Update [2005-10-24 01:00AM PST by Oui]:
WASHINGTON (AFP) – Rife with rumors, Washington is braced for a political earthquake over an intricate CIA leak scandal, with a special prosecutor apparently narrowing in on key aides to President George W. Bush and the office of VP Dick Cheney.
«« click on pic to link to DoJ website
U.S. Attorney Patrick J. Fitzgerald,
pictured August 2005.
AFP/Getty Images/File/Tim Boyle
LAATSTE NEWS plus BLOGS ::
1. Legal Problems Dog Bush’s Inner Circle – How To Fill the Void
2. Special Counsel Fitzgerald in CIA leak Case Seen as Incorruptible
3. The Huffington Post
More to follow below the fold »»
Source for article ::
Tony Blankley wrote an interesting article suggesting that Seymour Hersh was guilty of violating the Espionage Act when he revealed details regarding US intelligence pertaining to Iraq. This column is from January 19, 2005:
In the fairly recent past, at least one journalist writing for Jane’s Publications has been successfully prosecuted under the statute, freedom of speech and the press not being a defense to espionage. Remember, in the famous Pentagon Papers case, the issue was prior restraint. Could the government stop a newspaper from publishing government secrets relating not to current operations but to prior planning? The answer then was no. But in the current matter of Seymour Hersh and the New Yorker, they have been free to publish the article. The question is whether or not any legal consequences attach to that decision.
I was shocked when I read Mr. Hersh’s article in The New Yorker. Note the tenses he uses to describe American military action: “The American commando task force … is now working,” “has been conducting secret reconnaissance.” In other words, Mr. Hersh is revealing to all the world, including the Iranian government, that our commandos are currently behind enemy lines in Iran on a dangerous and vital military assignment.”
Wow. What the hell? How did this go unpunished? Aren’t we at war? Are we really so docile, America? Are we really going to allow them to do this to us?
When is the main stream media going to pay attention to the “eight redacted pages”, the Judges’ comments about the damage to national security, and the actual laws that have been broken, especially 18 USC 794?
If you just look at the facts that are not even in dispute, they prove that Plame and Brewster Jennings were outed, you have prima facie convictions just sitting their staring America in the face.
[Minor edits, links and bold face emphasis added – Oui]
- One Very Good Reason Karl Rove Indictment
- I Knew Content TIME Emails Under Subpoena
- White House Awaits Grand Jury News ¶ It’s Rove … Lawrence O’Donnell
- DeLay :: Gotcha – Fingerprints et al! ¶ Abramoff & Bob Ney
- Prosecutor Fitzgerald Zeroes In :: Cheney – CIA Feud!
“Treason doth never prosper: what’s the reason?
For if it prosper, none dare call it treason.”
▼ ▼ ▼ RECENT DIARIES & COMMENTS AS REFERENCE
Interesting to see Tony quoting so much legal code about espionage. Perhaps the mouthpieces for Bush have been boning up on it lately. Wonder why?
.
IN THE UNITED DISTRICT COURT FOR THE
EASTERN DISTRICT OF VIRGINIA
Alexandria Division
THE GRAND JURY CHARGES THAT:
General Allegations
At all times material to this indictment:
[…]
[…]
COUNT ONE
Conspiracy to Communicate National Defense Information
THE GRAND JURY FURTHER CHARGES THAT:
[…]
WAYS, MANNER AND MEANS OF THE CONSPIRACY
OVERT ACTS:
COUNT TWO – COUNT THREE – COUNT FOUR
Communication of National Defense Information
COUNT FIVE
Conspiracy to Communicate Classified Information
THE GRAND JURY FURTHER CHARGES THAT:
General Allegations
1. Foreign Official 3 (FO-3) [Identified as Naor Gilon as Mossad Station Chief – Oui] is a diplomatic staff member of the embassy of Foreign Nation A [Israel – Oui] located in Washington, D.C. FO-3 is not a United States citizen.
2. At no time relevant to this indictment was defendant FRANKLIN assigned or instructed to meet with FO-3 in the Washington, D.C. area as part of his OSD or USAFR employment. At no time relevant to this indictment was defendant FRANKLIN authorized to disclose classified information to FO-3.
The Offense
Between on or about August 15, 2002 and continuing until on or about June 30, 2004, in the Eastern District of Virginia and elsewhere, defendant LAWRENCE ANTHONY FRANKLIN, an employee of the United States, did unlawfully and knowingly conspire, confederate, and agree, with persons known and unknown to the Grand Jury, to commit the following offense against the United States: to communicate in a manner and by a means, to a person whom defendant FRANKLIN knew and had reason to believe was an agent and representative of a foreign government, …
[…]
WAYS, MANNER AND MEANS OF THE CONSPIRACY
OVERT ACTS
1. thru 19.
(In violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 371.)
Paul J. McNulty
United States Attorney
Signed by:
Kevin V. Di Gregory
Assistant United States Attorney
Deputy Chief, Criminal Division
Neil Hammerstrom, Jr.
Assistant United States Attorney
Supervisor, Terrorism and
National Security Unit
Thomas Reilly
Trial Attorney
U.S. Department of Justice
###
Read Most Important Parts of Indictment
.
U.S. District Court for the
Eastern District of Virginia
Alexandria Division
[pdf file - 26 pages]Pages 1 thru 5 with the issue and definition of national security classification as “Top Secret,” “Secret” or “Confidential.”
COUNT FIVE
Pages 21 thru 26 :: A Must Read for the most important part of the indictment.
REFERENCES —
“Treason doth never prosper: what’s the reason?
For if it prosper, none dare call it treason.”
▼ ▼ ▼ MY DIARY