents an effort to punish those responsible for a serious security breach....For news organizations, the inquiry threatens its ability to protect sources and report on controversial national security issues free of government interference....

[zarf]

I'm afraid your right BUT I will go on record if this gets to the prosecution stage that I will BUY you dinner. Deal?....

....no Happy Meals either. Deal!

[Freee-dame]

domestic eavesdropping program, according to government officials.

What is it about "domestic" that the NYT does not understand. They continue to lie for the left.

Do they think that we read "government officials" as people in the White House close to President Bush. They are probably Clinton holdovers in the State Department who were among the thousands changed from political appointee to civil servant status just before Ex42 left town.

[Mike Darancette]

I'm waiting for the Congressional leaders to pledge the total cooperation of their members in this matter.

[Mike Darancette]

"We were not convinced then, and have not been convinced since, that our reporting compromised national security."

That determination will be up to a grand jury.

[processing please hold]

NYT/LUcifer--pretty close.

Agreed. :-)

[rodguy911]

Just learning how to do this stuff, sort of.

[BobS]

"LOL! I concur."

There are statutes that deal with national security, treason, and aiding and helping an enemy based on what the Constitution describes.

I want these hearings to go on if Joe Blow and Mrs. Joe Blow down the street can learn a fact or two about our constitution. But they are bored to tears by senators and senatoresses spouting pointless nonsense.

Mrs. Bill Clinton has been on the rag for years and she can't hide it. A single well-placed word can tip her over:)

[p23185]

I thinkWe all believe the obsession with getting Bush won out over the American People's safety.

There I made a slight improvement!!

[p23185]

C-SPAN has run some remarkable Lyndon Johnson tapes on this question. He wanted all of the "homosexuals and Socialists" to be eliminated from the State Department. No ambiguity whatsoever, that's exactly what he said.

I have no proof, but IMO this is exactly what has brought us to this crisis of national security. Go back to barring Homos and Social Activists from receiving security clearances. Political correctness is going to kill us all.

[operation clinton cleanup]

Thanks. Hope the rule of law prevails in this case... like it has not done in a long time.

[finnman69]

To any lurking NY Times reporters, blabbermouth NSA employees, and Sen. Rockefeller staffers.

HIRE A LAWYER.

[68skylark]

To any lurking NY Times reporters, blabbermouth NSA employees, and Sen. Rockefeller staffers.

HIRE A LAWYER.

That's good advice. I suspect a lot of them have already taken that step.

I'd say this to any lurking NY Times stockholders: SELL.

[crushelits]

We'll get them fellows at the NY time Senator Rocky...

Are you worried?

[crushelits]

"Before running the story we gave long and sober consideration"
But somewhere along our progressive thinking we got drunk and we said the heck with it...
those people in Washington don't know better than us, we are progressive and elitists...

[crushelits]

Sorry, no jail time for those who leaked.
Its payback and they will have to be shot for treason.

[TNdandelion]

I agree. I expect this sort of thing from the media, but I'm damn sick and tired of elected politicians (of both (parties) running off at the mouth to the first camera they see about this story.

They should run replay of the twin towers being attacked and crashing down on the Senate floor every day as a reminder of their first priority.

[nopardons]

Woooooooooooooooooooo hoooooooooooooooooo pass the popcorn! :-)

[roses of sharon]

The bathhouse boy's tradition of sedition could soon be over?

Na, since they are commie-vampires, only a stake thru the heart will do!

[Dolphy]

I wonder if Fitzgerald has read this.

Mr. Gonzales said:...But, obviously, our prosecutors are going to look to see all the laws that have been violated. And if the evidence is there, they're going to prosecute those violations."

Or this:

How aggressively prosecutors pursue the new case involving the N.S.A. may depend on their assessment of the damage caused by the disclosure, Mr. Terwilliger said. "If the program is as sensitive and critical as it has been described, and leaking its existence could put the lives of innocent American people in jeopardy," he said, "that surely would have an effect on the exercise of prosecutorial discretion."

[buck61]

I agree with your assessment of this situation. However, as
I stated, power and greed is the rule of the day and, damn the
American people. Congress covers one another regardless of party, they have been doing this so long and they know they can get away with it.
If I said they act like a group of lawyers, before and after a court hearing you would agree. Well, all one needs to do is look at the make up of congress, how many are lawyers?
All of them know the system and how to use it to their advantage.
On Fox News we are learning this week, many of them are signing bills with out reading them through. Some on the left have admitted to this fact and, after the bill is passed they begin to complain about the power, therein or the contents of the bill they were not aware of. What do these people do during the day, camera chasers? Anything to get some free face on national TV.
TNdandelion, do you know how much the total congress and the senate spend each yr. of the American tax dollar on staff and misc. Each congressman is allow 15 staff members and office expense. Each senator is allowed up to 50 staff members and misc. I bet you can't get the OMB to give the American people the total amount the congress spends. Just some more of their little secrets within their own society.
Ronald Regan warned the American public about big government and the dangers therein. We are also warned about
the terrorist every day and, 911 buy our president. America has forgotten 911 and all of its horrors, at least on the left. I just can't believe these people going so for to protect the radicals in America in a time of war.
Be prepared for the next big hit, our commerce will fall like a led balloon.